Step 1 Allow butter to come to room temperature before beating in a bowl until creamed. Season with salt and a small, delicate pinch of nutmeg. Step 2 Add in the egg, stirring vigorously. Sprinkle the semolina over this, and mix it in well until the surface is smooth. Cover with saran wrap and leave to rest for 15 – 20 minutes. Step 3 Use two spoons, dipped regularly into hot water throughout, to press or shape dumplings from the paste. You can also place these on a lightly oiled board or plate and again leave them to stand for a short while (this allows the dumplings to rise even more). Step 4 Heat a generous quantity of salted water in a large pan. Place the dumplings into the water and bring them back to a boil before turning down the heat and leaving to simmer gently for 10 – 15 minutes (do not boil). Carefully turn the dumplings occasionally. Step 5 Remove the semolina dumplings carefully and put them in the heated soup. Serve promptly, with a garnish of sprinkled parsley or chives. Step 6 The semolina dumplings can also be cooked in the beef broth, but this causes the soup to take on a slightly dull appearance. The cooked dumplings should never be left standing in the soup for too long, as they will “soak up” the soup and become softened.
First boil the rice for eight minutes. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Then chop the herbs. The recipe didn't really say what to do with the chickpeas (also known of course as garbanzo beans), beyond soaking them overnight and rinsing them. I used canned chickpeas, since I've never actually seen them dried. I decided to chop/mash them slightly so they would better incorporate into the filling. Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) roughly chopped Now mince the lamb (I used my mini food processor). Here's where I ran into another problem: what to do with the lamb fat this recipe calls for? Mince it? Melt it? Does lamb fat even melt? I decided to mince mine. Thankfully, my husband doesn't actually read this blog because he'd be horrified if he knew I put fat in the dolma on purpose. Minced lamb and its good friend, minced fat. Ew. The ingredients for the dolma stuffing include onion, cilantro, chickpeas and turmeric. Anyway, now get your hands into all that slimy raw meat and mix in the onion, spices, chickpeas, rice, chopped herbs and fat. Add a little salt and pepper for good measure. In fact, based on my results I would say to err on the side of a little extra salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands until the stuffing looks something like this. Fill the biggest saucepan you own with salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Now pull the outer leaves off of the cabbage (save them) and drop the rest of it, whole, into the water. Let it boil for three or four minutes, turning it if the water level isn't quite high enough to completely cover it. The reason you are doing this is because it's difficult to get whole cabbage leaves off of an American cabbage. The cabbages you typically buy in our supermarkets come in very tight round balls, and because the leaves are crispy they will snap and crack when you try to pull them off in an un-blanched state. Blanching them for a few minutes makes it so they will come righ
Grate finely and toss together. 1 lb. sharp yellow cheese (cheddar or oude boerenkaas) 1 lb. keshi di buriko (or any white cheese such as fromage blanc, queso blanco, ricotto, feta etc.) Stir in: 6 eggs, beaten 5 Tbs. Cornstarch Shape the mixture into small balls. These may be kept indefinitely in the freezer. Drop the balls into deep, hot fat and fry until golden. Serve piping hot on toothpicks.
Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Dredging the shanks: pour the flour into a shallow dish (a pie plate works nicely). Season the veal shanks on all sides with salt and pepper. One at a time, roll the shanks around in the flour coat, and shake and pat the shank to remove any excuses flour. Discard the remaining flour. Browning the shanks: put the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide Dutch oven or heavy braising pot (6 to 7 quart) and heat over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and the oil is shimmering, lower the shanks into the pot, flat side down; if the shanks won’t fit without touching one another, do this in batches. Brown the shanks, turning once with tongs, until both flat sides are well caramelized, about 5 minutes per side. If the butter-oil mixture starts to burn, lower the heat just a bit. Transfer the shanks to a large platter or tray and set aside. The aromatics: pour off and discard the fat from the pot. Wipe out any burnt bits with a damp paper towel, being careful not to remove any delicious little caramelized bits. Ad the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pot and melt it over medium heat. When the butter has stopped foaming, add the onion, carrot, celery, and fennel. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and cook the vegetables until they begin to soften but do not brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, orange zest, marjoram, and bay leaf, and stew for another minute or two. The braising liquid: add the wine, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, to reduce the wine by about half, 5 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes, with their juice, and boil again to reduce the liquid to about 1 cup total, about 10 minutes. The braise: Place the shanks in the pot so that they are sitting with the exposed bone facing up, and pour over any juices that accumulated as they sat. Cover with parchment paper, pressing down so the parchment nearly touches the veal and the edges hang over the sides of the pot
Heat a large frying pan and toast the cumin seeds for a few minutes, then set aside. Heat the oil in the same pan and fry the onion, garlic, chilli, pepper and a good pinch of salt for around eight minutes, until there is no moisture left. Remove from the heat, stir in the toasted cumin seeds, ground mace (or nutmeg) and ground coriander. Leave to cool. In a large bowl mix together the minced lamb, white pepper, fresh coriander, and the cooled spiced onion mixture until combined. Set aside, covered, in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and generously grease a 20cm/8in diameter loose-bottomed or springform round cake tin with lard. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Put the milk, lard and 90ml/3fl oz of water in a saucepan and heat gently. When the lard has melted, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Pour the boiling liquid into the flour, and use a wooden spoon to combine until cool enough to handle. Bring together into a ball. Dust a work surface with flour and, working quickly, knead the dough briefly – it will be soft and moist. Set aside a third of the pastry and roll the rest out on a well-floured surface. Line the pie dish with the pastry, pressing it right up the sides until it pokes just over the top of the tin. Add the filling into the pastry-lined tin bit by bit. As you reach the top, form a slight peak. Roll out the reserved pastry and top the pie with it. Pinch the edges to seal and trim the excess. Poke a hole in the top of the pie and insert a small tube made from aluminium foil to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the pie with a little beaten egg yolk, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes (put a tray on the shelf below to catch any drips). Then reduce the temperature to 160C/325F/Gas 3 and cook for a further 1¼ hours until golden-brown. Leave to cool completely before refrigerating for two hours, or overnight. Run a knife around the edge of the pie, remo
1 First, pan fry the black pepper and garlic over a dry medium heat until fragrant. 2 Add a good amount of extra virgin olive oil and infuse for a minute. 3 Once the oil heats up, add the tomatoes and salt, and cover with a lid. Simmer for 5 minutes. 4 Remove the lid and mash the tomatoes. Reduce until you reach the desired consistency of choice. 5 Make craters for the eggs and lower the heat. Carefully crack the eggs into the craters, making sure it touches the pan and not the tomato sauce. 6 Cover the eggs and leave it for 5 minutes without lifting the lid. 7 Remove from the heat and let the residual heat steam the eggs for 1-2 minutes. 8 Serve with flatbread. Enjoy!
Dust the meat with flour to lightly coat. Heat enough vegetable oil in a large saucepan to fill the base, and fry the onion and meat until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots, stock and more seasoning to taste. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for at least an hour or until the meat is tender. Take your time cooking the meat, the longer you leave it to cook, the better the flavour will be. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Add the drained potato cubes to the lamb. Turn the mixture into a pie dish or casserole and cover with the shortcrust pastry. Make three slits in the top of the pastry to release any steam while cooking. Brush with beaten egg and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve.
step 1 Tip the mince into a large bowl (use a clean washing-up bowl if you don’t have anything big enough) with all the other burger ingredients and a good pinch of salt. Roll up your sleeves, get your hands into the mix and squelch everything together through your fingers until completely mixed. Pat the mix into 16 small burgers. These may now be frozen for up to 1 month or chilled up to a day ahead. step 2 To cook, heat grill to its highest setting and lay the burgers in a single layer on a baking tray (you may need to do this in batches, depending on how big your tray is). Grill on the highest shelf for 5-6 mins on each side until browned and cooked through. Pile burgers onto a platter and serve with all the accompaniments, so everyone can construct their own sandwich.
step 1 Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. step 2 Drizzle a little sunflower oil evenly into two 4-hole Yorkshire pudding tins or two 12-hole non-stick muffin tins and place in the oven to heat through. step 3 To make the batter, tip 140g plain flour into a bowl and beat in 4 eggs until smooth. step 4 Gradually add 200ml milk and carry on beating until the mix is completely lump-free. Season with salt and pepper. step 5 Pour the batter into a jug, then remove the hot tins from the oven. Carefully and evenly pour the batter into the holes. step 6 Place the tins back in the oven and leave undisturbed for 20-25 mins until the puddings have puffed up and browned. step 7 Serve immediately. You can now cool them and freeze for up to 1 month.
step 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the flesh side deeply, brush with a good layer of olive oil and put on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 mins or until the flesh is soft enough to scoop out. step 2 Fry the onion in a little oil until soft, add the garlic and cinnamon and fry for 1 min. Once the aubergines are cool enough to handle, scoop out the centres. Roughly chop the flesh and add it to the onions. Halve the tomatoes, scoop the seeds and juice into a sieve set over a bowl, then chop the flesh. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook everything for 10 mins until nice and soft. Add a little more oil if you need to. Stir in the parsley, leaving a little for scattering at the end. step 3 Lay the aubergine halves in a baking dish and divide the tomato mixture between them. Pour over the juice from the tomatoes, drizzle with more olive oil and bake for 30 mins until the aubergines have collapsed. step 4 Meanwhile, mix the tzatziki ingredients together and put in a small serving bowl. step 5 Season the lamb with salt, black pepper and a pinch of paprika. Griddle, grill or barbecue for 3 mins on each side or until the fat is nicely browned, then put in a serving dish and squeeze over the lemon halves. Scatter the aubergines with parsley, then serve with the lamb and tzatziki.
Tip the bulghar into a pan, cover with water and boil for 10 mins. Drain really well in a sieve, pressing out any excess water. To make the tzatziki, squeeze and discard the juice from the cucumber, then mix into the yogurt with the chopped mint and a little salt. Work the bulghar into the lamb with the spices, garlic (if using) and seasoning, then shape into 4 burgers. Brush with a little oil and fry or barbecue for about 5 mins each side until cooked all the way through. Serve in the buns (toasted if you like) with the tzatziki, tomatoes, onion and a few mint leaves.
Cut leaves and soft stems from the kale branches, them soak in a bowl of cold water for about 5-10 minutes or until finish with prep. Proceed to slicing the onions, mincing the garlic and dicing the tomatoes. Set aside Remove kale from water cut in chunks. Place bacon on saucepan and cook until crispy. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, stir for about a minute or more Add tomatoes; scotch bonnet pepper, smoked paprika. Sauté for about 2-3 more minutes. Finally add vegetable, salt, mix well, and steamed for about 6-8 minutes or until leaves are tender. Add a tiny bit of water as needed. Adjust seasonings and turn off the heat. Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to grab the skin of the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain; peel only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back. Slice the plantain into medium size lengthwise slices and set aside. Coat a large frying pan with cooking oil spray. Spray the tops of the plantains with a generous layer of oil spray and sprinkle with salt, freshly ground pepper. Let the plantains "fry" on medium heat, shaking the frying pan to redistribute them every few minutes. As the plantains brown, continue to add more cooking oil spray, salt and pepper (if needed) until they have reached the desired color and texture. Remove and serve with kale
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 3- 4 mins until softened. Add the diced lamb and brown all over. Stir in the garlic and all the spices and cook for a few mins more or until the aromas are released. Add the honey and apricots, crumble in the stock cube and pour over roughly 500ml boiling water or enough to cover the meat. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 1 hour. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 mins, then stir in the squash. Cook for 20 – 30 mins more until the squash is soft and the lamb is tender. Serve alongside rice or couscous and sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts, if using.
step 1 To make the spice mix, combine all of the ingredients together with a large pinch of salt. Slash the lamb shoulder all over with a sharp knife and rub in. If you have the time, marinate for up to 24 hrs, but this is not essential. step 2 Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or roasting tin over a medium-high heat, add the onions, carrots and garlic and sizzle for 5 mins until the onions and carrots are softened. Pour over the stock, then bring to the boil. Nestle the lamb in the pan and cover, then transfer to the oven and roast for 2 hrs. step 3 Uncover and transfer the lamb to a plate using tongs. Stir the beans, peppers and olives through the stock in the pan, sit the lamb back on top and return to the oven, uncovered, for 1 hr 30 mins until the lamb is cooked through. Transfer the lamb to a board and shred using two forks. Stir the parsley through the braised beans before serving.
step 1 Pour the rice into a very large bowl under cold running water and carefully drain the water out of the bowl through a sieve. Repeat a few times until the water in the bowl is clear, then fill the bowl up with cold water and leave rice to soak for 10 mins while you cook the vermicelli. step 2 Put the oil into a medium pan over medium heat. Add the vermicelli and stir continuously until the strands turn a rich golden brown, 2-3 mins. Remove from the heat, stir through the butter until it melts and allow the vermicelli to cool for 1-2 mins. step 3 Drain the rice thoroughly through a sieve. Add the rice to the pan and stir well. Pour the hot stock into the pan, sprinkle in ½ tsp salt, stir well then return the pan to the hob over a high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest it will go, put the lid on the pan and simmer for 7-9 mins. Remove the pan from the heat, cover with a couple of sheets of kitchen paper or a light tea towel and the pan lid, and let the rice sit in the pan for 10 mins. Fluff up with a fork before serving.
Put the onions in a food processor and whizz until very finely chopped. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan, then fry the onion with the lid on, stirring every now and then, until it is really golden and soft. Add the garlic and ginger, then fry for 5 mins more. Tip the curry paste, all the spices and the bay leaves into the pan, with the tomato purée. Stir well over the heat for about 30 secs, then add the meat and 300ml water. Stir to mix, turn down the heat, then add the yogurt. Cover the pan, then gently simmer for 40-60 mins until the meat is tender and the sauce nice and thick. Serve scattered with coriander, with plain basmati or pilau rice.
step 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole, season the shanks, then brown them 2 at a time on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch. Remove the lamb and add the onions. Fry them quite briskly, about 30 secs, add the ginger, garlic and chopped chilli, then turn the heat down and cook for 1 min. Add 1 tbsp sugar, stir, then add the star anise, lemongrass, stock, purée and seasoning. Bring to the boil. step 2 Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs, then add the sweet potatoes and cook for 1 hr more. The lamb should be completely tender and almost falling off the bones. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and 1 tsp sugar to just lift the flavour, then scatter with the mint, basil and the sliced chilli to serve.
Place the raisins and prunes into a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Add lemon juice and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain. Roughly chop the prunes. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Add cubed lamb, ground lamb, and crushed garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until browned. Pour 2/3 cup (150 milliliters) of stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender. Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed long-grain white rice and a large pinch of saffron. Stir, then cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add the drained raisins, drained chopped prunes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for a few minutes, then turn out onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out most of the pulp with a teaspoon, being careful not to break the skin. Finely chop the pulp, and keep any juices. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a little sugar to take away the acidity, then place them on a baking tray. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and garlic, then gently cook for about 10 mins until soft but not coloured. Add the lamb, cinnamon and tomato purée, turn up the heat, then fry until the meat is browned. Add the tomato pulp and juice, the rice and the stock. Season generously. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside to cool a little, then stir in the herbs. Stuff the tomatoes up to the brim, top tomatoes with their lids, drizzle with 2 tbsp more olive oil, sprinkle 3 tbsp water into the tray, then bake for 35 mins. Serve with salad and crusty bread, hot or cold.
1 Preheat the oven to 230°C. 2 Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into warm water. 3 Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place (we find a windowsill on a sunny day works best) until froth develops on the surface. 4 Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil. 5 Lightly flour your hands, and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind. 6 Generously dust your surface with flour. 7 Throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft. 8 Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!) 9 Spread the passata on top making sure you go to the edge. 10 Evenly place the mozzarella (or other cheese) on top, season with the oregano and black pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. 11 Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until the cheese slightly colours. 12 When ready, place the basil leaf on top and tuck in!
▢ Cut the lamb into large pieces. ▢ Slice the cabbage into large wedges, keeping the core attached. ▢ Add a layer of lamb pieces to the bottom of a large pot, fatty side down. Sprinkle with peppercorns and salt. Add a layer of cabbage wedges on top. Repeat with more layers of lamb, peppercorns, and cabbage, ending with cabbage on top. ▢ Optional: Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on top of the lamb for a thicker stew. ▢ Add water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook on low heat for 2 – 3 hours, until the lamb gently falls away from the bone. ▢ Serve with boiled potatoes and fresh parsley, covering generously with the fårikål broth.
Use pickled vine leaves here, preserved in brine. Small delicate leaves are better than the large bristly ones but, if only large leaves are to hand, then trim them to roughly 12 by 12 cms so that you don't get too many layers of leaves around the filling. And remove any stalks. Drain the preserved leaves, immerse them in boiling water for 10 minutes and then leave to dry on a tea towel before use. Basmati rice with butter and pine nuts is an ideal accompaniment. Couscous is great, too. Serves four. First make the filling. Put all the ingredients, apart from the tomatoes, in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half, coarsely grate into the bowl and discard the skins. Add half a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, and stir. Leave on the side, or in the fridge, for up to a day. Before using, gently squeeze with your hands and drain away any juices that come out. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium pan. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for a minute or two, taking care not to burn them, then add the tomato, lemon juice and sugar. Season, and simmer for 20 minutes. While the sauce is bubbling away, prepare the vine leaves. Use any torn or broken leaves to line the base of a wide, heavy saucepan. Trim any leaves from the fennel, cut it vertically into 0.5cm-thick slices and spread over the base of the pan to cover completely. Lay a prepared vine leaf (see intro) on a work surface, veiny side up. Put two teaspoons of filling at the base of the leaf in a 2cm-long by 1cm-wide strip. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then roll it tightly from bottom to top, in a cigar shape. Place in the pan, seam down, and repeat with the remaining leaves, placing them tightly next to each other in lines or circles (in two layers if necessary). Pour the sauce over the leaves (and, if needed, add water just to cover). Place a plate on top, to weigh the leaves down, then cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook on a bare simmer for 70 minutes. Most of th
step 1 Dry-fry the pine nuts or almonds in a large pan until lightly toasted, then tip onto a plate. Add the oil to the pan, then fry the onion and cinnamon together until starting to turn golden. Turn up the heat, stir in the lamb, fry until the meat changes colour, then tip in the rice and cook for 1 min, stirring all the time. step 2 Pour in 500ml boiling water, crumble in the stock cube, add the apricots, then season to taste. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 12 mins until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Toss in the pine nuts and mint and serve.
step 1 Heat grill to high. Season the lamb, then grill for 2 mins on each side until browned, but still very rare. Meanwhile, mix the seasoning, oregano and half of the mint into one of the tubs of yogurt, smother this over the lamb, then return to the grill for another 2-3 mins or until the yogurt is blistered and the meat is cooked to your liking. step 2 Leave the meat to rest on a board for a few mins while you toast the pittas, shred the lettuce and thinly slice the red onion. Stir the rest of the mint into the second tub of yogurt. Thickly slice the meat and stuff into the pitta bread with the salad and minted yogurt. Squeeze over lemon juice before tucking in, if you like.