The week that was

1. Maple pork with chilli beans and spinach
2. Wholemeal muffin with tomato and cheese
3. Beef schnitzel with mushroom gravy and chips
4. Weet-bix with sultanas and milk

Just to change things up a bit I thought I would provide some proof that I actually do eat savoury dishes once in a while. So from now on I'll post the culinary highlights from the week that was, and if you want I can provide recipes (if like me, you do sometimes eat a savoury dish).

So this is what I've been eating this past week - some delicious pork, a couple of yummy breakfasts and a wonderful pub lunch.

What were the stand out dishes for you this week?

ETA - Sue requested the recipe for Maple pork so here it is:

Maple Pork with Chilli Mixed Beans (from Healthy Food Guide - October 2009)
Serves 4

2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
600g pork cutlets
olive oil cooking spray
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
pinch dried chilli flakes
2 bunches English spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped
400g can four-bean mix, drained and rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1. Place maple syrup, dijon mustard and parsley in a small bowl. Add pork. Toss to coat.
   
2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook pork, brushing with maple syrup mixture, for 4-5 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
3. Spray a medium saucepan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and chilli. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add spinach, beans and tomato. Cook until spinach has wilted and beans are heated through.
4. Serve pork with chilli mixed beans.
   

Chipolata Hotpot

Chipolata Hotpot

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil

500g beef chipolatas, halved

2 onions, thinly sliced

3 tomatoes, diced

1 green capsicum, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

420g can diced tomatoes

1 cup water

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the sausage and onion starts to brown. Add the diced tomato, capsicum and garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the canned tomato and water, cover and bring to the boil. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.

Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

Serves 4

500g beef mince

1 red onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup basil leaves, chopped

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 egg, lightly beaten

720g bottle of tomato pasta sauce

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1/2 cup risoni

2 zucchinis, diced

150g green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds

Combine the mince, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, basil, parmesan and egg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well, then roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on a plate.

Pour the tomato sauce, chicken stock and water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Skim the froth from the surface, add the meatballs and return to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the risoni and cook for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and beans, and cook until the vegetables and risoni are tender.

Pastisio

Pastisio

Serves 6

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

500g beef mince

200g mushrooms, sliced

500ml pasta sauce

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup grated parmesan

1 egg, beaten

Topping

250g macaroni

150g broccoli, broken into small florets

150g light ricotta

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mince and mushrooms, and cook until the mince is browned. Stir in the sauce, oregano and cinnamon and cook on medium for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Cool the mixture and then add 1/2 cup of parmesan and the egg. Transfer the mixture to a 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish.

For the topping cook the macaroni until al dente, in the last 3 minutes add the broccoli. Drain and then stir through the combined ricotta, sour cream and egg. Spread over the meat mixture and sprinkle over the remaining parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Cooking, Slings and Nappies

Yesterday was a wonderful day at home. I spent most of the day cooking and cleaning - basically just nesting. I also did some online ordering for bubs and got a great sling from Etsy from babeagogo, 24 fitted nappies and 6 inserts from a seller on ebay, and some bamboo fitted nappies, PUL covers and wool covers from babybeehinds. I can't wait for all of my purchases to arrive :).

Now to the recipe from today, my french inspired meal...

Beef Braised in Red Wine

Serves 6

1.5kg beef casserole steak, diced

2 brown onions, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm thick slices

2 celery sticks, cut into 1cm thick slices

6 garlic cloves, crushed

3 cloves

1 bay leaf

6 sprigs thyme

8cm strip orange peel

750ml dry red wine

2 tsp olive oil

4 bacon rashers, chopped

4 cups beef stock

400g can chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Place the beef, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, cloves, bay leaf, thyme, orange peel and red wine in a large glass bowl, stir to combine. Cover and marinated in the fridge overnight.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a plate. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onion, carrot and celery to a bowl, reserve the marinade. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until lightly golden. Transfer the bacon to a heatproof bowl.

Brown the beef in 4 batches and transfer to the bowl. Add the marinade to the pan, bring to the boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, skimming the surface occasionally. Add the stock and bring to the boil, simmer for 12 minutes.

Return the bacon, beef, onion, carrot and celery to the pan, season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for 2.5 hours. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the solids to a heatproof bowl and bring the marinade to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes to reduce the marinade by half. Return the bacon, beef, onion, carrot and celery, add the tomato and parsley and stir to combine.

We had this with some nice home made bread - very tasty!

Easy Beef and Lentil Curry

At the end of a tiring day at work it is good to home and cook something nice and easy. This is a really simple, yet tasty curry that always goes down a treat.

Beef and Lentil Curry

Serves 4

2 tsp olive oil

500g beef (any cut will do), cubed

1/3 cup curry paste

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1 cup red lentils

1 1/2 cups beef stock

400ml coconut milk

1/4 cup coriander, chopped

Heat half the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the beef and half the curry paste, and cook until the beef is browned. Transfer the beef to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and remaining curry paste, and cook until the onion softens. Add the lentils, stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Return the beef to the pan and simmer for a further 8 minutes. Stir in the chopped coriander.

Serve with jasmine rice and pappadums.

Corned Beef

This is more just a note to myself - to remember how to cook my corned beef...

Corned Beef with White Sauce

Silverside

1 tbs brown sugar

12 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 tbs vinegar

White Sauce

2 tbs butter

2 tbs flour

1 cup milk

2 tsp seeded mustard

First rinse the silverside under cold water. Put the silverside in a deep saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf and vinegar. Simmer the beef - 40 minutes for each pound of meat. Allow to cool in the liquid.

To make the white sauce melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and whisk to combine. Gradually add in the milk, whisking as you go until the sauce is thickened. Add the mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

Goulash, Fire and Cats

Another wintery day here in Adelaide making it an absolutely perfect day to relax in front of the fire with our cats Logan (the spotty oriental) and Harry (the chocolate burmese). They both get extremely spoilt in winter cuddling up by the fire.

Last Thursday I also made a very quick and easy Goulash that was quite yummy and again perfect for a cold winter's night. My large soup pot is certainly getting a work out this winter.

Beef Goulash

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

500g beef, chopped into 2cm cubes

1 onion, sliced

200g mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 tbsp paprika

400g can condensed tomato soup

400g can diced tomatoes

Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, stirring often. Transfer the beef to a plate.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the saucepan and cook the onion and mushrooms until tender. Add the paprika and cook for another minute. Add the tins of soup and tomatoes, stir until combined and then bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low, add the beef to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Finally serve with steamed rice and enjoy!!

It is still extremely cold and therefore a nice tummy warming Goulash is always a good idea. We have been keeping the fire going here all weekend and the cats are loving it.