Feed the man - lamb shanks

Lamb shanks are a long time fave of most of the men in my life - hubby, brother, father - not the mention the men connected to most of my girlfriends! It, along with lasagne, is my standard go-to meal when I'm trying to get back into the good books, or if I need a favour, or if I just want to pamper hubby.

Having said that, I don't make it all that often, because it takes HOURS to cook (but only about 10 minutes to prepare) and I don't have a slow cooker. Since I've been running my marketing consultancy, I've been making it a bit more often as I work from home and can plan a wintery day around it.

My favourite way to make lamb shanks is to slowly simmer them in a sauce with a can of Guinness. The resulting flavours are rich and velvety. Mmmm. I first had a version of this at a friend’s place on a very cold winter’s night in 2007 and it's been on the menu ever since.

I made it last week - again - when I received my box of lamb from Silverwood Organics - if you love lamb, then check out their site - the quality and flavour is so, so much better than any lamb I think I've ever tasted!

Lamb shanks with Guinness, served on polenta with steamed broccoli

Serves 4 hungry people

• 4 x lamb shanks
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbs vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil or rice bran oil – don’t use olive oil)
• 2 x large brown onions chopped
• 2 x carrots, chopped
• 300g button mushrooms, cut into quarters (optional)
• 1 can Guinness
• 2 cups water or beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• Small bunch of chopped rosemary (can also use thyme) – fresh is best if possible, otherwise 2tsp dried

1. Place the flour, salt and pepper to season into a plastic bag (I use a freezer bag). Coat the lamb shanks in the bag in the mix (you might need to do them 1-2 at a time depending on the size of the bag)
2. Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in large pot on a medium high heat on the stove
3. Brown 2 of the lamb shanks in the oil, for about 2-3 minutes, until sealed all over. Remove with tongs and place in separate bowl. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil to pot and repeat with the last 2 lamb shanks.
4. Reduce the heat of the stove to about medium.
5. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil to pot, heat then add onions. Saute for about 2-3 minutes.
6. Return the lamb shanks to the pot.
7. Add the Guinness and stock/water to the pot. You want the lamb shanks to be just covered with the liquid, so you may need to add a bit more water/stock.
8. Add the carrots, mushrooms, bay leaves and rosemary and stir to mix in.
9. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, and simmer for about 4 hours on a low heat.
10. Skim the fat and any surface scum before stirring regularly every 30-45 minutes. After about 2 hours I generally lift the lid slightly so the liquid reduces to about ½ over the remaining 2 hours of cooking time. [I find placing some paper towel on top of the pot is a great way to soak up excess fat – do this 2-3 times depending on how much fat is in the shanks].

Serve with mash, sweet potato mash or polenta and steamed green vegies.

Options and variations

• This can be made in a slow cooker (I just don’t have one!). Coat the lamb shanks in flour mix, then add to slow cooker with all other ingredients. Turn on to medium and leave for about 8-10 hours.
• You can also add a can of chopped tomatoes which adds a bit of texture as well as extra veg
• This is also delicious with polenta (made according to the directions on the pack), or potato mash. I have also used steamed brown rice when I had a mash disaster...
• You can substitute the Guinness for 2 cups of red wine – equally yummy!
• It is even better when made the day before you actually want to eat it. Just skim off the congealed fat before you reheat.
• The recipe is easily doubled, but you need a very large stock pot to fit 8 lamb shanks!

 What's your favourite meal to cook for your loved ones?

Figs are my food porn

I've long eaten - and loved - dried figs, since first being given them in my lunchbox as a child. However I'm a recent convert to the beauty and lusciousness of the fresh fig. I discovered this love when my brother cooked this recipe as part of my birthday lunch earlier this year. Of course, the addition of blue cheese was a definite winner for me :).

The following week I was overjoyed to discover fresh figs in my Food Connect fruit and veggie box, so of course I had to repeat this recipe!

6 figs
100 grams blue brie, or other soft blue cheese
6 pieces of prosciutto

Cut the figs across the top into quarters, but don’t cut all the way through. Cut the blue cheese into 6 pieces and gently put 1 piece into each of the cut figs. Wrap each fig with a slice of prosciutto and hold together with a toothpick.

Bake in the oven at 200c for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is gooey and the proscuitto crisp.

Eat and enjoy! And yes, I have been known to lick the plate to get every morsel!

PS I've just gobbled 4 fresh figs - which prompted this blog entry - and they were GORGEOUS!

PPS The dodgy photo was taken on my blackberry as I couldn't find my camera and wasn't prepared to wait to eat these delectible morsels!

Friday night pizza

Friday nights at our place, like many I suspect, can be a bit hit and miss with dinner. You know how it is, it's the end of the week, everyone's tired and a bit cranky, no one wants to cook or even make a decision about what to eat - and by 5pm all I'm normally thinking of is that big G&T or glass of red!

One of the foods that we all love (well, one of my favourite foods) is pizza. I have never been a big fan of the chain-store variety (you know the ones I'm talking about), and I find it a bit objectionable to pay $20 for a better quality but often soggy take away pizza. And I REFUSE to eat a frozen pizza.

Salami, mushroom, red pepper and bocconcini pizza

For the last couple of months we've been making pizza on a Friday night. Dough and all. It's easy and it's healthy (well, healthier than takeout pizza). And thanks to my thermomix, quick. AND since I realised you can freeze uncooked pizza dough, it's become even easier. Best of all, my stepson who is 9, and not known for his easy eating habits, LOVES it, helps make his own, and eats every mouthful. And that's a big win around here.

So, the recipe. Any basic pizza dough recipe will do, but I use:

Pizza dough
1 sachet dry yeast (make sure the use by date hasn't expired)
10g sugar or honey (a bit more than a tablespoon)
250ml warm water
3 tblsp olive oil
2tsp salt
500g plain flour (I use the '00' bakers flour but you could also use 100gm wholemeal and 400gm plain flour)

As I mentioned, I make this in a thermomix which takes about 3 minutes plus rising time, but the old fashioned way is easy too - just a bit slower!

• In a small bowl mix the yeast, sugar/honey, oil and about 1/3 water. Let it rest for a few minutes until it looks frothy
• Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle
• Add the wet mix to the flour mix and use your hands to mix it well together. Add more water and continue mixing until it comes together - you want it to be elastic but not sticky.
• Tip it onto a well floured bench and knead dough for about 10-15 minutes (this would be Mr 9's job if I didn't have a thermomix). Once it's quite pliable, roll it into a big ball, place it back in the large bowl, cut a cross in the top, cover with a tea towel and let it rise until it's 2-3 times the size (this can take 30-60 minutes depending on how warm it is) (see the pics below)

• Once risen, bash the dough down, knead for about 1-2 minutes, then shape into 4-6 balls (I prefer 6 so that it's a thinner and crispier base once I roll it out). To get even sized balls I roll the dough into a long sausage and cut it into 6 even looking pieces, then roll each (see the pics below)

The dough balls can now be frozen (I wrap them individually in Glad Go-between, then pop them all in a ziplock bag and into the freezer). This recipe is easily doubled, and the dough freezes well for up to 3 months. I defrost it on the bench - it takes about 30 minutes.

I pre-heat my oven to 230-250c and use a pre-heated pizza stone (I allow the stone to heat for about 15 minutes).

I usually make 1 pizza per person - whatever isn't eaten is even better the next day for breakfast.
To make the pizza, roll out each ball on a floured surface, place dough onto a piece of Glad Bake (I prefer to use a re-usable silicone sheet cut into the shape of the pizza stone so the pizza doesn't stick to the stone) cover with sauce and toppings, pop into the oven on a high heat (230-250c) and cook for until cheese has melted.

Tomato sauce
I often make my own tomato sauce too - it's pretty simple. I saute a couple of minced cloves of garlic, add a can of chopped tomatoes, simmer for about 15 minutes, add fresh (or dried) basil at the end. You can easily leave out the basil or add Italian seasoning, oregano or whatever you like.

Our favourite toppings are:

• tomato sauce, salami, mozzarella, BBQ sauce (Mr 9)
• tomato sauce, salami, mushroom, red pepper, mozzarella (hubby)
• tomato sauce, Italian sausage, mushroom, red pepper, bocconcini (me)
• tomato sauce, proscuitto, marinated artichoke hearts, bocconcini (also me)

What do you do on Friday nights for dinner? And, more importantly, what's your favourite pizza topping?

Hummos

I think one of my favourite dips would have to be hummos, and this is largely for the flavour of the chickpeas, which are one of my favourite legumes. And which I definitely don't eat enough of. Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, are fairly high in fibre and low in fat.

This recipe is very simple and quick to make - but it helps to have a food processor or a blender.

2 cups chickpeas - I used a 375g packed of dry chickpeas, which I soaked overnight, cooked for about 30 minutes, drained and cooled - you can also used 1-2 tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
olive oil - about 1/3 to 1/2 cup
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup tahini
2 tsp ground cumin
very small amount of cayenne pepper
juice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)

Place everything in the bowl of a food processor and mix until the desired consistency - I like mine a little chunky. Add extra lemon, tahini, olive oil, cumin, cayenne to taste.

Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of paprika.

Hummos goes with so many other dishes - it's delicious:

• as a dip with crackers, pita triangles or raw veggies (such as carrot, broccoli, celery, red pepper)
• spread on bread or toast as a butter and/or mayo substitute
• with roast lamb or chicken on the side
• drizzled over a salad (add extra lemon juice and olive oil to get to a drizzling consistency) as a dressing
• with Lebanese bread or wraps and salad.

What's your favourite way to eat hummos?

BBQ Salmon - a Good Friday feast!

I had been wanting to cook a whole salmon on the BBQ for quite a while and decided that Good Friday would be the way to go! We had a friend coming for a late afternoon BBQ, and knowing how much she loves salmon, thought she would be a good guinea pig!

So on Thursday morning I wandered down to Super Butcher at Eagle Farm (yes, they now sell fish - I was intrigued - I thought I'd give it a go as their meat has always been top quality). A 4.5kg salmon later, I was home.

As I quickly realised I had overestimated how many people 4.5kg of salmon would feed, I invited a few others for our Good Friday feast! Yes, it's very convenient my brother and his family live nearby - and that they are all salmon lovers!

What do to with it was the next challenge. I decided simple would be key.

I (well, hubby) had to de-head Mr Salmon as it was too big for the biggest serving platter I had. A quick rinse later, and he was ready to be stuffed with fresh lemon (from the backyard tree), fresh dill and Italian parsley. I also put lemon, dill and parsley under and on top of the salmon so the flavours would be absorbed through. A bit of pepper, salt and olive oil and it was ready. As I was cooking on the BBQ I wanted it to be well wrapped - I used a layer of non-stick baking paper, then a layer of alfoil.

I preheated the BBQ to about 180c, put the salmon on an upturned roasting tray (so it was a few cm away from the heat), turned off the middle two burners, and closed the hood. Approximately 1 hour later it was cooked.

I served the salmon with baked potatoes and a couple of easy salads. And of course a few bottles of white wine.

Chickpea Salad
I absolutely LOVE chickpeas - and most legumes - and am determined to eat more of them. This seemed like a good excuse!

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well
1 red pepper, washed and chopped
1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped
150-200g cherry tomatoes
100g baby spinach leaves

Mix all together. Add a splash of olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar and some cracked pepper to taste. Mix well.

Broadbean, rocket and feta salad
I had a packet of broadbeans in the freezer that I bought to make a feta and broadbean dip. However, as another friend was bringing nibbles, I thought I'd use those ingredients in a salad instead. My sister-in-law Emma gave me the inspiration for this, as she makes practically the same salad but with peas (which I think came from a Jamie Oliver book originally). Anyway, it tasted pretty good, and I'll now be adding broadbeans to a lot more salads! Even though I underestimated the time it would take to peel them - talk about fiddly!

2 cups of frozen broadbeans, cooked according to packet and peeled
100g rocket (arugula)
100g feta cheese, crumbled

Place all in a bowl, add a splash of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, cracked black pepper, and toss to combine.

The whole meal was delicious - but as we didn't even manage to eat half the salmon, I'm looking for some creative solutions for what to do with the rest of it!

Welcome to Chocolate, Cheese and Chips

After many months of talking about starting a food blog, I finally have! I must say the biggest challenge was finding a name for it - as many of my friends are aware! I was out for a walk the other day and had a bit of a lightbulb moment - why not name it after 3 of my favourite foods! So, here we are:

Chocolate - goes without saying really. I'm definitely a quality over quantity girl, and 1-2 squares of great tasting - and great quality - chocolate is enough to satisfy even the biggest of chocolate cravings. For many years my favourite has been dark Lindt chocolate (especially the Orange Intense) and the peppermint Lindor balls. Mmmm. However, after visiting San Francisco and Ghiradelli again in 2008, Lindt face stiff competition - especially from the Ghiradelli raspberry and the Ghiradelli peanut butter. I'll be stocking up the next time I go!

Cheese - a few years ago cheese took over from chocolate as my #1 favourite food. Family legend has it that one of the first solid foods I ate was blue cheese - and it's been a bit of a staple ever since! The stinkier the better. My whole family are into cheese and there were (and still are) at least 3-4 varieties in the fridge at any one time. Sadly, cheese is not great for the waistline, so my consumption has been radically reduced in recent years! Family get togethers always, always include a cheese platter. With a bottle of red or 3.

Chips - yep, I'm a chip lover. From hot and salty chips eaten at the beach to the packet of potato chips (Kettle of course - but no relation!) eaten in front of the telly. For years I have been threatening to write a book on the best hot chips in the world - not sure how I'd get funding, but I do believe it would be a public service.

Rest assured however, dear reader, this blog will not only contain posts about Chocolate, Cheese and Chips. It will include recipes I try (and experiement with), new ingredients (well, new to me - not necessarily new to you), reviews of books, gadgets, foods and the odd eating establishment, and all my other adventures in food.

I'd love to hear what you think - feel free to comment or email.