Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Veal Scallopini with Avocado

Posted on: January 17th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe Hass avocado*
  • 1 wedge fresh lemon
  • 2/3 lb veal scallopini 300g
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine
  • 3-4 tablespoons cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, to garnish
  • 2 tablespoons chopped or snipped chives, to garnish

*Hass Avocado – this is the most popular type sold world wide weighing 200-300g -dark purplish black when ripe. If soft it is over ripe.

Directions

Cut avocado in half all around and down to the pit.

Twist the avocado to separate the halves.

Use a spoon to pop out the pit.

Scoop out the avocado flesh in one piece from each half with a large spoon.

Slice the avocado into 6 pieces per half and squeeze a little lemon juice on them to slow down discolouration from the air.

Put aside the avocado for later.

Season the scallopini with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium – medium high heat.

Add the scallopini and cook 2 minutes on each side.
(Could be as little 30 seconds per side depending on thickness of the scallopini. )

Remove the veal to a platter or individual plates.

Add vermouth or wine to the pan and deglaze it, lifting up any color or veal bits.

Add cream and stir it in.

Turn off the heat and let the cream bubble 1 minute.

Arrange the avocado on the scallopini.

Pour a little sauce over the veal scallopini and avocado and garnish with a generous sprinkle of chopped thyme and chives.

Fast Veal Parmigiana

Posted on: January 17th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb veal leg cutlets, 1/8” to 1/4” thick
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup prepared spaghetti sauce
  • 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Pound veal cutlets to 1/8″ thickness, if necessary.

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Dip cutlets into bread crumbs, coating both sides.

Place cutlets in skillet; cook 2 minutes.

Turn; season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and top each with sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Cover and continue cooking 1-2 minutes for medium doneness.

Do not overcook.

Remove from skillet; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Serve with pasta, if desired.

Quick and Easy Veal Cacciatore

Posted on: January 17th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 4 X 4-oz. veal cutlets, pounded 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms (3-1/2 cups)
  • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

Put the flour in a wide shallow bowl.
Season the cutlets all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot.
Working in batches if necessary, cook the cutlets until dark golden-brown, 1-2 minutes per side.
Transfer to a large plate as they finish.

In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, wine, and rosemary.
Bring back to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 7 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cutlets and any accumulated juices to the sauce and cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Veal Roast

Posted on: January 17th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

All types of Veal Roast should be cooked at an oven temperature of  160 C (325 F) and meat thermometer 70 C to 77 C (160 F to 170 F)

A Veal roast should be cooked  fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Water should not be added and the roast should not be covered.

  • Leg rump or round roast
  • Loin roast
  • Rib roast
  • Boneless Shoulder roast

All types of Veal Roasts should be cooked at an oven temperature of  160 C (325 F) and meat thermometer 70 C to 77 C (160 F to 170 F)

A Veal roast should be cooked  fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Water should not be added and the roast should not be covered.

Using a slow cooker,  crock pot for Roast recipes in general

Brown the veal on all sides in the oil in a large skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put the vegetables into the crock pot.

Place veal roast on top.

Pour the water into the skillet and scrape the bottom.

Cook over a low heat for one minute, then pour over the veal roast. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken with Potatoes

Posted on: January 15th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 8 skinless chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 12 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 orange, cut into 1/4-inch rings
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 8 sprigs thyme

Preparation

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In the bowl of a slow cooker, combine the chicken, onions, potatoes, squash, garlic, orange, broth, honey, and thyme. Set the slow cooker to high and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Divide the chicken mixture into individual bowls.

If You Don’t Have a Slow Cooker: Heat oven to 325° F. Follow the recipe above using a Dutch oven or large casserole. Bake, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Note:
This recipe was tested in a 6-quart slow cooker. Because different models cook at different rates, the cooking time below is presented as a range. Check for doneness at the low end of the range (but not before, as the escaped heat will significantly slow the cooking). If the food is not done, cover and cook to the end of the suggested time range. If using a slow-cooker smaller than 6 quarts, the cooking time may take an additional hour or more, and results may vary.

Lamb Curry with Kumara and Spinach

Posted on: January 15th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 750g diced lamb forequarter
  • 2 Tbsp mild curry paste
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 400g orange-fleshed kumara or pumpkin, peeled and diced
  • 150g packet of baby leaf spinach
  • Steamed rice to serve

Method

Season the lamb with salt and pepper and brown in a dash of oil in a hot frying pan. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Stir together the curry paste, beef stock, coconut milk and pour over the lamb. Scatter in the kumara or pumpkin, and cover.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-5 hours. Stir in the spinach leaves, cover and cook a further few minutes until the spinach has wilted. Serve with steamed rice.

Oven cooking instructions

Prepare the casserole as above, adding an extra 1 cup of beef stock. Cook in a lidded ovenproof dish at 160ºC for 90 minutes.

Tips

  • Don’t rush the initial stage of browning the meat. This will make this dish rich in colour and flavour. Brown the meat in small batches over a medium-high heat.
  • A casserole will keep for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Casseroles should be refrigerated immediately after the steam from cooking has evaporated. Place the hot casserole into a shallow container in the fridge so it cools quickly. Do not leave it to cool completely on the bench. To serve bring it slowly to the boil over a medium heat, reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the meat and sauce are both thoroughly hot.
  • Best lamb cuts for casseroling or braising: Diced lamb forequarter, forequarter chops, shanks, frenched shanks, neck chops, lamb topside, leg (bone-in), shoulder (bone-in), easy carve (leg or shoulder bone out), boned and rolled shoulder or leg.

Spiced Sugar-Glazed Corned Beef

Posted on: January 15th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 1.5–2kg piece corned beef with a good fat layer
  • 1 onion, peeled and halved
  • 2 carrots, washed and chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tbsp whole cloves
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • Juice of one lemon

Method

Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while preparing the ingredients. Put the corned beef into the pre-warmed slow cooker. Scatter the onion, carrots and bay leaf around the meat. Add sufficient cold water to cover the beef. Cover with the lid. Cook on low for 7–9 hours (it is not recommended to cook this on high).

Stovetop Option

Place corned beef, onion, carrots and bay leaf in a large saucepan. Add sufficient cold water to cover the beef. Simmer, covered for 1½ – 2 hours until tender.

Turn off and leave the corned beef to cool in the liquid for 2–3 hours. At this stage the corned beef can be well-wrapped and refrigerated overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a deep-sided baking tray with foil. Place the meat on the prepared tray. Stud the beef with the whole cloves. Mix the brown sugar, mustard powder, cinnamon and allspice together with the lemon juice and spread half of the mixture over the beef.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, basting occasionally with the remaining glaze. Serve with your favourite vegetables.

Beef and Guinness Casserole

Posted on: January 15th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 1kg lean blade steak
  • About ¼ cup oil for frying
  • 4 onions, peeled and diced (or 16 baby onions or shallots)
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 4 Tbsp flour
  • 2 cups Guinness
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 4 rashers bacon, chopped
  • About 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or ¼ tsp dried
  • 12-18 dried prunes
  • Pared rind 1 orange

Method

Cut the blade steak into 5cm cubes. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the meat over a moderately high heat until well browned. Transfer to a casserole. This is best done in 2-3 batches.

Add the onions or shallots to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, before adding the garlic and cooking a further minute.

Sprinkle the flour over and stir well to coat the onions. Gradually pour in the Guinness and beef stock and bring to the boil to make a smooth sauce. Pour over the meat in the casserole and then mix in the bacon, thyme, prunes and orange rind.

Cook at 160°C for 1½ – 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Braised Oxtail

Posted on: January 15th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 2kg meaty oxtail, cut into joints and trimmed
  • ½ cup seasoned flour
  • 2-3 Tbsp oil or clarified butter
  • 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 4 tsp minced garlic
  • 3 cups tomato juice (or 1 cup red wine, 2 cups tomato juice)
  • 2 bay leaves, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
  • 1 tsp celery salt or celery seed
  • ½ cup beef stock, red wine or water

Method

Dust the oxtail with the seasoned flour. Heat the oil or butter in a flameproof casserole or frying pan. Brown the oxtail a few pieces at a time, removing them as they brown. When all are nicely browned, return them to the casserole or transfer to one.

Add the onions, carrots, garlic, tomato juice (or wine and juice), herbs, celery salt or seed and beef stock, wine or water. Stir and cover. Bake at 150-160°C for about 3 hours. Lift out the meat with a slotted spoon, blot the surface fat off the liquid with paper towels then return the meat to the sauce and reheat gently. Season with salt and pepper. If you wish to thicken the sauce, mix a little flour to a smooth paste with cold water, stir into the juices and simmer for 5 minutes or more.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Apple Pork Slow Cook

Posted on: January 15th, 2017 by gherkinmedia

Ingredients

  • 600g 100% New Zealand Pork shoulder chops (2 large -3 medium sized chops)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped into a large dice.
  • 2 large cooking apples
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 2 cups apple cider (or apple juice and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar)
  • 3 sage or bay leaves

Method

  • Cut the chops in half leaving bone on.
  • Heat the oil and brown the pork on both sides and transfer to slow cooker.
  • Brown the onions and place on top of pork.
  • Peel, core and dice one apple and place on top of onions.
  • Leaving peel on, cut remaining apple into 8 slices, quickly brown and add to slow cooker.
  • Sprinkle over the raisins.
  • Stir mustard into cider and pour over.
  • Add leaves, cover with lid and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
  • For stove top cooking using a lidded heavy-based saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer with lid on lowest heat for 1.5 hours.

To serve

Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables.

Hint/Tips

  • Spray the inside of slow cooker with cooking spray before adding meat.
  • Stir 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard through the mashed potatoes.
  • Cooking meat on the bone adds flavour.