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Lamb and Pistachio Kofte

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lamb-kofte

I cooked this yesterday. We didn’t have any currants so I replaced them with some prunes and raisins. This is such an excellent, simple and tasty way to make ‘rissoles’ with a difference. I have to say that I added pureed chillies to my plate. It needed more kick! I have a couple of similar recipes that I’ve made previously – lamb, fruit and nuts are a brilliant combination. I served them with charred zucchini, couscous, yoghurt and a slice of lemon.

Lamb and Pistachio Kofte
 
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Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: European
Ingredients
  • 500 g Lamb, minced
  • 1 Onion (grated)
  • 3 Garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 50 g Currants
  • 50 g Pistachios (shelled and crushed)
  • ½ tsp Sweet paprika
  • ¼ tsp Allspice (ground)
  • ¼ tsp Cinnamon (ground)
  • 1 Handful Parsley (chopped)
  • 1 Handful Mint (chopped)
  • Greek Yoghurt
  • Lemon Juice
  • Tahini
Instructions
  1. Lightly toast pistachios in a dry pan, then crush roughly with a knife or a food processor.
  2. Mix all of the ingredients (apart from the yoghurt, lemon and tahini) together, preferably by hand, for at least 5 minutes until smooth. Form into golf ball-sized patties.
  3. Heat some oil in a pan to medium. Flatten kofte and cook on both sides until golden brown.
  4. Serve with yoghurt mixed with lemon juice and a little garlic and sprinkle with some crushed pistachios. Alternatively, serve with tahini mixed with lemon juice and garlic and a little water and some crushed pistachios. Served with couscous and some grilled zucchini.

Cauliflower, Bacon and Caper Pasta

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bacon-and-cauliflower-pasta

Here’s a recipe that I’ve adapted from “The Zuni Cafe Cookbook” by Judy Rodgers.

Cauliflower and Bacon Pasta
 
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Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: European
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • ¼ head Cauliflower
  • 1 Eschallots (sliced thinly)
  • 1 tbsp Capers (chopped)
  • 4 Bacon rashers
  • 6 Garlic cloves
  • 1 Red chilli (diced)
  • 2 tbsp Parsley (chopped)
  • Pasta
  • 4 tbsp Black olives (sliced)
Instructions
  1. Toss bread crumbs in a few teaspoons of olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and back at 220 C for about 5 minutes.
  2. Fry bacon rashers, dice and put to one side.
  3. Peel and slice eschallots and sauté gently in a little olive oil. Slice cauliflower thinly lengthwise. Keep cauliflower crumbs aside. Place stems and larger floret pieces in pan with eschallots and increase heat to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add a little salt and a little more oil and gently stir. Don’t over-stir as you want the vegetables to crisp. Add capers and bacon swirl the pan. Let the pan sit until the contents go crispy.
  4. Cook the pasta of your choice - penne, spaghetti, orecchiette, fusili or medium shells.
  5. Peel and coarsely chop garlic. Lightly pound fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle.
  6. Add garlic, fennel and chilli to pan with some more oil if needed. Cook for another 3 minutes. Add parsley and olive until warmed through. Toss with pasta and breadcrumbs and top with some grated parmesan cheese.

BBQ Rum & Coke Pork Belly

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BBQ-pork-belly

BBQ Rum & Coke Pork Belly
 
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Recipe type: Main
Ingredients
  • 2-3 kg Pork Belly
  • 2-2.5 liters Coca Cola
  • 2 Star Anise
  • 3 Cinnamon sticks
  • ½ bunch Coriander leaves
  • 2 Green Chillies (sliced)
  • 500 g Sugar
  • 500 ml Malt Vinegar
  • 2 Red Chillies
  • 200 ml Tomato Sauce
  • 200 ml HP Sauce
  • 100 g Horseradish (creamed)
  • 100 ml Dark Rum
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Place pork in a large flameproof roasting dish. Add Coca Cola to cover pork. Add star anise and 1 cinnamon stick. Heat dish on stove until liquid is simmering. Place in oven and cook for 2 to 2½ hours util pork is very tender. If necessary add a little boiling water to top up the liquid, otherwise the skin will burn. Remove pork from liquid. Discard liquid.
  2. While pork is cooking, combine sugar with enough water to make a think paste. Cook in a saucepan on medium heat until golden. Remove from heat and add 2 cinnamon sticks, chillies and malt vinegar. Cook until mixture has reduced to the previous consistency, Stir in tomato and HP sauces and continue to cook and reduce again. Add horseradish and rum and allow to cool.
  3. Slice pork into 3 cm wide 'rashers'. Place in a large dish, cover with marinade and cling film and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
  4. Cook pork on covered charcoal barbecue for 10-15 minutes, basting occasionally, or in oven at 200 C, covered. Serve with sliced green chillies and coriander.

fennelOK it’s not the best photo, but hey. The pork belly was served with the following:

  • Fennel sauted in butter and garlic oil, then simmered with crispy pieces of speck and verjuice
  • Sliced leeks sauted in butter, then simmer in a strained reduction of chicken stock, sliced red onion, black peppercorns, thyme and dried chanterelle mushrooms
  • Asparagus pan-seared in garlic oil
  • Sliced green chilli, coriander leaves and a piece of pistachio praline

I have to say that everything worked amazingly well. The pork was incredibly soft, vegetables full of flavour. The praline was probably unnecessary as the marinade was very sweet.

robert-johnsonServed up with a lovely Eden Valley riesling by Robert Johnson. Some friends and I visited Robert’s cellar door in Lobethal last weekend. Robert makes stunning wine and is a gracious and interesting host. He’s a veteran winemaker. Both whites and reds are full of fruit, very drinkable now or later, and quite reasonably priced. Excellent.

Nonya Chicken Curry

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malay-curry-paste

Nonya Chicken Curry
 
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This dish is similar to food that we ate in Malaysia in November 2013. We bought a few Malaysian cookbooks while in Penang. This is from "Nonya Flavours" by Debbie Toh and Julie Wong, Star Publications, 2010.
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
  • 4-5 tbsp Oil
  • 1 Star anise
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1 Cinnamon stick
  • 30 g Dried chillies (soaked)
  • 200 g Shallots
  • 15 g Garlic
  • 20 g Belachan (toasted)
  • 2 tsp Turmeric
  • 3 tbsp Coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Fennel
  • 1.5 kg Chicken pieces
  • 300 g Potatoes (peeled)
  • 500 ml Coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Sugar
Instructions
  1. Using a food processor, mix together chillies, shallots, garlic, belachan, turmeric, coriander, cumin and fennel. Add a little oil if needed.
  2. Heat oil on medium low heat in a frypan. Saute star anise, cloves and cinnamon stick for 2 mins. Add spice paste stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add s 2-3 tbsp coconut milk.
  3. Add chicken and fry to brown for 1-2 minutes. Add potatoes and 400 ml coconut milk. Simmer until chicken is tender and potatoes are cooked.
  4. Add remaining coconut milk and season to taste with salt and sugar. Continue to simmer gently until gravy has thickened. Serve with Roti Jala.

nonya-chicken-curry