Showing posts sorted by date for query lamb. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query lamb. Sort by relevance Show all posts
One of my favourite television shows, long before I even dreamt of moving over to the UK was a British soap opera called Coronation Street. I started watching it when I was still at school and had no idea that I would one day be living in the North West of England in a brick terraced house. Funny how life turns out!
It was a show my Aunt Freda loved as well. One of its charms for me was the gritty reality of it. Not very many people on it were wealthy . . . no were they drop dead gorgeous, like in the American soaps. Plus they had jobs that they worked hard at . . . for the most part they were ordinary working class folk. I believe it is the longest running soap on television in the world.
A lot of the social life in the show centred around the Rover's Return Pub, which also let out rooms as a B&B on occasion. True to life there. Most communities over here have their own "local" as a pub is lovingly known as, and they are truly gathering places and the heart of the community in most cases.
As a pub/local the Rovers Return also served some simple food. Mostly sandwiches, potato chips, nuts and salty snacks, in addition to the drinks . . . but also one of the most famous and popular things on their menu was Betty's Hot Pot.
Betty Turpin was a barmaid in the Rover's Return and Betty's Hot Pot was her signature dish.
Hotpot is a very regional Lancashire dish consisting essentially of meat, onion and potatoes left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat. Originating in the days of heavy industrialisation in Lancashire in the north west of England, it requires a minimum of effort to prepare.
There are many regional variations, and it is frequently found listed amongst the usual pub grub dishes in various hostelries around Britain. The basic recipe consists of a mix made up of meat and vegetables (carrot, turnip, potatoes, onions or leek) which are then covered with a buttery thatch of sliced potato or pastry. Don't you just love the idea of a "thatched" roof of potato covering the top?
The type of meat to be used in a true Lancashire hotpot is a matter of
some controversy, with many being of the opinion that it should be lamb
(with optional lamb kidneys) and some thinking it should be beef. As
much food can be added as will fit in the pot, so it is very easy to increase the quantities to serve more people as desired.
We like it with lamb, and today I actually decreased the amounts to create a dish perfectly sized for two people. It worked out very well.
I had posted it originally here, some ten years ago, but thought it would be a good idea to update the recipe with North American measurements, and with nicer photos. I believe it was one of the first recipes I posted on here, so an update was long overdue!
One thing remains true and constant about this dish and that is this . . . it is simply delicious. Humble, yet . . . it almost tastes gourmet . . .
It is culinary proof and a testimony to the fact that it really is the simple things in life which bring us the most pleasure!
Yield: 2
Lancashire Hot Pot
prep time: 15 minscook time: 2 hour and 30 minstotal time: 2 hours and 45 mins
A scaled down version of my original recipe. A deliciously humble dish which originated in Lancashire. There is no way to rush a hot pot. Long and slow cooking is its secret to tender tastiness.
ingredients:
- 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 350g diced lamb (3/4 pound)
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1/4 medium swede (rutabaga) peeled and grated
- 300ml lamb stock (1 1/4 cup) (can use chicken stock)
- 1/2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
- 1 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 350g of potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices (3/4 pound)
- softened butter
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
instructions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the meat in batches and fry it until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large casserole dish (one with a lid) as it browns. Set aside.
- Once all the meat it browned and removed from the skillet add the vegetables to the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring them occasionally. Return the lamb to the skillet and pour over the stock. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix it all in well and then carefully pour the mixture back into the casserole dish. Tuck the thyme into the mixture, burying it.
- Cover the top of the mixture with a layer of half of the sliced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and then dot with butter. Finish layering with the remaining potatoes and adding a final dusting of salt and pepper and dot once again with some butter. Put the lid on.
- Bake in the heated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and bake for a further hour until the meat is very tender and the "thatch" is nicely browned in places and tender as well. Serve hot spooned out onto hot plates along with seasonal green vegetables on the side and plenty of crusty bread and butter to mop up the delicious juices.
Created using The Recipes Generator
This is comfort food in it's most basic, purest form. I like to serve it with a green vegetable on the side, but many serve it with red cabbage, which is quite traditional, as is some crusty bread to mop up all the juices! Bon Appetit!
We don't eat a lot of red meat in our house. We mostly eat chicken or fish, with an occasional piece of beef, lamb or pork. I have thought about stopping eating meat altogether, but I do admit, I really enjoy the occasional steak or chop, and we both enjoy good sausages every now and then!
I can remember when I was growing up and my mother cooked pork chops for our supper, you could have used them to shingle your roof. They had the mistaken idea back then, in the olden days . . . that you really needed to over-cook pork.
Whilst pork does need to be cooked through, you don't need to overcook them, and cook the flavour out of them. Brining is a good way to keep them nice and moist. Also bone in chops have less of a tendency to dry out than boneless chops.
I also find that oven braising them, after an initial browning on top of the stove, also helps to maintain their delectability and flavour.
In this recipe I am sharing with you today, the chops are browned quickly in a skillet and then oven braised on a bed of sweet potatoes and onions to finish them off.
This is a dish I really love to serve in the Winter months when we don't mind the oven being on, and we have heartier appetites.
The chops/potatoes/onions are braised in a mixture of apple juice and maple syrup, which also adds some lovely layers of flavours.
I like to brown my onions really well, before layering them in the pan. This lends a bit of sweetness to the dish . . . sticky golden fried onions are a real taste bud tingler! And the smell . . . it can't be beat!
You don't need to use apple juice . . . orange or pineapple juice would also work very well . . .
as would hard cider . . . or even just some chicken stock. Its really up to you. Myself, I like the flavour that the apple juice lends to the overall dish.
Simple ingredients done right. This is a fabulous one dish meal. I like to serve some petit pois on the side and of course applesauce is another tasty addition!
Yield: 2
Pork Chops Baked with Sweet Potatoes
prep time: 15 minscook time: 50 minstotal time: 65 mins
This meal in a dish supper is adaptable to many flavours. You could use sage or summer savoury instead of thyme, or crushed seeds like fennel, coriander or juniper. Honey instead of Maple Syrup would work well also.
ingredients:
- 2 TBS sunflower oil
- 250g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced (1/2 pound)
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium brown onions, peeled and sliced
- the leaves from 3 - 4 sprigs of thyme
- 2 pork loin chops, fatty edge slashed
- (this helps to prevent the chops from curling)
- 1 TBS pure Maple Syrup
- 75ml apple juice (1/3 cup)
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a shallow oven baking dish. Set aside.
- Prepare your vegetables. Spread the sweet potatoes in the baking dish, sprinkling them with salt and pepper and a bit of thyme.
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onions and fry them until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and spread over the potatoes. Sprinkle wit a bit more thyme. Season the pork chops and brown them quickly on both sides in the skillet. Place them on top of the vegetables in the casserole dish and sprinkle with any remaining thyme. Whisk together the maple syrup and apple juice. Pour over all and then cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Uncover. Reduce the oven temperature to 150*C/300*F/gas mark 2. Return the dish to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes to let the chops and potatoes brown slightly. Spoon onto heated plates to serve. I like to serve a green vegetable with this.
Created using The Recipes Generator
You can double or triple this recipe by increasing the quantities accordingly and baking in a much larger gratin dish. The cook time should stay the same.
Of course a good set of knives is probably the best tool you can have in the kitchen. I was sent these Taylor's Eye Witness Rose Gold Knives recently to use and try out. They are really nice knives, with an attractive rose-gold coloured bolster and finger guard. They also boast comfortable soft-grip handles. They have a hard titanium plated blade, with super-sharp hollow ground blades, which are difficult to blunt and come with a 2 year no-quibble guarantee. Whilst they are dishwasher safe, hand washing is recommended,using a plastic dish brush in hot soapy water, and drying with a soft cloth immediately after. It is not recommended that you use anything abrasive to wash them with. Regular sharpening will help to keep the edges sharp. There is nothing more dangerous in the kitchen than a dull knife. I found them to work very well and was very impressed with their ability to cut my onions and sweet potatoes into lovely thin slices with no effort at all. This set is the Brooklyn Rose Gold 2 piece kitchen knife set, containing a 6 1/2 inch Santuko knife, a 5 inch all-purpose knife and a 4 inch paring knife. I have been very impressed thus far with their performance and I know I am really going to enjoy using these in my kitchen!
Here's a handy kitchen tip, when I am slicing anything with rounded edges like an onion, or a potato, I find it very helpful to slice a thin edge off on one side so that the vegetable can sit on the cutting board without rolling around.
It works a charm and is a much safer way to cut things into thin slices.
Taylor's Eye Witness have been making quality knives in Sheffield since 1838. Beautifully designed, yet affordable. You can buy these lovely knives from the Bakewell Cookshop.
Note - although I was sent these knives free of charge to use, any and all opinions are my own.
Keeping things fairly simple around here. To be honest, I am not really all that hungry, but my hubby still has to eat. I found a small package of lamb mince in the freezer and so today I did him a shepherd's pie.
People often confuse Shepherd's Pie and Cottage Pie, using the terms interchangeably. In reality, although quite similar, they are actually two very different things, with one using minced lamb and the other minced beef.
The clues are in the names . . . a Cottage Pie, uses beef, and is so called because of the "thatch" of mashed potatoes on top . . . said to resemble a thatched roof cottage.
There is certainly a "Thatch" of mash on both casseroles . . .
"Shepherd's" Pie is so called because it uses minced lamb . . . and it is shepherds who have traditionally cared for flocks of sheep/lambs.
My Todd really loves a dinner like this. Meat and potatoes are his favourite of all food combinations, and you can't get more meat and potatoes than this!
I have sized it down to generously serve two people. (There being only two of us in the home, and me only really wanting to serve it to Todd.) There are quantities in the recipe for both two and four servings.
Its a fairly simple and classic recipe. Some recipes call for the addition of veggies, some don't. I choose to add in some grated carrot, and a layer of peas.
The carrot gets grated into the meat mixture, where it flavours the gravy nicely . . .
The peas I add in a layer between the meat and gravy and the potato thatch on top . . .
I also add a smattering of grated strong white cheddar cheese to the top of the potato . . .
It tastes really good and helps to get a really nice golden brown colour to the finished dish.
Todd was one very happy camper when I set this down in front of him. You would have thought all of his Christmas's had come at once.
Yield: 2
Shepherd's Pie for Two
prep time: 25 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 55 mins
A classic family favourite perfectly sized for two. Ingredient measurements for 4 are in the brackets.
ingredients:
- 2 tsp sunflower oil (1 TBS)
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped (1 medium onion)
- 1/2 medium carrot peeled and grated (1 medium carrot)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (1 clove)
- 1/2 pound lean minced lamb (1 pound)
- 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs (1 tsp)
- 2 tsp plain flour (1 TBS)
- 150ml (generous half cup) lamb or vegetable stock (300ml/1 1/4 cup)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (1 TBS)
- frozen peas (Optional)
- 1 pound floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (2 pounds)
- 2 TBS milk (4 TBS)
- 1 1/2 TBS butter (3 TBS)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 40g (1 1/2 oz) strong white cheddar cheese (50g/2 ounces)
instructions:
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Fry the onion and garlic in it until softened. Add the minced lamb and cook, breaking up the lamb with a wooden spoon, until browned. Stir in the carrot and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the flour and herbs. Gradually whisk in the stock and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until it bubbles and begins to thicken. Leave to simmer while you do the mash.
- Put the potatoes into a pot and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until tender, about 12 - 15 minutes. Drain well. (Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5) Return to the pot and shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry out. Mash well with a potato masher. Stir in the butter and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning of the lamb mixture. Pour into the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with a layer of frozen peas. Spoon the mash over top to cover, roughing the surface up with the back of a spoon or a fork. Sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown. Spoon out onto heated plates to serve.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Note - the herbs I used were dried parsley, thyme, rosemary and marjoram
One of the things I really like doing as a food blogger is being afforded the opportunity to enjoy food in new places and venues. Restaurant Reviews don't happen really often, but when they do, I am always really happy to do try something new!
I was recently contacted and asked if I would like to enjoy a meal at the new Comptoir Libanais which had recently opened up in Cheshire Oaks, which is a huge shopping complex not too far from where I live. I was offered a meal for two on the house. The Comptoir Libanais dining experience promises to bring the delicious flavours of Lebanon and the
Middle East to the the British customer. With a myriad of bright colours
and flavours the food reflects the stunning interiors of all the
restaurants.
Founded by Tony, Kitous, there are a number of Comptoir Libanais restaurants now open in the UK, each one offering a fabulous Lebanese dining experience. It has always been Tony's desire “to create a place for everyone to eat and drink in humble
and friendly surroundings that is affordable for all”, so to see the Comptoir family expand in
England's North West brings much joy to Tony and the team. Comptoir has a strong
presence in the North with restaurants in Leeds and Manchester and Cheshire was the
natural next location.
I brought my friend Tina along with me to enjoy the experience and from the moment we entered the restaurant we were struck by the authentic feel of it, the bright colours, the delicious smells and fabulous atmosphere. It felt just as if we had stumbled onto a wonderful Souk somewhere in the Middle East, with a vibrancy in colour and a truly down home feeling. The colours were a treat for the eyes and everyone was quite friendly and helpful. At first there was some confusion as they weren't expecting us, and didn't appear to know anything about it, but that was quickly sorted by the very capable and friendly staff which showed us to a nice window side table where we could view the whole restaurant from. I loved the colour and feel of the furnishings. Brightly coloured and patterned vinyl seating, and red painted wooden chairs, mixed with a red striped bench seats vie for your attention along with beautiful mosaic tile patterned floors and fabulous pendulum lighting. I found myself wanting some of those light fixtures for my own home. The walls were lined with pictures of famous people wearing colourful Fez's and beautiful handbags which were for sale, silver tea pots, also for sale.
It felt so authentic and real. We both knew instantly that we were in for a real treat. I think about the only thing that was missing was some music. I think a bit of Middle Eastern music playing in the background would be nice, but this is such a busy and happening place and filled with a mosaic of people's, speaking different languages etc. We felt comfortable and at home. Tina remarked that she felt as if she had been dropped into the middle of a lovely Eastern Bazaar. I felt the same.
The menu is made of recipes which Middle Eastern and Lebanese mothers use at home including Tony’s mother. Comptoir is a place that serves food all day from breakfast until dinner. It is a restaurant where everyone can eat casually and the food is served with warm and friendly hospitality, just like back home in the Middle-East and North Africa. Breakfast is an important meal in the Arab culture, the menu includes dishes such as Shakshuka - a classic dish made up of slow cooked tomatoes, red onions and peppers mixed with parsley, coriander and garlic. Topped with a fried egg and crumbled feta and served with pita. Alternatively , Man’ousha flat bread or full Lebanese breakfast.
The all day menu includes a huge variety of different dishes from a large selection of hot and cold mezze which are ideal for a quick snack or to share with friends and family. All the usual dips, salads and dishes are also available, from Baba Ghanuj to Marinated Jawaneh - Chargrilled marinated chicken wings with garlic, lemon & pomegranate molasses. Warm Lebanese wraps (served with a Comptoir salad and pickles) are especially popular, as are the Marinated Grills and Tagines.
No Lebanese meal is complete without something sweet there is a selection of Baklawa and Lebanese desserts, which are delicate, fragrant and delicious, such as Dark Chocolate Orange and Cardamom Cake. Refreshing homemade lemonades such as Romana - orange blossom water and pomegranate lemonade and Rosa - rose, lemon and lime lemonade, as well as Fresh Rose Mint Tea , served in a silver teapot are the perfect accompaniments to the meal as well as freshly squeezed juices, cocktails and a selection of Lebanese wines and beers, specially imported from the Bekaa Valley.
We were really spoilt for choice. They offer a variety of drinks for their customers. Hot drinks such as teas, coffees, chocolates (both European and Middle Eastern choices) along with a variety of wines, beers, spirits, cocktails and cold drinks. We don't drink alcohol, tea or coffee, but were keen to try some authentic Home-made Lebanese Lemonades.
Tina chose for herself a Toufaha, which is an Apple, Mint and Ginger lemonade. (regular £2.95)
For myself I ordered a Roza, which was Lemon and Lime, with Rose Syrup. (Regular £2.95) Oh boy, but both drinks were amazing! We tasted each other's (of course!) and I loved both flavours. The Toufaha was spicier than the Roza, but both were deliciously pleasant and served with plenty of ice and a lovely paper straw! (Yay!)
There is a huge selection of Mezze, both hot and cold, available, along with a variety of Dips, Soups, and Salads. The people next to us were having a Mezze platter for two and it looked fantastic. You can also get a Mezze Platter for one. We knew we wouldn't have room for that, along with a main and dessert.
We didn't want to overly fill up before our main course, so we ordered two separate Mezze to share. All were moderately priced, ranging from £2.95 for a selection of pickles to £6.25 for the Lamb Kibbeh.
Lamb Kibbeh (3 pieces) (£6.25) - Minced lamb cracker wheat parcels, filled with lamb, pine nuts and onion, served with a mint yogurt sauce.
Cheese Samboussek (£5.50) - Pastry parcels filled with Halloumi & Feta cheese, topped with sesame seeds, served with mint yogurt sauce.
I think our favourite of the two was the Cheese Samboussek, but both were delicious. The Lamb was nicely spiced, and not greasy in the least, with a crisp crust and flavourful filling. I love Kibbeh, and this was very good, not too spicy, but well flavoured.
The Cheese Samboussek, had lots of filling and we both fell in love with it. Tina wanted to show you the insides. Both dishes came with a delicious creamy dip and pickles. I wasn't sure what the pickles were, but we both enjoyed them. There was a type of hot pepper, and a crisp green stick with we think was cucumber, but my favourite were the pink ones, which you can't see here because I had already eaten it. It was so good. I saw jars of them for sale, so when we go back (and we will because we want to bring our husbands with us) I am going to buy some for here at home. Seriously tasty! Both Mezze were a nice size and not overly filling, which was a plus for me as I don't want to already be full before my main course arrives. A good Mezze should whet the appetite for what is to come and these did just that!
They are a variety of warm Wraps on the menu ( Falafel Lamb Kofta, Chicken Taouk, Halloumi & Olive) all served with a Comptoir salad and pickles. You can also get a Wrap platter. There are four different kinds of Large Salads, with vegetarian and vegan options. There are also Grill options and Fattets, several favourites, and Tagines along with a variety of sides available.
For our main, we again chose two different options which we planned on sharing. They didn't bat an eyelid when we asked for two separate plates. Let me tell you, it was really difficult to choose only two things. I could easily have eaten everything on the menu. It all sounded very appealing!
One choice was the Chicken Moussakhan (£11.95) - Roasted marinated half baby chicken in pomegranate molasses, walnuts, and sumac onion confit, served with Comptoir salad & Vermicelli Basmati Rice.
THIS WAS GORGEOUS!
The portion was very generous, the chicken was well flavoured and tender. Delicious with a crisp skin. I normally take the skin off my chicken, but I ate the skin, I couldn't help myself. The salad was nice and well prepared with a lovely dressing. (I have had some pretty manky salads in restaurants over here) This salad passed my salad test. I also really enjoyed the rice. I love Vermicelli rice. This had a faint flavour of chicken stock. All told, we were both very pleased with this option.
For our other option we ordered the Lamb & Prune Tagine (£12.50) - Tender pieces of lamb with prunes, butternut squash, roasted almonds and sesame seeds. We chose couscous as the go with.
This was also delicious, with plenty of prunes, lamb, squash and a nice thick gravy. It was nicely spiced with a really fruity flavour, which went very well with the sweetness of the lamb. The lamb was so tender it fell apart.
A variety of sides are also available on the menu . . . rice, couscous, olives, quinoa, Batata Harra (Lebanese spiced fries), Hommos, and a selection of pickles.
There are plenty of options for dessert and the sweet tooth! Dark Chocolate & Red Rose Berries Cake sounded good. So did the Orange and Almond Cake, the Mango and Vanilla Cheese Cake and the Chocolate Brownie. There are also Baklawa and ice cream or frozen yogurt. We wanted something really authentic and light so we chose the Orange Blossom Mouhalabia and a selection of Baklawa.
Orange Blossom Mouhalabia £5.45 - a traditional Lebanese milk pudding with date, fig, apricot, prune and sultana compote.
Can you say TO DIE FOR! This is what we wrote down . . . Smooth, silky, light and satisfying . . . this was a clear favourite. We had no problem polishing it off and the compote went beautifully with it. It almost tasted faintly like Turkish delight. We are so in love with this, that I am now looking for a recipe to make it at home. We want it for our Christmas lunch dessert!
The Baklawa (£4.95) was amazing also. I love, LOVE Baklawa. It is like one of my favourite things on earth. There was a very generous serving of six pieces. It was all delicious. You can also buy the Baklawa in the "Souk" along with a multitude of other goodies.
With an ample Breakfast Menu, a Children's Menu, as well as a Takeaway Menu, there something here for everyone, and every occasion.
We were very happy with our meal. It was well prepared, delicious and the servings quite ample. The service was excellent. The atmosphere was excellent. All-told this was a very positive experience for both of us. Lunch for two, with drinks, excluding tip, came to about £50.00. All in all we gave this dining experience a perfect 10 out of 10! It is a very family friendly restaurant as well. The couples sitting next to us had small children with them. I loved the colour and the vibe of the place. There is also an upstairs. Washrooms are available, both regular on the upper floor, and a Handicapped accessible on the main floor. Very clean.
We will return for sure.
Many thanks to Comptoir Libanais, Cheshire Oaks for this really enjoyable dining experience!
Special notes -
Tony started his entrepreneurial flair from a young age selling lemonades and sandwiches outside his home on the street in Algeria. This drive inspired him to come to London with very little and grow the restaurant business that he has today. The authentic journey of flavours from the regions where Tony spent his childhood and where he still regularly travels now, continuing to source ingredients and decorations that will enhance the intoxicating eating experience of the Middle East.
The food is available to eat in the restaurant or to take home back to the office or to your home. Takeaway food is part and parcel of Middle Eastern culture and so Comptoir Libanais s proud to offer this service to guests at the Cheshire Oaks restaurant. Not only this, but the team will soon be launching an exclusive delivery service with Deliveroo . Comptoir Libanais will, therefore, provide the perfect option for eating at home or for picking up on the way back from work.
The restaurant also offers a large dedicated children’s menu with an activity pack and colouring in section to keep the little ones entertained. Priced at £5.95 it includes a main course, drink and dessert and includes favourites such as Halloumi Halloumi platter with falafel and hommos and Chicken wings with hommos and Lebanese fries.
About Comptoir Libanais
There are 23 restaurants across London and around the country, including Manchester, Bath, Leeds, Reading, Birmingham, Oxford and Exeter. Comptoir Libanais also has a branch in Holland and is in the process of expanding further internationally, with restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Founded in 2008 by Tony Kitous, the name means Lebanese Counter, as it is a place where everyone can eat casually and enjoy Middle Eastern food, served with warm and friendly hospitality, just like back home.
www.comptoirlibanais.co.uk
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