Moroccan lamb shanks with apricot and pistachios

Make Mum's day with a delicious lamb meal. You know she will love it!

Preparation time: 25minutes
Cooking time: 90 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 x 320g lamb shanks, frenched
• 35 g (¼ cup) plain flour
• 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 750 ml (2 cups) good quality beef stock
• 85 g (¼ cup) tamarind puree
• 100 g (2/3 cups) dried apricots
• 70 g (1/2 cup) pistachios, roasted
• ¼ cup roughly chopped coriander
• Pearl couscous and chickpea salad, to serve

Method

• Place lamb shanks and flour in a large bowl and toss to coat, then season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish or tagine over medium-high heat. Dust excess flour from lamb shanks and fry for 5 minutes, turning, or until lightly browned all over. Remove shanks from the dish and set aside. Pour off most of the fat and oil from the dish, leaving about 2 tablespoons.
• Preheat oven to 160?C. Return dish to the heat and onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until onions are soft. Add ginger and cinnamon, and cook for a further 3 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add stock, tamarind and apricots, and stir to combine. Place shanks back into the dish, push down slightly and turn to coat in liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover. Bake for 2½ hours or until lamb falls away from the bone.
• To serve, divide shanks among four plates, spoon over sauce and sprinkle with pistachios and coriander. Serve with pearl couscous and chickpea salad.

Tips

• Alternatively, cook lamb shanks in a slow-cooker according to manufacturers instructions.
• If you like, serve Moroccan lamb shanks with your favourite selection of steamed vegetables.

BBQ pork loin cutlet with pear and rocket salad

The forecast for Easter round these parts is for fine weather, not too hot, not too cold. During a beautiful long weekend of hot crossed buns and chocolate, this recipe will allow you to tell yourself you've eaten something healthy!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 pork loin cutlets
• 1 tblsp oil
• 200 g rocket leaves, washed
• 3 ya or nashi pears, sliced
• 1 cup lemon saffron dressing
• Saffron strands to garnish

Method

• Trim pork cutlets bones well.
• Pre-heat griddle pan or BBQ plate for 3 minutes over a medium heat.
• Brush each pork cutlet with a little oil and cook cutlets 2-3 minutes over a medium heat each side or until cooked to the desired degree. Allow to rest.
• Toss the salad leaves together with the prepared pear and half the dressing.
• Place the cutlets over the plated salad, drizzle with a little extra dressing and garnish with a sprinkle of saffron strands.

(Recipe and photo thanks to Australian Pork)

Roast beef sirloin with seeded mustard

The seeded mustard gives this beef roast a wonderful topping, the beef stays succulent and juicy, and the mustard adds a mild, yet tasty flavour.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1½ kg piece sirloin/porterhouse
• ½ cup seeded mustard
• mixed green salad to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Brush the beef roast lightly with oil. Season it well with ground pepper and salt. Rub the pepper and salt into the roast.
2. Place the beef on a rack in a roasting dish. Add a little water to the roasting dish (about ½ cup). Spread the seeded mustard over the top of the beef roast.
3. Roast for 60 minutes for rare, 75 minutes for medium and 90 minutes for well done. For ease and accuracy use a meat thermometer.
4. Remove the beef, cover loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Serve the beef roast with salad.

Essential Tips

• Judging your roast’s degree of doneness using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the meat should be: Rare – 55-60ºC, Medium – 65-70ºC, Well done – 75ºC.
• You can also use tongs to test the roast’s doneness. Gently prod or squeeze the roast – rare is very soft, medium rare is soft, medium is springy but soft, medium well is firm and well done is very firm.
• Placing the roast on a rack in the roasting dish helps the beef to brown evenly.

Pear and sage lamb sliders

Who doesn't love a slider? Perfect summer fare for a weekend as warm as this one is shaping up to be, these little gems will impress everyone. 

--Ian and team

Ingredients (serves 6)

1 lamb shoulder, on the bone (approx. 1.1kg)
1 Packham pear, grated
12 sage leaves, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 5cm batons

Slaw:
1 pear, thinly sliced
1 bunch mint leaves
1 carrot, thin batons
½ bunch kale, stems removed, leaves finely shredded
¼ red cabbage, finely shredded
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 soft brioche buns, to serve

Method

1. Trim lamb shoulder of excess fat and place in a roasting tray.
2. Place grated pear, sage leaves, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and toss to combine. Spread over lamb shoulder. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C, pour ½ cup water into the base of the roasting dish and cover tightly with foil. Cook lamb for 2 hours or until tender enough to shred with two forks. Shred lamb and season to taste.
4. Toss parsnips in a little oil, salt and pepper and roast for 40 minutes until golden brown and crisp at the edges.
5. Combine ingredients for slaw and toss gently to combine.
6. Fill buns with slaw and top with shredded lamb. Serve roast parsnips on the side.

Essential tips

• Pour water from tray before shredding meat in the pan, or place lamb on a chopping board for a more stable surface.
• After shredding, check the seasoning of the meat and add a squeeze of lemon, salt or pepper if desired.
• Lamb can be cooked and shredded in advance. Reheat to serve.
• 2 hours is the minimum cooking time to be able to shred the lamb. If you have the time, leave the lamb in the oven for another 30 minutes to 1 hour. It will only get better and easier to shred.
• Try different ingredients in the slaw such as beetroot and apple.

Cajun lamb ribs

Fancy something different, how about lamb ribs Cajun style? They would go very well with a spicy rice salad or maybe just with more ribs....(really is it possible to have too many?)

Have a great weekend!

--Ian and team

Ingredients (serves 4)

2½ kg lamb breast ribs
300 ml white wine
250 ml salt-reduced beef stock
2½ tbsp maple syrup

Dry rub
1 tbsp Mexican chilli powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp smokey paprika
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tbsp onion powder

Cheesy polenta
1 cup instant polenta
375 ml skim milk
50 g butter
50 g Gruyere cheese, finely grated
steamed peas and broccoli, to serve

Method

1. In a bowl, combine dry rub ingredients and mix together. Place lamb ribs in the bowl and massage dry rub into the meat. Cover with cling film and marinate for 30 minutes or preferably overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 160°C. Place into a heavy-based casserole dish and cover with wine, stock, 2 tbsp maple syrup, garlic, onion . Add water until ribs are nearly covered. Cover with foil tightly and the lid, and cook for 3hrs 30 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and change oven to grill at 200°C. Break up rib racks into 2-3 bones and place into a roasting dish or baking tray without braising liquid. Brush ribs with remaining maple syrup, and place under the grill for 20 minutes until crisp.
4. Meanwhile make polenta according to packet and add cheese, and butter.
5. Serve ribs on top of polenta with steamed spinach, and broccoli.

Essential tips

• Substitute parmesan or any harder cheese for the Gruyere.
• Braise the lamb the day before, cool and store covered in a non--reactive container in the fridge. Place into a 180°C oven uncovered until heated through and crisp to serve.

Philly cheese steak

Bathurst ...for me a day where I don't venture too far from the TV ( go Tim Slade) and I think this recipe will go down a treat, serve it on a crunchy crusty baguette. Or maybe some brioche sliders......  Have a top weekend!

--Ian and crew

Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

600 g oyster blade steak, trimmed and very thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
4 long bread rolls
150 g provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Method

1. Preheat a large frying pan over a high heat. Mix the meat with 1 ½ tbsp olive oil and coat well. Cook the slices in a single layer for a minute on each side or until cooked through. You will need to do this in several batches. Set aside on a plate.
2. Wipe out the pan, place over a moderate heat and gently cook the onion and capsicum in the remaining oil for 10 minutes or until soft.
3. Meanwhile, roughly chop the cook steak and stir it through the softened vegetables to warm through. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Cut the rolls in half and fill with the meat and vegetables. Top with the cheese slices and chilli sauce (if using).

Tip

You can substitute the provolone cheese with Swiss or Cheddar cheese.

Miso beef burgers with wasabi mayonnaise

Spring is in the air... it's time to fill the gas bottle and dust off the barbecue! I am making a batch of these burgers to sell in store for the weekend...

--Ian

Preparation Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 600 g lean beef mince
• 2 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp wasabi paste
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 4 buns

Method

1. Mix the beef, miso paste and spring onions together and form into 4 patties.
2. Mix the wasabi paste and mayonnaise together and set aside.
3. Peel the cucumber into thin ribbons, discarding the watery centre. Toss with the sesame seeds, vinegar and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat a ridged chargrill or barbeque to moderately high. Lightly brush the patties with vegetable oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
5. Place the cut side of the buns on the grill to warm through and lightly colour them. Spread the mayonnaise onto the base of the buns. Top with a patty and the drained cucumber salad and serve.

Essential tips

1. White miso paste is a Japanese fermented soya bean paste, available from Asian grocery stores and supermarkets.
2. For a healthier version, try it without the bun and/or mayonnaise.
3. To up your vegetable intake, try adding other salad ingredients such as sliced tomato, shredded lettuce and grated carrot or beetroot.
4. Add a little more wasabi to the mayonnaise if you prefer a spicier kick.

Herb & Mustard Roast Beef with Cauliflower Mash

With the last few weeks of winter approaching(officially) why not have a roast beef this weekend ... I think this recipe throws a bit of different spin on the traditional bolar roast...

-- Ian

Preparation Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 800 g bolar blade roast
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp finely chopped thyme
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 250 g desiree potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 500 g cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
• ⅓ cup fresh ricotta
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• Roasted cherry tomatoes and steamed green beans, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C or 140°C fan forced. Brush beef with the olive oil. Preheat a large non stick frying pan over a high heat. Cook beef, for 1-2 minutes each side or until evenly browned. Transfer beef to a rack over a roasting dish.
2. In a small bowl combine the mustard, rosemary, thyme and parsley. Brush the mustard mixture evenly over the top and sides of beef. Roast beef in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes for medium, or until 65°C on a meat thermometer. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook potato and cauliflower in a saucepan of boiling water for 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Return to saucepan, mash until smooth, stir through ricotta and chives.
4. Cut the beef, across the grain into slices of even thickness. Divide mash between plates, top with some slices of beef. Serve with roasted cherry tomatoes and steamed green beans.

Tip: To roast cherry tomatoes, place 250g tomatoes on a baking tray and spray with olive oil. Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until just wilted.

Beef and Portobello Mushroom Pie

We have lots of local grass-fed stewing cuts available, especially chuck steak or blade!

-- Ian

Delicious straight out of the oven and even better for lunch the next day. 

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 800 g oyster blade steak, trimmed and diced
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 200 g portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 200 g butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• To serve, mashed potato and steamed greens

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Place a heavy based casserole over a moderately high heat. Toss the beef in the flour, coat well and shake to remove any excess. Fry the beef in the oil in 2 batches, for 6-8 minutes or until well coloured.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and place all of the meat back into the casserole. Add the onion, mushrooms and bay leaf and stir with the meat for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly coloured. Add the wine and stock and bring up to the boil.
3. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. If you want the sauce a little thicker you can place it over a high heat to reduce slightly. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large pie dish and allow to cool thoroughly. You can refrigerate for up to 2 days.
4. Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Roll the pastry into a piece a little larger than the pie dish. Place over the cooled meat mixture and gently tuck in the sides. Brush with the beaten egg and cute a few slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve with mashed potato and steamed greens.

Pappardelle with Mediterranean Lamb Stew

We have some awesome salt bush lamb in stock at the moment...come in and grab some portion cut shoulder this weekend ...it will suit this dish perfectly

--Ian

While not strictly Italian, this luscious recipe highlights the flavours of the Mediterranean so well we couldn’t leave it out. The rich sauce and chunks of tender meat coat the pappardelle beautifully. 

Lamb cut: Lamb Forequarter Chops. Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 2 hours.

Ingredients / serves 4

800 g lamb forequarter chops
400 g fresh Pappardelle
400 g can diced tomatoes
4 tbsp basil, chopped
100 g Kalamata olives, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
50 g small mushrooms, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 tsp smokey paprika
1 tbsp brown sugar
700 ml beef stock
100 g Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper

Method

1. Season the chops with salt and pepper and brown both sides in a hot casserole dish with olive oil. Remove and set aside.
2. Using the same dish, add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the browned lamb, olives, paprika, sugar, mushrooms, tomato and stock. Check seasoning, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours.
3. Cook the Pappardelle as per packet instructions. Serve with the stew and fresh basil.

Tip

Lamb forequarter chops could be replaced with a lamb leg.