Pulled Pork with Cannellini Beans, Butternut Squash and Tomato I miss proper barbeque.  More so, I miss Dinosaur BBQ.  There’s nothing that comes close in Australia, and there are certainly no sauces you can get that compare. Note: If anyone from Dinosaur is reading this, for the love of God, open up a restaurant in Sydney. In the meantime, I found a recipe for their sauce online, and made so many substitutions that it was hardly the same recipe.  And you know what?  It was pretty damn good.  The below is enough for two big batches of pulled pork, so stock up and freeze it if you have 20 minutes to put this together.  Hell, even double it. Ingredients (BBQ sauce): 1.5 cups of diced onion 1 apple, cored and diced 1/2 red pepper, diced 2 bullseye red chilis, diced 4 garlic cloves, diced 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup worcheshire sauce 1/4 cup wholegrain spicy mustard 1/4 cup ketchup 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup rice malt 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 cup water 3 400g cans of diced tomato Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper Olive oil 1 tbsp chili powder 1/2 tsp nutmeg Juice of half a lemon Saute the onions, chili and garlic in a splash of oil.  Add the apple and cook for a couple minutes before adding in the powdered spices, and seasoning with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Add everything else.  Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has a nice thickness.  Process with a hand blender or food processor, check the spices, and go nuts. Ingredients (pulled pork): 1-2 kg pork butt or shoulder.  I used a bone-in pork leg with the fat still on top because I couldn’t find a shoulder, and it was alright, but it definitely needs the fat on it. Half the above BBQ sauce recipe (about 4 cups) Salt and pepper I’ll give you a few options for cooking this; 1) Season the pork with salt and pepper, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart. 2) Season the pork with salt and pepper, sear it on a grill or in a pan, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart. 3) Season the pork with salt and pepper, roast in the oven for about 20 minutes on high heat, until browned.  Add the sauce, cover, and cook at 170C for about 3-4 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart. Ingredients (cannellini beans): 1 can of cannellini beans, drained 2 cups of diced butternut squash, in 1cm cubes 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves 1/2 cup verjuice or white wine 1/2 tsp of nutmeg Salt and pepper Saute and serve. High-res

Pulled Pork with Cannellini Beans, Butternut Squash and Tomato

I miss proper barbeque.  More so, I miss Dinosaur BBQ.  There’s nothing that comes close in Australia, and there are certainly no sauces you can get that compare.

Note: If anyone from Dinosaur is reading this, for the love of God, open up a restaurant in Sydney.

In the meantime, I found a recipe for their sauce online, and made so many substitutions that it was hardly the same recipe.  And you know what?  It was pretty damn good.  The below is enough for two big batches of pulled pork, so stock up and freeze it if you have 20 minutes to put this together.  Hell, even double it.

Ingredients (BBQ sauce):

  • 1.5 cups of diced onion
  • 1 apple, cored and diced
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 2 bullseye red chilis, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup worcheshire sauce
  • 1/4 cup wholegrain spicy mustard
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup rice malt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 400g cans of diced tomato
  • Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • Juice of half a lemon

Saute the onions, chili and garlic in a splash of oil.  Add the apple and cook for a couple minutes before adding in the powdered spices, and seasoning with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Add everything else.  Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has a nice thickness.  Process with a hand blender or food processor, check the spices, and go nuts.

Ingredients (pulled pork):

  • 1-2 kg pork butt or shoulder.  I used a bone-in pork leg with the fat still on top because I couldn’t find a shoulder, and it was alright, but it definitely needs the fat on it.
  • Half the above BBQ sauce recipe (about 4 cups)
  • Salt and pepper

I’ll give you a few options for cooking this;

1) Season the pork with salt and pepper, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart.

2) Season the pork with salt and pepper, sear it on a grill or in a pan, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart.

3) Season the pork with salt and pepper, roast in the oven for about 20 minutes on high heat, until browned.  Add the sauce, cover, and cook at 170C for about 3-4 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart.

Ingredients (cannellini beans):

  • 1 can of cannellini beans, drained
  • 2 cups of diced butternut squash, in 1cm cubes
  • 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup verjuice or white wine
  • 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper

Saute and serve.

Goat’s Cheese and Sage Stuffed Chicken with Caramelized Fennel, Roasted Mushrooms and Pomegranate I’ve been making this style of chicken quite a lot, but am trying to mix up the stuffings. So what’s the #1 way to improve a recipe? Add cheese. It’s the American way. Ingredients (chicken): 1 whole chicken, cut up the backbone and flattened 1/4 cup goats cheese 3 garlic cloves 1/2 bunch of sage, chopped 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves Juice of half a lemon Salt, pepper and olive oil Mash the ingredients, starting with the garlic, and add a few tablespoons of oil.  Season with salt and pepper, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.  Stuff under the skin of a flattened whole chicken, and the brown skin side down in a skillet for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more before putting in the oven for about 30 minutes at 220C / 400F. This side, on it’s own, is a lovely vegetarian dish and would have been very sufficient as dinner. The caramelized fennel I got from the book Plenty I’ve been raving about, and served with oven roasted mushrooms and fresh pomegranate.  Buy this book. High-res

Goat’s Cheese and Sage Stuffed Chicken with Caramelized Fennel, Roasted Mushrooms and Pomegranate

I’ve been making this style of chicken quite a lot, but am trying to mix up the stuffings. So what’s the #1 way to improve a recipe? Add cheese. It’s the American way.

Ingredients (chicken):

  • 1 whole chicken, cut up the backbone and flattened
  • 1/4 cup goats cheese
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 bunch of sage, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt, pepper and olive oil

Mash the ingredients, starting with the garlic, and add a few tablespoons of oil.  Season with salt and pepper, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.  Stuff under the skin of a flattened whole chicken, and the brown skin side down in a skillet for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more before putting in the oven for about 30 minutes at 220C / 400F.

This side, on it’s own, is a lovely vegetarian dish and would have been very sufficient as dinner. The caramelized fennel I got from the book Plenty I’ve been raving about, and served with oven roasted mushrooms and fresh pomegranate.  Buy this book.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Sweet Corn Polenta and Mushroom Tomato Sauce I tried out the sweet corn polenta recipe out of Plenty, which was nice, but not necessarily worth the extra effort unless you’re trying to use up corn you have on hand.  Make some polenta however you do it, with plenty of cheese and garlic, and give the sauce and short ribs a shot.  Serves 4. Ingredients (short ribs): 12 small or 8 large short ribs 2 cups of red wine 2 cups of beef stock 1 onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 cup of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper 2 tbsp worscheshire sauce Equivalent of 1 bunch of chopped herbs, but mix it up between some thyme, oregano and rosemary Olive oil, salt and pepper Coat the ribs in the flour, and in a pan, brown in a few tablespoons of olive oil.  Remove from the pan and sauté the onion, carrot and herbs.  Season with salt and pepper, and add the worcestershire.  Then add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer before adding back the ribs.  Cover and cook on low for 2.5 hours. Ingredients (sauce): 3 tomatoes, diced 1 pack of oyster mushrooms, sliced 1 small can of tomato paste 3 tbsp fresh thyme 1 cup red wine 2 cups of water 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the ribs (after its cooked for 2 hours) Olive oil, salt and pepper Sauté mushrooms in olive oil and thyme, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes before adding the wine and tomato paste. Stir to combine.  Add the cooking liquid, then the water. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper, and serve on the polenta.  Top with the ribs and a scoop of the veggies and cooking juices. High-res

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Sweet Corn Polenta and Mushroom Tomato Sauce

I tried out the sweet corn polenta recipe out of Plenty, which was nice, but not necessarily worth the extra effort unless you’re trying to use up corn you have on hand.  Make some polenta however you do it, with plenty of cheese and garlic, and give the sauce and short ribs a shot.  Serves 4.

Ingredients (short ribs):

  • 12 small or 8 large short ribs
  • 2 cups of red wine
  • 2 cups of beef stock
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 cup of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp worscheshire sauce
  • Equivalent of 1 bunch of chopped herbs, but mix it up between some thyme, oregano and rosemary
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper

Coat the ribs in the flour, and in a pan, brown in a few tablespoons of olive oil.  Remove from the pan and sauté the onion, carrot and herbs.  Season with salt and pepper, and add the worcestershire.  Then add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer before adding back the ribs.  Cover and cook on low for 2.5 hours.

Ingredients (sauce):

  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 pack of oyster mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small can of tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the ribs (after its cooked for 2 hours)
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil and thyme, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes before adding the wine and tomato paste. Stir to combine.  Add the cooking liquid, then the water. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper, and serve on the polenta.  Top with the ribs and a scoop of the veggies and cooking juices.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Mixed Mushrooms and Zucchini I bought a pack of fancy mushrooms, and this recipe both provided a nice dinner, as well as enough leftover veggies to mix into pasta, with a big of grated cheese, to bring to work for lunch.  A one pan meal, and takes about 30 minutes. Ingredients: 2 chicken legs with thighs 1/2 bunch chopped thyme leaves 2 portabello mushrooms, quartered Several handfuls of other mushrooms (oyster, enoki, king brown, trumpet… whatever you can get your hands on.  Equivalent of 2 of those grocery store containers) 1 red onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves 2 small zucchini, sliced Salt, pepper and olive oil Pat dry chicken skin and season with salt and pepper.  In a hot oven-proof skillet, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and brown chicken, skin side down, for about 5 minutes on high heat.  In the meantime, mash the garlic with some salt in a mortar and pestle.  Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes before removing from the pan.  Saute the onions, garlic and thyme for 2 minutes, then add your mushrooms and zucchini, coating with the oil and pan juices.  Throw your chicken on top, and bake for 20 minutes at 200C / 375F.  Served with bread and a small wedge of brie. High-res

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Mixed Mushrooms and Zucchini

I bought a pack of fancy mushrooms, and this recipe both provided a nice dinner, as well as enough leftover veggies to mix into pasta, with a big of grated cheese, to bring to work for lunch.  A one pan meal, and takes about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken legs with thighs
  • 1/2 bunch chopped thyme leaves
  • 2 portabello mushrooms, quartered
  • Several handfuls of other mushrooms (oyster, enoki, king brown, trumpet… whatever you can get your hands on.  Equivalent of 2 of those grocery store containers)
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 small zucchini, sliced
  • Salt, pepper and olive oil

Pat dry chicken skin and season with salt and pepper.  In a hot oven-proof skillet, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and brown chicken, skin side down, for about 5 minutes on high heat.  In the meantime, mash the garlic with some salt in a mortar and pestle.  Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes before removing from the pan.  Saute the onions, garlic and thyme for 2 minutes, then add your mushrooms and zucchini, coating with the oil and pan juices.  Throw your chicken on top, and bake for 20 minutes at 200C / 375F.  Served with bread and a small wedge of brie.

Lamb and White Bean Pie This is a pretty trusty recipe, but it has never looked this good.  I have 2 4 inch ramekins that I used to try and create individual pies, and it was pretty simple.  I changed a couple things (really just the order I cooked things in), so I’ll repost the recipe. Ingredients: 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed Leftover lamb roast, diced, with juice 1 can white beans, drained 1 onion, diced 2 tbsp flour 3 tbsp butter 1 cup red wine Salt, pepper and thyme In a hot pan, melt the butter and saute the onion.  Once soft, mix in the flour until it’s a past.  Add the lamb, beans and spices.  Add the red wine, you may need more or less depending on how much leftover juice you have left (you’ll want about a cup of liquid, total, in the pan).  Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid is thickened. Grease ramekins with olive oil, and line with puff pastry.  Add meat, piling high, and make a lid for it.  Bake at 200C / 375F for 20 minutes until the top is golden.  Let cool for 10 minutes, until you can run a knife around the outside to loosen, and then using oven mitts you can shake and maneuver it out of the ramekin. High-res

Lamb and White Bean Pie

This is a pretty trusty recipe, but it has never looked this good.  I have 2 4 inch ramekins that I used to try and create individual pies, and it was pretty simple.  I changed a couple things (really just the order I cooked things in), so I’ll repost the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • Leftover lamb roast, diced, with juice
  • 1 can white beans, drained
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup red wine
  • Salt, pepper and thyme

In a hot pan, melt the butter and saute the onion.  Once soft, mix in the flour until it’s a past.  Add the lamb, beans and spices.  Add the red wine, you may need more or less depending on how much leftover juice you have left (you’ll want about a cup of liquid, total, in the pan).  Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid is thickened.

Grease ramekins with olive oil, and line with puff pastry.  Add meat, piling high, and make a lid for it.  Bake at 200C / 375F for 20 minutes until the top is golden.  Let cool for 10 minutes, until you can run a knife around the outside to loosen, and then using oven mitts you can shake and maneuver it out of the ramekin.

Thyme and Red Wine Lamb Leg Roast with Roasted Vegetables Simple Sunday roast recipe, as long as the liquid doesn’t run out it’ll be tasty. Ingredients: 1 big leg of lamb 1 bunch of thyme, chopped 4 garlic cloves 2 cups of red wine 2 cups of beef stock Juice of 1 lemon Olive oil, salt and pepper Vegetables.  I used parsnip, mushroom and tomato. Score the top of the roast, and mash up the garlic with a mortar and pestle.  Add in salt and a bit more than half the thyme, and combine.  Pour the wine, lemon juice, and stock over the roast, then rub with olive oil, and your garlic mixture.  Season with salt and pepper, and cover with foil to bake for the first hour at 150C / 300F.  Remove foil, baste, and cook uncovered at 220C / 400F for 30 minutes.   My roast was massive and needed a bit longer, but use a meat thermometer to get to the desired level of done-ness.  160C in the center turned out to be medium-well. In another dish, mix veggies with remaining thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Roast for the last 20 minutes of cooking. To keep things easy the next night, chop up any leftovers so they’re small pieces and can easy turn into the pie recipe to follow. High-res

Thyme and Red Wine Lamb Leg Roast with Roasted Vegetables

Simple Sunday roast recipe, as long as the liquid doesn’t run out it’ll be tasty.

Ingredients:

  • 1 big leg of lamb
  • 1 bunch of thyme, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 cups of red wine
  • 2 cups of beef stock
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Vegetables.  I used parsnip, mushroom and tomato.

Score the top of the roast, and mash up the garlic with a mortar and pestle.  Add in salt and a bit more than half the thyme, and combine.  Pour the wine, lemon juice, and stock over the roast, then rub with olive oil, and your garlic mixture.  Season with salt and pepper, and cover with foil to bake for the first hour at 150C / 300F.  Remove foil, baste, and cook uncovered at 220C / 400F for 30 minutes.   My roast was massive and needed a bit longer, but use a meat thermometer to get to the desired level of done-ness.  160C in the center turned out to be medium-well.

In another dish, mix veggies with remaining thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Roast for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

To keep things easy the next night, chop up any leftovers so they’re small pieces and can easy turn into the pie recipe to follow.

Rosemary and Thyme Lamb Shank I’m always trying to find the best way to cook a lamb shank, really it’s probably just to slow cook it, but I gave this a shot and was really happy with how it came out.  It’s the same effect as slow-cooking, while giving it a bit of a “crust” at the end. Ingredients: 4 lamb shanks 1 cup fresh rosemary and thyme, stems removed (doesn’t need to be diced) Juice of 1 lemon Olive oil, sea salt, and pepper 1 cup red wine Marinate the lamb overnight in some salt, pepper, lemon, the herbs, and a healthy glob of olive oil.  When you’re ready to cook, put the oven on low heat (150C / 300F), and get out some tin foil.  What you’re going to do, it make little “packages” of lamb, adding a quarter cup of wine into each, and wrap 1 shank per “package”.  Bake for 1.5-2 hours (the longer the better, but you can get away with 1.5 hours if you’re in a hurry). Remove the lamb from the oven and get the oven hot (220C / 425F).  Take the lamb out of the foil and leave the juices out (you could make these into a sauce if you’re so inclined).  Place on a backing tray, and salt (don’t by shy) with nice course sea salt.  Bake for 5 minutes, flip over, salt the other side, and bake for 5 more minutes.  What you’ll have is a nice tender, juicy lamb shank in the center, with a salty crust on the outside.  Serve with whatever the hell else you made. High-res

Rosemary and Thyme Lamb Shank

I’m always trying to find the best way to cook a lamb shank, really it’s probably just to slow cook it, but I gave this a shot and was really happy with how it came out.  It’s the same effect as slow-cooking, while giving it a bit of a “crust” at the end.

Ingredients:

  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 1 cup fresh rosemary and thyme, stems removed (doesn’t need to be diced)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Olive oil, sea salt, and pepper
  • 1 cup red wine

Marinate the lamb overnight in some salt, pepper, lemon, the herbs, and a healthy glob of olive oil.  When you’re ready to cook, put the oven on low heat (150C / 300F), and get out some tin foil.  What you’re going to do, it make little “packages” of lamb, adding a quarter cup of wine into each, and wrap 1 shank per “package”.  Bake for 1.5-2 hours (the longer the better, but you can get away with 1.5 hours if you’re in a hurry).

Remove the lamb from the oven and get the oven hot (220C / 425F).  Take the lamb out of the foil and leave the juices out (you could make these into a sauce if you’re so inclined).  Place on a backing tray, and salt (don’t by shy) with nice course sea salt.  Bake for 5 minutes, flip over, salt the other side, and bake for 5 more minutes.  What you’ll have is a nice tender, juicy lamb shank in the center, with a salty crust on the outside.  Serve with whatever the hell else you made.

Lamb Rump Roast with Herb Roasted Potatoes and Spinach Salad Hands down, this is the best lamb I’ve ever eaten.  As part of the endless amount of meat I picked up from the market, I grabbed 2 lamb rumps and marinated them for 24 hours before cooking them.  It was quite easy to do, since I just put it together Sunday night, and then could throw it in the oven on Monday after work.  The salad was simple, and the potatoes I cooked with some of the reserved duck fat from the weekend.  You can buy it in the shop, but I just skimmed it from the bottom of the pan and put it in a container. Ingredients (lamb): 2 lamb rumps (think fairly large single serves… with leftovers) 1/2 cup thyme, roughly chopped 1/2 cup rosemary, roughly chopped Juice of half a lemon 3 garlic cloves, diced 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil Salt and pepper Toss everything together and marinade for at least a few hours to overnight.  It could probably even go 2 days.  Remove lamb from marinade, getting off the herbs, and set aside.  Get an oven-proof pan nice and hot, and sear the fatty side of the lamb for about 5 minutes, until it’s starting to get really brown and burned.  This is going to get the lamb all sorts of juicy while it’s cooking.  Flip it over, drizzle with a bit of olive oil (I also added some carrots, but I don’t think it did anything for the lamb, they were just going off and needed eating), and bake for 30 minutes at 200C / 375F.  Remove, let rest for 5 minutes, and slice to serve.  If you want it to look really pretty, you can remove that fatty top bit, it’s done its job. Ingredients (potatoes): 5-6 fingerling potatoes, skins scored with a fork, and chopped in half / thirds depending on size 1/2 cup chopped sage and rosemary Salt and pepper Heaping tablespoon of duck fat Combine the ingredients and bake for 40 minutes at 200C / 375F, flipping halfway through. High-res

Lamb Rump Roast with Herb Roasted Potatoes and Spinach Salad

Hands down, this is the best lamb I’ve ever eaten.  As part of the endless amount of meat I picked up from the market, I grabbed 2 lamb rumps and marinated them for 24 hours before cooking them.  It was quite easy to do, since I just put it together Sunday night, and then could throw it in the oven on Monday after work.  The salad was simple, and the potatoes I cooked with some of the reserved duck fat from the weekend.  You can buy it in the shop, but I just skimmed it from the bottom of the pan and put it in a container.

Ingredients (lamb):

  • 2 lamb rumps (think fairly large single serves… with leftovers)
  • 1/2 cup thyme, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup rosemary, roughly chopped
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Toss everything together and marinade for at least a few hours to overnight.  It could probably even go 2 days.  Remove lamb from marinade, getting off the herbs, and set aside.  Get an oven-proof pan nice and hot, and sear the fatty side of the lamb for about 5 minutes, until it’s starting to get really brown and burned.  This is going to get the lamb all sorts of juicy while it’s cooking.  Flip it over, drizzle with a bit of olive oil (I also added some carrots, but I don’t think it did anything for the lamb, they were just going off and needed eating), and bake for 30 minutes at 200C / 375F.  Remove, let rest for 5 minutes, and slice to serve.  If you want it to look really pretty, you can remove that fatty top bit, it’s done its job.

Ingredients (potatoes):

  • 5-6 fingerling potatoes, skins scored with a fork, and chopped in half / thirds depending on size
  • 1/2 cup chopped sage and rosemary
  • Salt and pepper
  • Heaping tablespoon of duck fat

Combine the ingredients and bake for 40 minutes at 200C / 375F, flipping halfway through.

Scotch Fillet and Green Beans I still haven’t mastered the art of steak butter.  Granted, I haven’t looked at a recipe, and I didn’t add enough wine since I wanted to drink it, but I digress.  I bought a bangin’ steak from Vic’s Meat Market Day (along with 10 kilos of other stuff… seriously, I can’t be stopped), and marinated it for the afternoon before grilling it.  Delish. Ingredients: 2 fat scotch fillet steaks 1/4 cup fresh thyme 1/4 cup fresh rosemary a few sage leaves 5 garlic cloves 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper 1/2 onion 1/4 cup chopped salami Green beans In a food processor, combine the onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Massage into the steak and let sit for a few hours or overnight. Remove steak from marinade and set aside.  On a hot grill, sear for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. In another pan, toss the green beans, salami, and a heaping tablespoon of the steak marinade.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. High-res

Scotch Fillet and Green Beans

I still haven’t mastered the art of steak butter.  Granted, I haven’t looked at a recipe, and I didn’t add enough wine since I wanted to drink it, but I digress.  I bought a bangin’ steak from Vic’s Meat Market Day (along with 10 kilos of other stuff… seriously, I can’t be stopped), and marinated it for the afternoon before grilling it.  Delish.

Ingredients:

  • 2 fat scotch fillet steaks
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary
  • a few sage leaves
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped salami
  • Green beans

In a food processor, combine the onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Massage into the steak and let sit for a few hours or overnight.

Remove steak from marinade and set aside.  On a hot grill, sear for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare.

In another pan, toss the green beans, salami, and a heaping tablespoon of the steak marinade.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Roasted Garlic Pork Burger with Onion Relish and Roasted Beetroots Serves 4. Ingredients (beetroot): 1 bunch of beetroots, washed and cut in half 1/4 cup chopped fresh thmye Olive oil, salt and pepper Toss together and roast on 200C / 375F for 40 minutes, turning once halfway through. Ingredients (relish): 1 red onion, quartered (paper can be on) 1 punnet of cherry or grape tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped oregano Olive oil, salt and pepper 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar Roast the onion and tomato, tossed with oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper, for about 20 minutes on 200C / 375F. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to remove the papers. Add to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients (add a bit of cayenne if you’re brave), puree and refrigerate. Ingredients (pork burger): 500g ground pork 1/4 cup chopped oregano 1/2 bulb roasted garlic (wrap in foil, drizzle in oil and bake for 20-30 minutes) Pinch of chili flakes Salt and olive oil Mix together and grill, on either an indoor or outdoor grill, for about 5 minutes on each side. If indoor, toss in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes to make sure they’re cooked through since it’s not as hot. Serve with the relish, sliced cucumber, and a side of the roasted beetroot. High-res

Roasted Garlic Pork Burger with Onion Relish and Roasted Beetroots

Serves 4.

Ingredients (beetroot):

  • 1 bunch of beetroots, washed and cut in half
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh thmye
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper

Toss together and roast on 200C / 375F for 40 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Ingredients (relish):

  • 1 red onion, quartered (paper can be on)
  • 1 punnet of cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup chopped oregano
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

Roast the onion and tomato, tossed with oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper, for about 20 minutes on 200C / 375F. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to remove the papers. Add to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients (add a bit of cayenne if you’re brave), puree and refrigerate.

Ingredients (pork burger):

  • 500g ground pork
  • 1/4 cup chopped oregano
  • 1/2 bulb roasted garlic (wrap in foil, drizzle in oil and bake for 20-30 minutes)
  • Pinch of chili flakes
  • Salt and olive oil

Mix together and grill, on either an indoor or outdoor grill, for about 5 minutes on each side. If indoor, toss in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes to make sure they’re cooked through since it’s not as hot. Serve with the relish, sliced cucumber, and a side of the roasted beetroot.