My Simple Greek Salad

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata Olives

1/2 Red Capsicum, chopped

1/2 Lebanese Cucumber, chopped

2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped

2 Handfuls of Baby Spinach

50g Feta, coarsely chopped

Cracked Black Pepper

1Tbsp tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

METHOD

Combine spanish onion, olives, capsicum, cucumber and tomatoes in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Now lay out baby spinach on a serving plate, place tossed salad ingredients on top the spinach.

Sprinkle with feta and pepper then drizzle with the vinegar and oil to serve.

Corned Beef on the Stove Top

INGREDIENTS

1 to 1.5kg piece of Silverside
1 Brown Onion, Quartered
10 Black Peppercorns
1/2 Cup Brown Vinegar
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cloves
2.5 Litres of Water, Approximately


METHOD
Rinse silverside under cold water, pat dry with paper towel.

Place silverside, onion, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, vinegar and sugar in a large sauce pan or stock pot.

Add enough water to barely cover the silverside. Cover suacepan.

Slowly bring the liquid to the boil and then reduce the heat until the liquid is just simmering.

Simmer covered until the the meat is well done. Allow approx 45 minutes per 500g.

Once cooked, turn off the heat and keep the meat in its liquid until ready to slice.

Slice silverside into 1cm thick pieces; silver with boiled chat potatoes, green beans and horseradish cream sauce.

If serving cold, cool meat in the liquid.

Corned Beef in the Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS

1 to 1.5kg piece of Silverside
1 Brown Onion, Quartered
10 Black Peppercorns
1/2 Cup Brown Vinegar
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cloves
2.5 Litres of Water, Approximately

METHOD
Rinse silverside under cold water, pat dry with paper towel.
Place silverside, onion, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, vinegar and sugar in the slow cooker.
Add enough water to barely cover the silverside.
Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Remove silverside from cooker, discard liquid.

Slice silverside into 1cm thick pieces; silver with boiled chat potatoes, green beans and horseradish cream sauce.

Hungarian Goulash in the Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsps Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 Cup Sweet Paprika
1/3 Cup Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Caraway Seeds
1/2 Tsps Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsps Sea Salt
1 Tsp Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
1 kg Chuck Steak or Veal Shoulder cut into 2cm cube
350ml Beef Stock
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 x 410g Can of chopped Tomatoes
3 Potatoes, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes
2 Carrots, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes
Water

To Serve
1 packet (375g) Fettuccine or long pasta
1/2 cup (125ml) Sour Cream
6 sprigs Fresh Parsley, chopped
Warm crusty Ciabatta loaf

METHOD
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Cook onions and  garlic until they soften and begin to brown at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a slow cooker. Cover and set cooker to low.

Mix together paprika, caraway seeds, cayenne, flour, salt, and pepper in a large zip lock bag. Toss the meat cubes in the flour mixture until evenly coated.

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in the fry pan over medium-high heat. Put a third of the meat into the fry pan and cook until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into the fry pan and scrape the browned bits from the pan; pour this liquid into the slow cooker. This prevents the paprika from burning when you brown the next batches of meat. Add another tablespoon of oil to the fry pan and cook the next batch the same way; repeat till done.

Stir the tomato paste, beef stock and tinned tomatoes into the slow cooker; Now add potatoes and carrots, cover. Cook on Low for 6 to 9 hours (or high 4 to 5 hours)

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, according to packet directions, until done. Drain.

Serve the goulash over the pasta with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley. Make sure to soak up all the juices with the crusty bread.

Lamb Burgers

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp Grounded Cumin
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1 Zucchini, grated
1 Red Onion, grated
600g lamb mince
100g Haloumi, grated
1/2 Cup Mint, finely chopped
1/2 cup Tzakiki, to serve
Olive Oil
Bread Rolls, to serve
Lemon Wedges, to serve
Baby Spinach, to serve
Roma Tomatoes, thinly sliced, to serve

METHOD
Coarsely grate the Zucchini.
Place grated zucchini in a clean tea towel and squeeze to remove moisture.
Combine grated zucchini with onion, lamb mince, haloumi, mint, cumin and salt.
Season with black pepper.
Form into eight small patties.
Put patties in fridge for about 15 minutes to firm.
Heat a barbecue or chargrill over medium heat.
Brush burgers with olive oil and cook for 4 minutes each side, then set aside in a warm spot.

Split rolls and grill, cut-side down, for about one minute. (your choice)

To serve: Top bread with a dollop of tzakiki, baby spinach, tomatoes, and a lamb pattie and scatter with seed salt.

Garnish with some mint leaves and leftover yoghurt and serve with lemon wedges.

NOTE: The longer the patties sit in the fridge for, the better the flavour.

My Old Fashion Curried Sausages

This an old favourite, Curried Pork Sausages.

We love this as a winter breakfast treat on toast.

However, it can be a fantastic winter family meal,

served with rice or potato mash.

INGREDIENTS

Cooking oil spray

8 Thin Pork Sausages

1 Brown Onion, halved, thinly sliced

2 Garlic cloves, crushed

2 Tbsps Keen's curry powder

2 Tbsps Plain Flour

3/4 Cup Milk

For a Dinner Meal

1/2 Cup of Frozen Peas

Mashed potatoes or cooked rice, to serve

2 Tbsps Coriander, freshly chopped, to garnish

METHOD

1. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with cooking oil. Add sausages. Cook until browned all over. Remove from pan. Cut sausages on an angle into 1 cm thick slices.
2. Add onions to same pan. Cook, stirring, until soft. Add garlic, curry powder and flour. Cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in milk until combined.
3. Return sausages to pan. Bring to boil. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.
4. Now serve on toast for breakfast.

For Dinner Meal

1. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with cooking oil. Add sausages. Cook until browned all over. Remove from pan. Cut sausages on an angle into 1 cm thick slices.
2. Add onions to same pan. Cook, stirring, until soft. Add garlic, curry powder and flour. Cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in milk until combined.
3. Return sausages to pan. Add peas. Bring to boil. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.
4. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Note: This meal can be made a day ahead of time, and then reheated for convenience.



Moroccan Lamb Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Pizza Base
1/4 Cup of Napoli or Passata Sauce
90g Mozzarella Cheese, grated
1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 Tsp Ground Coriander
35g Feta or Haloumi cheese, diced
1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100g Lamb Backstrap
2 Tbsps Greek Yoghurt or Tzatziki

METHOD
Preheat a pizza stone in your oven to 250C for 30 minutes

Combine Cumin and Coriander with Napoli Sauce. Spread Napoli sauce over the pizza base

Cover with mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle with crushed garlic over the top

Sprinkle the olives, pine nuts and crumble the feta or haloumi cheese over the pizza

Seal both sides of your lamb backstrap on a hot fry pan, then place in the oven for about 5 to 7 minutes (ideally the meat should be medium-rare, but it’s up to you how much you like it cooked).

When your lamb is cooked to your liking, take out of the oven and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Then slice thinly.

Cook pizza base in the oven at 250C for 7 to 10 minutes. Top the pizza base with the warm sliced lamb.

Cut the pizza into slices, and drizzle the yoghurt or tzatziki over the top.