French-style Roasted Rack of Lamb

Ingredients

1 rack of lamb, French trimmed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised
1 sprig of thyme
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2/3 cup veal stock
3 tbsp cold unsalted butter
salt
black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and season the lamb.
2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan on the stove top and sear the lamb over high heat, fat-side down, until golden. Turn the lamb over and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme, then place the pan in the preheated oven for 16 minutes for pink lamb, basting twice. Take it out and leave the meat to rest in a warm place.
4. Drain the fat from the pan, add the shallot, and cook gently over medium heat. When it is soft, add the stock and boil until syrupy. Remove the garlic and thyme, then whisk in the cold butter to finish the sauce.
5. Carve the lamb and serve wth the sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

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Grilled Mackerel with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

500 g vine-ripened tomatoes
1 garlic bulb, halved
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
6 lime leaves, thinly sliced
1 x 400 g mackerel, cleaned and gutted
1 tsp lime juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C and the grill on high.
2. Wash and dry the tomatoes, then cut in half. Pop them cut-side up into a roasting tray with the garlic, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with half the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and started to char and the garlic is nicely soft.
3. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and gently stir into the tomato along with the lime leaves.
4. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
   
5. Meanwhile, grab the mackerel and rub it liberally inside and out with salt, pepper and the remaining olive oil.

6. Place the fish on a grill pan layered with foil, pop under the preheated grill and cook for 6 minutes, or until the skin is crispy golden and charred in places. Repeat on the other side.
7. When the tomatoes are done, remove from the oven, squeeze over the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a serving tray, placing the mackerel on top. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Gizzi Erskine

Juniper Lamb

Ingredients

1-1/4 lb loin of lamb, well trimmed and boned
4 teaspoons plain flour

Marinade

1 cup rose wine
4 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed
2 teaspoons Angostura bitters
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Stuffing

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
2 oz pre-soaked dried apricots
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Garnish

lemon wedges
6 apricots
rosemary sprigs

Method

1. To make marinade, mix all ingredients together, add lamb and turn to coat evenly. Cover and leave in a cool place for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 190ºC (375ºF).
3. To make stuffing, process bread, apricots, lemon juice, peel and rosemary in a food processor.
4. Remove lamb from marinade and pat dry. Spread stuffing over centre of meat, roll up, and tie securely in several places. Place in roasting tin, brush well with marinade and cook for 45-50 minutes, basting with marinade if necessary.
5. Remove and place meat on a serving plate. Keep warm.
6. Stir flour into tin, add remaining marinade and bring to the boil. Stir and add a little water if too thick. Strain into serving bowl.
7. Remove string from meat, cut meat into thin slices and pour some of sauce over a serving plate. Arrange lamb in centre and garnish before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Dressings and Marinades

Vegan “Beef” Wellington

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of allspice
pinch of paprika
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tbsp dried sage
2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots
1 cup peeled and cooked chestnuts
1 cup cider, from a 2 cup bottle
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp miso paste
2-1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
3 tbsp chickpea (gram) flour

Spice Rub

1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried tarragon

Seasoning and Pastry

remaining 1 cup cider
1 orange
2 cups vegetable stock
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
handful of fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs
1 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp Cranberry and orange sauce
320 g block ready-made vegan puff pastry

Glaze

3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp non-dairy milk
4 tbsp vegetable oil

Gravy

2 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp water

Cranberry and Orange Sauce

3 cups fresh cranberries
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 small cinnamon stick
1 Braeburn apple, grated
1 cups caster (superfine) sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice

Method

1. To make the Cranberry and Orange Sauce, sterilize the jars, place them in a large saucepan filled with cold water, place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes then turn off the heat. Carefully remove the jars from the water when you’re ready to fill them.
2. Heat all the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat with the lid on. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Makes about 13 oz sauce.
3. Remove the jars from the hot water, spoon the sauce into the hot jars and seal. The sauce will keep for 4 weeks in the fridge.
4. To make the “meat” dough, heat the oil a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion, leek, garlic, seasoning, spices and herbs for 2–3 minutes.
5. Put the cranberries, apricots and chestnuts into a blender and blitz until they’re all a similar size. Add these to the frying pan and sauté for 3–4 minutes until everything has softened.
6. Pour in the cider, stock and miso paste. Stir together and allow the mixture to simmer for 2 minutes before turning the heat off.
7. Combine the dry ingredients. Once the wet mixture has cooled slightly, mix with the dry ingredients. It should form a nice dough. If your mix is wet add a little more chickpea flour. Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Leave to rest.
8. Preheat your oven to 340°F.
9. Combine the rub spices in a bowl.
10. Shape the dough into a sausage 4” in diameter. Sprinkle the rub onto your work surface. Roll the dough in the rub.
11. Roll the dough in a piece of muslin (cheesecloth), twist the ends tightly, then tie each end with cook’s string to secure it.
12. Place the wrapped dough into a deep baking tray together with the rest of the roasting ingredients and bake for 2 hours on the bottom shelf, turning over half way through to ensure it cooks evenly.
13. Once baked, lift the roast out of the tray, reserving the roasting liquid, leave to cool slightly, then remove the muslin. At this point you can either chill it in the fridge for up to 3 days or continue. If you are not cooking now, make the gravy and keep in the fridge, then reheat.
14. An hour before you want to serve, roll out your pastry into a tea towel-sized rectangle around 1/8-inch thick. Cut strips a third of the width of the pastry on each side, so you can cross them to make a lattice.
15. Spread the cranberry and orange sauce over the roast, lift it into the centre of the pastry, wrap it up, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper.
16. Combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl, then brush over the top of the pastry. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden.
17. While the wellington is cooking, strain the roasting liquid from the baking tray through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing to squeeze out all the lovely juices. Place over a low heat and simmer for 10 minutes until you have a thick gravy.
18. Mix the cornstarch with the water and add it to the gravy whilst whisking until it thickens to your desired consistency.
19. Remove the wellington from the oven, carve and serve with the gravy.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Vegan Christmas

Italian-style Roasted Pork with White Wine

Ingredients

6-1/2 lb boned, rolled shoulder of pork
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon crushed dried chilies
6 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine

To serve, your choice of:

sauteed potatoes and salad
mashed potatoes and green beans

Method

1. Cut deep slits in the roast with a sharp knife. Grind the fennel seeds, salt, peppercorns, and chiles using a pestle and mortar. Add the chopped garlic and pound to a rough paste. Using your hands, smother the paste all over the pork working it into the slits. Put the pork on a wire rack and place it over a roasting pan. Cook, skin side up in a preheated oven at 450°F for 30 minutes. Remove the pork from the oven and reduce the heat to 225°F.
2. Turn the pork over and pour half the lemon juice and all of the olive oil over it. Return the pork to the oven and cook for at least 7 hours, checking it every couple of hours. You should be aware that the meat is cooking—it should be sizzling quietly. Ovens vary, so you may want to increase the temperature slightly.
3. About halfway through the cooking time, spoon off the excess fat and squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the meat. About 30 minutes before the pork is due to be cooked, remove it from the oven and increase the heat to 4257. Transfer the pork, fat side up, to a clean ovenproof dish and when the oven is hot, return the pork to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes to crisp up the crackling. Remove from the oven and let rest.
4. Pour off any excess fat from the original roasting pan and add the wine and ‘/, cup water. Heat gently on the top of the stove, working off any sticky burnt-on bits from the edges of the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the juices through a sieve and keep them warm.
5. Carve the pork into thick slices. Put a few slices on each of 8 warmed plates and pour some of the pan juices over the top. You could serve this with sauteed potatoes and salad, or mashed potatoes and green beans.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: Cooking with Wine