Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
Well, it is officially summer now the kids are all out of school. People are taking summer holidays, the mercury is rising, and many of us are looking for ways to keep things cool in the kitchen. For a lot of us this will mean grilling, picnics, BBQ's.
Here in Canada, we have just celebrated Canada Day, and I know many of my American family and friends will be celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow. One of my favorite childhood memories is of visiting our American family at this time of year and seeing all of the American flags.
Our cookouts may be as simple as hotdogs and hamburgers, or they can be as sophisticated as grilled chicken, fish, lamb, ribs, chops, or that delicious, tender perfectly grilled steak we have been waiting to enjoy since last year!
And I do look forward to all of those things. But let me tell you what I look forward to even more. Its the sides. Truth be told, to me anyways, they are the best part of any cookout, and I have my favorites!
These are dishes which add texture, color and flavor to those meals, complimenting whatever it is that you are planning on grilling. The dishes that turn any summer cookout, BBQ or Picnic into a feast and not just a meal! The dishes that no summer get-together would be perfect without.
Let me share my favorites with you, and not just any favorites, but the best of the best recipes for adding to the side of anything you might be choosing to cook be it veggie burgers, steaks, kabobs, or whatever.
MOM'S POTATO SALAD
For me, no summer get-together would be complete without a dish of Mom's Potato Salad gracing the table. I know that everyone thinks that their mom's make the best potato salad, and maybe it is true. Maybe your mom does make the best potato salad, but this potato salad recipe is a recipe that will blow most of the others out of the ball park!
This is my most often requested summer salad recipe. Whenever I am invited to someone's place for a pot luck or a BBQ they always ask me to bring my potato salad. I am not surprised actually. It is the perfect potato salad with just the right ratio of potato and veggies to dressing.
I am not fond of potato salads that are overdressed in mayo and gloopy. There is such a thing as too much when it comes to potato salad. This really IS the best potato salad recipe. Its secret is a preliminary dressing of a simple vinaigrette. This gets flavor right into the potatoes and prevents them from absorbing too much mayonnaise when it comes to adding the mayo dressing.
I also like to include plenty of chopped boiled egg, crisp chunks of celery and some onion and of course I always add a layer of sliced boiled egg to the top of the salad which really dressed it up to perfection. A dusting of paprika and we are good to go! I also have a very classic small batch recipe which is perfect for the smaller family.
BASIC MACARONI SALAD
Another must have for me and which makes a change from Potato Salad is this Basic Macaroni Salad recipe. And when I say basic I mean really basic. There is no need for bells and whistles here. This is as basic as you can get.
One thing I like about Macaroni salad is that it goes together a lot quicker than potato salad. You boil the macaroni, drain it and cool it off in cold running water. It doesn't take long. The macaroni I buy takes 5 minutes to cook and about 3 to 4 to cool down. Drain it again and its ready to add the dressing to.
It encompasses many of the flavors of a potato salad, but its faster. You get the crunch of the chopped celery and onion, the richness of the boiled egg, that creamy dressing, along with the bite of al dente macaroni.
This simple salad is about as unpretentious as it gets. Don't let its simplicity fool you into believing that its not really special however. This is the best. It is perfect just as is.
Sometimes my sister will add a can of drained tuna to it. My brother in law likes it that way, and it is very good. Myself, however, I like it just the way it is.
CAKE PAN SALAD
Cake Pan Salad. So called because it is arranged in a cake pan and is frosted with a delicious dressing on the top. Also called 7 Layer Salad, there are a ton of recipes out there for this salad. Most of them are pretty similar. You will also find some Tex Mex versions of it with corn chips and other bits added.
This basic layered salad recipe is a favorite for a reason. Its delicious! It is a beautiful marriage of layers, colors, textures and tastes!
One of the reasons I like mine the most is because I have managed (through trial and error) to reduce the fat and calorie content of it without compromising on taste! My version tastes every bit as delicious as the original. In fact I dare you to tell the difference.
You get the same tasty layers of crisp vegetables and lettuce. Peas, tomatoes, spring onions, cos lettuce. I use a strong cheddar cheese. If you use a strong cheese you need less of it to give you the same flavor impact that a milder one would give.
I use a low fat mayo and sour cream in the dressing. I still add bacon to the top, just not as much, and let me tell you, nobody notices. This salad is so delicious that nobody notices that it isn't slathered in an abundance of bacon. Lower in fat and calories and diabetic friendly. For me this is the best layered salad out there.
CHINESE COLESLAW
For me, every BBQ and summer get together is not complete without some coleslaw and there is no better version than Chinese Coleslaw. This is the perfect blend of crunch and color and flavor without a cloying mayonnaise based dressing. I have eaten far too many mayo soaked coleslaws in my life and if you are already having a potato or macaroni salad with mayonnaise in it, why do you need another salad full of mayonnaise?
Why Indeed?
This salad is the perfect antidote to that. It is a wonderful blend of crisp shredded vegetables. Carrots, two kinds of cabbage, the red and the green. You could use a ready blended coleslaw mix for speed if you wanted to.
Add to that the crunch of toasted almonds and sunflower seeds, and the piece de resistance . . . wait for it . . . a crumbled package of crispy ramen noodles. Crunch perfection.
Add a beautiful sweet and sour vinaigrette dressing and you have a salad that everyone will want seconds of! I always, always, come home with an empty bowl.
There are a bazillion versions of this recipe out there as well. This one uses water chestnuts and sesame seeds.
If you are wanting a slaw recipe that stands out from the crowd, is colorful and tastes delicious, with plenty of crunch then you cannot go wrong with Chinese Coleslaw. This is guaranteed to be the hit of your get-together!
PERFECT DEVILED EGGS
Finally, no cookout, picnic or BBQ would be perfect without a platter of Perfect Deviled Eggs. Again, no bells and whistles here. Just simple ingredients done well.
I don't want to brag or anything, but everyone love LOVES my Deviled Eggs. They are a very simple make. Just three ingredients, including the eggs. Oh, a bit of seasoning as well, according to taste.
When I cooked at the Manor the Mr and Mrs requested that a platter of my Deviled Eggs be in the refrigerator at all times. I wish I had a dollar for everyone that I have ever cooked. I would be a very wealthy woman.
In the above link I give all my tips for cooking eggs perfectly and my hints and tips for making the best deviled eggs ever. For instance did you know that fresh eggs are notoriously difficult to peel, but if your eggs are a bit older they peel much easier. I also like to peel mine under running water.
These are quite simply excellent, and the first thing to disappear on any buffet table, I guarantee!
And there you have it, my five favorite Summer Sides! What are some of yours? I really would love to know. Lets all share. With a bit of cooperation there is no reason why this summer can't be the tastiest one ever!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
Thank you so much for visiting! Do come again!
One of the things I love most about the food blogging world is that you get to touch base with food bloggers from ALL over the World! I think that's pretty cool. It makes the world . . . well . . . not so big a place, and it opens up your palate to all sorts of variety and possibility. At least that's my theory.
I was contacted recently and asked if I would be willing to participate in an activity to help to promote the launch of a new cookery book by one of the world's best food photographer/food bloggers Jules Clancy of the popular food blog Stone Soup. As a part of this activity I was asked to submit an ingredient which she could give me some recommendations for cooking quickly and deliciously.
The Stone Soup Blog is all about cooking fresh, healthy and delicious meals that can be cooked with 5 ingredients and in 10 minutes or less.
I asked Jules about Swede. I love Swede, or Rutabaga as it is known in North America and probably other parts of the world. We always called it turnip when I was a child, but that was a misnomer. It is a member of the brassica family, but it's not a turnip per se. In any case we love them in this house. Here was Jule's advice to me . . .
SWEDES
I'll be honest, swedes aren't my favourite vegetable. I usually only buy them once or twice a year when I feel like making a huge pot of my Mum's lamb and veggie soup or making a mixed root veg stew.
Given that they take at least half an hour or longer to cook, they really didn't get a look in when I was planning recipes for my book '5 Ingredients 10 Minutes'. But if you love swedes and would like to include them in your midweek cooking more often, the best thing to do is to cook them on the weekend. Just scrub and dice and roast in a little oil until golden. Then keep in the fridge to throw into soups like the simple minestrone in my book.
The roast cubes can also be quickly warmed in a pan to make warm salads more substantial. They're also great in any dishes involving lentils or eggs or cheese. Try using your diced roast swede to add bulk to a frittata or omelette or even scrambled tofu. Or make your favourite pasta bake recipe a bit healthier by replacing some of the cooked pasta with roast swede cubes.
I agree, they can take some length of time to cook, and I appreciated Jules advice to roast or cook it ahead of time, at the weekend, so that you can have some ready to add to soups, salads, omelettes, etc. I personally have a pretty quick way of cooking it myself, which is quite, quite delicious. I simply grated it on the large holes of a box grater and then pan fry it in a bit of butter. It's done pretty quickly and is absolutely delicious. Tis a trick I learned from a Canadian Mennonite.
I do love Jule's book. It's got a fresh clean look to it and peppered throughout with her beautiful food photography. All of the recipes are nicely written and quite doable! And yes, quick . . . Quick . . . QUICK!
Recipes for tasty spreads and dips such as this simply beautiful looking warm Cannellini Bean Spread with Parmesan . . .
to the unusual . . . like this Cream Cheese, Honey and Soy Crostini. Now tell me that's NOT appealing and intriguing! The picture alone begs me to create it and the ingredients list . . . simply crusty baguette slices, cream cheese, honey and . . . well . . . soy sauce! It could not be simpler.
But that's not all . . . there is also a beautiful variety of delicious looking and sounding soups . . .
Tasty and beautiful looking salads . . .
Quick easy, fresh and colourful pasta dishes . . .
A variety of mains using meat, fish and poultry . . .
And even fresh and delicious desserts.
And . . . all of the recipes use five ingredients or less and are easily created in just ten minutes or less. One of the main excuses people use today for not eating healthy is that they don't have the time to cook healthy meals . . . this delightful cookery book blows that theory right out of the water . . . it is indeed possible to cook fresh and delicious food, using healthy fresh ingredients in not an awful lot of time!
I was personally intrigued by her recipe for Crunchy Bread Pudding. We love bread pudding in this house, especially the Toddster. Too often though the recipes make far too much and most of it ends up being thrown away because it just doesn't get eaten in time. Was it possible to make a delicious bread pudding in ten minutes or less??
Yes. It is and I did.
*Crunchy Bread Pudding*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe
Take care to watch while it is baking as it can burn very quickly if you take your eyes off it for even a second.
60g caster sugar (I used golden about 1/4 cup)
125ml whipping cream (1/2 cup double cream)
1 large free range egg
2 thick slices of bread, cut into cubes
cream or ice cream to serve
Preheat your oven grill to it's hottest setting. Line a large baking tray with some aluminum foil. Spray it lightly with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Whisk the sugar, cream and egg together in a bowl. Add the bread cubes and squash them into the mixture, allowing it to soak up as much of it as possible. Spread the soaked bread onto the prepared baking tray.
Cook under the heated grill for about 5 minutes. Turn the cubes over and grill for another 3 minutes or so until golden brown.
Divide the cubes between two small bowls and serve with cream or ice cream.
Note: you can use coconut cream instead of the whipping cream and egg to make this dairy-free/vegan; or use a gluten free bread for a gluten free version, you can add cinnamon to give a spiced flavour, or replace the crea, sugar and egg with a commercial egg free custard for an egg-free version.
Another thing I like about Jules' recipes is that there are many variations included for most of them which give you the opportunity to charge things up. There are also 10 minute tricks of the trade, etc.
All in all I think this book is a real winner and will take pride of place on my book shelf.
Many thanks to the people from Penguin and Jules for sending it to me.
5 ingredients 10 minutes
delicious, healthy recipes for tired and hungry cooks
by Jules Clancy
Published by Penguin books
ISBN 978-0-718-15874-3
U.K. £14.99
Do take a gander at the banner at the top of my right hand side bar to see all of the other people participating in this blogging event.
As promised yesterday I am back today with a delicious casserole that you can make with some of your leftover cooked pork. I think that this casserole would also work well with leftover cooked chicken, beef or lamb as well.
I am a great lover of the casserolee and of using up my leftovers.
My last year in high school I started collecting a series of books by the people at Better, Homes & Gardens. They came one every couple of months or so and I thought they were just fabulous. They were some of the very first cookery books I used. There were quite a few volumes, each one pertaining to a different cookery subject. One on meat, another on chicken, there was a casseroles one, one on entertaining, etc. This recipe today came from a volume filled with money saving budget recipes and became a real favourite of my family through the years.
Its a great way to use up some of the ham left over from a roast ham, and in fact, I will sometimes pick up one of those small dinner hams at the grocery store, just so I can make this old standby of mine.
Cubes of cooked ham are mixed together with cooked macaroni and slices of sweet apple in a delicious, creamy sauce which is lightly flavoured with mustard and brown sugar. I am sure that it sounds a bit unusual, but it really is quite tasty. The original recipe called for plain ordinary mustard, but I now use Dijon, which is not as bright yellow in colour and has a nice depth of flavour without being too sharp.
Of course ham and mustard are perfect partners anyways, and who hasn't enjoyed a brown sugar glazed ham? I have often heard of people glazing their hams with apple butter, so really using sliced apple in this is not much of a flavour stretch, and the apple is a flavour partner, albeit it somewhat unusual, that goes amazingly well.
The sauce is creamy without being too rich. You can use whole milk in this but more often than not I use 2% or semi skimmed. It works just fine. I have even made it with re-constituted evaporated milk in the past when I was really having to pinch the pennies. All work well.
You can use white bread for the crumbs, although nowadays I am more apt to use whole wheat. I actually have come to prefer whole wheat bread now because of its almost nutty taste and texture, and of course it is much better for you. I usually serve this with salad and pickled beets.
*Ham and Mac Bake*
Serves 4 to 6
Serves 4 to 6
This is a wonderful casserole that is not only very tasty, but also very easy on the budget as well. My children always loved it when they were growing up and it was something different to do with the ham that was leftover from Easter. I often buy a slab of ham at the shops so that I can make this as well.
225g of uncooked macaroni (2 cups)
65g cup butter (1/4 cup)
45g flour (1/4 cup)
2 TBS Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
480ml milk (2 cups)
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 cups cubed, fully cooked ham (about half a pound)
2 medium eating apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 1/4 slices of bread made into soft bread crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 TBS butter melted
Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water until done, according to the packet directions. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until needed.
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ Gas mark 4. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute over low heat. Blend in the mustard, salt, pepper and sugar. In the meantime bring the milk just to the boil. (Just until bubbles appear around the edges) Slowly whisk the heated milk into the flour mixture, cooking and stirring it until thickened, smooth and bubbly. Stir in the cooked macaroni, ham and apple slices. Turn into a greased 2 litre casserole dish.
Toss the bread crumbs with the 2 TBS butter and sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Simple, old fashioned and delicous, this recipe would be the perfect way to use up some of that Easter Ham. Over here most people cook lamb for Easter, but the North American in me always wants a baked Ham at Easter. Old habits die hard. Bon Appetit!
There is no more comforting a supper on a cold winter's than a traditional cottage pie. I wanted to share this cottage pie recipe with you today that I have downsized from my original recipe for a simple cottage pie which serves 4-6 people. This version is half that size.
This English classic need not be reserved just for the large family. Why should the smaller family suffer for lack of numbers? I am here to say that you can eat just as well when you are only one or two as you can when you are more.
You can make it with either leftover roast beef, as I have here today, or fresh ground beef, which is also the custom in many homes. It is very similar to its close cousin, the Shepherd's Pie.
You may find yourself asking the question, what is the difference between a cottage pie and a shepherd's pie? Great question.
They are very similar casseroles, but in a cottage pie beef is traditionally used as the meat and in a shepherd's pie the meat is usually lamb. You can use either leftover meat from your Sunday roast or fresh meat, depending on what you have in your kitchen.
This is one of the things I like to make whenever I have leftover roast beef in my refrigerator. It makes a great change from making hash or a pot pie, which are my usual go-to's.
You don't even need to have leftover gravy to make it. I tell you how to make a delicious beef sauce without any gravy, By all means, however, do use gravy if you are lucky enough to have some!
Not only is it very easy to make, but it is also incredibly economical. Something we are all aware of these days.
We all want the food we eat to fit within our budgets. That is especially important when you are a smaller family.
You might think that it is much cheaper for two people to eat than it is for four. Simply not true. In fact in many cases it may even cost more, especially if you tend to buy smaller packages of things.
Typically smaller packages cost more than the larger sized versions of the same per ounce/gram. I am not sure why that is.
A good steward of the family budget needs to be able to make wise choices when it comes to the purchase of food. I have found that it is much more budget-savvy to buy the larger sizes, break them down and freeze the excess for a later date.
Being budget-savvy also means making the best use of what you have. Our fore-bearers knew exactly how to do that and dishes like Cottage Pie helped them to do just that.
As I said, you can use either cooked leftover roast in this or fresh hamburger. If you are using fresh minced beef you need to brown it. I find it is easiest to do this when you are sautéing the onions and other aromatics.
An aromatic is a vegetable used in cooking that develop deep and well rounded flavors to a dish when chopped or crushed and then heated and cooked. Aromatics most commonly used tend to be onions, carrots and celery.
Typically these are added at the beginning when you are cooking a dish. This helps them to add as much flavor and aroma as possible.
These are the things which bring others into the kitchen begging and answer to the question, "What's cooking?" These things typically set our tastebuds to tingling in overtime!
For this recipe I have minced leftover cooked roast beef and added it to onions, carrots, swede/rutabaga and celery. This is browned gently in butter, which adds much to the flavors.
Once browned a quantity of flour is added which will thicken the gravy. Make sure you cook it for a few minutes to cook out the flavor of the flour. This is a really important step to take as there is nothing worse than the flavor of raw flour in a sauce.
Once that is done a bit of beef stock is added along with some tomato paste, brown/HP sauce and herbs. You don't need to add the brown sauce, but I find it really adds a special something to the depth of flavor in this gravy.
You can add Worcestershire sauce in its place if that is all you have. It also works beautifully here.
I sometimes like to add a bit of creamed horseradish as well. Not a lot, only a dab. You want just the merest hint of it. Horseradish goes very well with beef.
Meat sauce made, it goes into the bottom of the dish and a layer of vegetables go on top. Typically I use frozen peas and I add them frozen, which not only helps to preserve the color of them somewhat, but also helps to keep them fresher tasting during the longer bake time.
You don't have to use peas. Some people use corn. Some people use both. Some people use a frozen mix of vegetables such as peas, corn, beans, etc. All work well.
The star of the show is the potato thatch which blankets the top of the dish. Creamy, fluffy and delicious, it seals in all the goodness of that rich and meaty base perfectly.
Our typical vision of the ideal English Cottage is one which is covered with a thatched roof of straw. That is why this covering of mashed potatoes is called the "thatch." I love the quaint reasoning behind these English recipes, along with their simplicity.
I like to score a pattern in the thatch which adds to the attractiveness I think. Its not really necessary. You can just pile it on and swirl it, or not. Just make sure it covers the filling all the way to the edges. Typically some of the juices will bubble up through anyways.
I cannot tell a lie, those rich corners where the juices of the gravy bubble through are my favorite bits. I love all of this comfort food casserole really. That rich and meaty filling, the crisp buttery potato thatch, those meaty juiced edges.
Its all pretty good if you ask me! Somehow, no matter what your day has handed you, even the worst day gets tangibly better when a Cottage Pie is on the menu! Today I served it with some coleslaw, but any salad will do, or even a simple slice of buttered brown bread. Enjoy!!
Cottage Pie for Two
Yield: 2
prep time: 15 Mincook time: 45 Mininactive time: 15 Mintotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Simple, delicious, and a family pleasing comfort food. Downsized for two people.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) leftover roast beef, roughly chopped, or browned ground beef
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 stick celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1/2 small carrot, peeled and grated
- a 2-inch cube of swede (rutabaga) peeled and grated
- 1/2 TBS tomato paste ( tomato puree)
- 1/2 TBS plain flour
- 1 tsp brown sauce (HP sauce)
- 3/4 cup (200ml) well flavoured beef stock
- 1/4 tsp summer savoury
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (50g) frozen peas
For the potato thatch:
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- warm milk
- a knob of butter
- salt and pepper
- 1 TBS grated cheese (Parmesan or cheddar)
- melted butter to brush (optional
Instructions
- First make the potatoes for the thatch topping.
- Put the potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water and
- bring to the boil. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes until soft. Drain well
- and then return the potatoes to the pan. Shake the pan over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out a bit and then mash the potatoes well until smooth with some warm milk, and a knob of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cheese. Set aside and keep warm.
- To make the filling, melt the butter in a skillet. Add the
- onion, celery, carrot and sweet. Cook, stirring frequently over medium low heat until softened and the onion is translucent. Stir in the flour. Slowly stir in the beef stock and bring to the boil.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the tomato puree, brown sauce, and summer savoury. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and then stir in the chopped beef.
- Pour this mixture into the bottom of a buttered 1/2 litre (3 cup) shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the frozen peas over top evenly.
- Spread the mashed potatoes on top tocover. Rough up the potato a bit with a fork. Brush with melted butter.
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Bake the casserole in the heated oven for 45 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let stand 15 minutes prior to serving. Serve hot with your favourite sides.
notes:
If you are using ground beef brown it in the skillet along with the onion, carrot, celery and swede. Proceed with the remaining recipe as directed.
I sometimes like to add a bit of creamed horseradish to either the topping or the filling depending on how I feel.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
There have been times when I have toyed with the idea of becoming a Vegetarian . . . I do love my vegetables . . . but, I also love some good beef once in a while. And nothing beats a tasty roasted chicken, a succulent piece of lamb . . . or a lovely pork chop now and again. I could never kill an animal to eat it. I'll be the first to confess that. I like to find my meat at the shop or the butchers . . . without eyes, or anything of the like, in a tidy package . . . so I don't have to think about it having once been cute . . .
It's what works for me. I do try to buy responsibly sourced, free range and organic protein whenever and wherever I can. I know it costs more . . . but I feel better about it and to be perfectly honest, we don't eat much red meat, it's only ever a rate treat. We eat mostly chicken or fish and that is only a couple of times a week. The rest of the time we do veg.
The other week I pick up some really nice free range organic Hereford Stewing Beef at a very good price. Hereford is known for being juicy, flavourful and tender. If there's one thing my Todd really loves, it's a good beef stew . . . him being the meat and potato man that he is and all. (Another reason I can't possibly go totally veg.)
I decided to make a Beef Daube with it. A daube is a southern French Stew, traditionally cooked for several hours in an earthenware dish. Normally they would never include parsnips in their daube, but I had a bag that needed to be used up and . . . since this is THE English Kitchen . . . and parsnips are a really English ingredient, I threw them in towards the end of the baking time.
Delicious . . . truly delicious.
We had this with creamy mashed potatoes. Todd was a happy man. It more than made up for the Pasta torture of the other night. ☺
*Daube of Beef*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
This stew is delicious on the day, but if you can possibly wait, leave it to ripen overnight and it will taste even better the next day!
3 1/2 pounds of good quality stewing beef, cut into large chunks
2 ounces seasoned flour
3 TBS olive oil
8 ounces of bacon lardons
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp dried thyme
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 strips of dried orange peel *
3 TBS tomato puree
1 bottle of good red wine
2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into fingers
salt and black pepper
Toss the beef with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 TBS of the oil in a large pan. Add the meat and brown well, doing it in batches if necessary. Don't let it burn. Scoop into a large casserole dish.
Pre-heat the oven to 150*C/300*F.
Heat the last TBS of the oil in the pan you browned the meat in. Add the bacon, onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring from time to time until it all begins to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Pour in the red wine and bring it up to the boil. Add the herbs, the orange peel and the tomato puree. Pour this over the meat in the casserole dish. Cover and cook in the heated oven for about 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Check it from time to time and give it a stir, making sure it doesn't go dry. Once the meat is tender, stir in the parsnips and continue to cook for another 40 to 50 minutes, uncovered, until the parsnips are tender. Tast and adjust the seasonings as desired.
*Note - I make my own dried orange peel. Whenever we have oranges I cut the peel off in large strips, avoiding as much white pith on the peels as possible. I string them up on a string and hang them in the laundry room until they are quite dry and leathery in texture. Then I store them in a clean, airtight jar. They will keep quite a while and add a wonderful flavour to stews and tagines.
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