Rabbit and onion casserole (Lepur çomlek)

Another rustic Balkan country dish from Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul. The food on that series was simple but absolutely delicious Rick. Thanks.

Ingredients
1 rabbit, cleaned and jointed
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
50ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
3 whole allspice berries
1/2 cinnamon stick
100ml red wine
160ml chicken stock, hot
1 tbsp tomato purée
2-3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
300g baby onions or shallots, peeled and left whole
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 160C
1. Wash the rabbit pieces well, then pat dry and put in a bowl with the bay leaves and pour over the vinegar. Cover and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge. Make sure you have removed as many little bones as possible.
2. Heat a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil in a flameproof lidded casserole pan over a high heat and fry the rabbit pieces in batches until they are well browned all over. Return all the rabbit pieces to the pan along with the bay leaves from the marinade.
3. Add the garlic, allspice berries, cinnamon stick and red wine. Bring to the boil. Add the chicken stock, tomato purée, tomatoes and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and cook for 1–1½ hours until the rabbit is tender.
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the baby onions gently, stirring frequently, until just golden-brown all over. This should take about 10–15 minutes. Add the sugar halfway through to help them to caramelise. Tip the onions into the pot containing the rabbit just before it’s done and stir through.

Serve with rice or orzo pasta. Serves 5-6 people

Chook's note: The onions are the piece de resistance in this dish. 
I saved the heart and kidneys for a breakfast fry-up with a tiny bit of mustard and tomato paste or Worcestershire sauce, onion and bacon and onion. 

Albanian baked lamb with rice (Tavë kosi)

Tavë kosi is a national dish in Albania, it’s similar to Greek moussaka. From Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul. Thanks Rick.

Ingredients
70g butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1.2kg boned lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm cubes
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
60g long-grain rice, rinsed
50g plain flour
600ml Greek-style yoghurt
4 eggs, beaten
freshly grated nutmeg, to finish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Serves 8

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C
1. Heat 20g of the butter and the olive oil in a large lidded pan over a high heat. Brown the lamb in batches.
2. Return all the lamb to the pan. Add the garlic, oregano and 200ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered with a lid, for about 45–60 minutes until the lamb is tender.
3. Stir in the rice, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 3 L earthenware or other ovenproof dish.
4. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and make a roux, cook for 2 minutes, then take off the heat. Add the yoghurt and mix well, then return to the heat and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat, add the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the sauce over the lamb and rice mixture, grate fresh nutmeg on top and bake for 40–45 minutes until starting to turn golden-brown.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a simple lettuce salad.

Chook's note: I’ve made this with lamb mince and it tasted fine. Not as rich as the slow cook shoulder but when needs must ……
I also use this sauce recipe with Greek moussaka – it’s delish. 

Salmon en Croute

 The sauce for this one has watercress. [realfood.tesco.com]  

Ingredients
150g fresh salmon per person
Puff pastry sheets
1 leek (sliced)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp horseradish
200 ml cream
Salt and pepper
1 egg beaten

Method
Cook the leek in butter over low heat. After 2 mins add the cream and horseradish with a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently cook a further 5 mins.
Place a try in the fridge till cool. Cut a square of puff pastry and place a spoonful of the leek mixture on it then place salmon on top.
Brush around the edges with egg. And wrap like a parcel.
Brush all over with egg and cook 200 C for 20 minutes until golden.

Serve with potato mash and steamed asparagus (option - top with Beurre blanc)

Beurre blanc
Cook ½ small onion chopped on gentle heat till soft.
Add 100ml white wine and reduce by half, then add 1 Tbsp cream.  Gently whisk in 100g cold diced butter until you have a smooth silky sauce.

Chook’s note: You could add a couple of handfuls of baby spinach leaves or watercress to the leek sauce. You could also substitute crème fraiche or cream cheese for the cream. There are loads of sauce variations you could try – this is the one I learnt to make. 
You can be as creative as you like with the parcel – cut the pastry in the shape of a fish, lattice the top sheet or decorate with pastry cut outs. 

Recipe from Rob’s Cooking class, Graduate House, Melbourne 2008-9. Thanks Rob the classes were fantastic!
The chef-teacher was Robert Goodman who formerly worked at the Michelin Star ‘Le Gavroche Restaurant’ in Mayfair, London. 

Goat curry - Slow-cooked 

Goat meat is not always easy to find but it's getting more and more popular; I get mine at the markets.  It's delicious and richer than lamb or mutton.  This recipe is tried and true and so simple.

Courtesy  Ashley myheartbeets.com 

Ingredients
1kg goat meat (I used rump end of leg cut into chops)
2 red onions, chopped
4cm knob fresh ginger, minced (I used frozen because I had it)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp ghee (butter if you don’t have ghee)
4 cloves (whole)
2 cardamom pods
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (if using cayenne use less)
1 tsp paprika
1-2 Serrano pepper, minced (I use 2 small or 1 long red chili)
2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

Add later:
1 400g can diced tomatoes or use fresh tomatoes
1 tsp garam masala, add more to taste
1/2 cup water - if needed

Method
In a coffee/spice grinder, finely grind cloves and cardamom (and the other spices if you are suing whole seeds).
In crock pot, add all ingredients listed except tomatoes, water and garam masala (add this at the end).
Set to high and cook for 4 hours – stirring the curry every hour or so.
After 4 hrs, add tomatoes, garam masala and water. Cook on high for another hour or until the meat is tender.

Chook's note: I often dried-roast the spices before grinding. This is not necessary but I adore the smell of them cooking. 
The original recipe asked for 800g diced tomato but I find this too much and would typically use half that amount or use chopped 3-4 fresh tomatoes. The tomatoes soften the bite of the chili so if you like it hot, taste as you add the tomatoes.
Lots of changes I know but that's what it's all about - adapting to individual taste. If you taste the dish halfway through and think it's too hot please just wait as the tomatoes and long cooking smooth out the taste a bit. In the end the heat in the chili you use will impact final taste. 

If you can't buy goat and lean mutton or lamb will make a very tasty dish but get cuts with the bone in as it makes for a richer dish.

​Broccoli, celeriac and watercress soup

Soups are a marvelous meal and very forgiving if you monkey around with the ingredients.  Try this out for size!

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 med brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small bulb (300g) celeriac, peeled, chopped
1 L stock chicken or vegetable
300g broccoli, cut into small florets
1 1/2 cups watercress sprigs, roughly chopped (see note)
1/3 cup pure cream
Serves 4

Method
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened.
Add celeriac, stock and 1 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the celeriac is tender.
Add broccoli. Cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. Add watercress. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Process mixture until smooth. Add cream and heat through ~ 5 minutes. Season with pepper.
Serve topped with chives and cream.

Chooks note: if celeriac is not available use celery.
I didn’t have watercress so used nasturtium leaves as they have a similar peppery taste. 
Substitute crème fraiche for the cream if you prefer.
Lots of variations work and produce delish soup. Experiment!

Basil-Walnut pesto

The basil was about falling over the edge of the tub and flowers developing so I cut back loads and turned those gloriously vivid green leaves into fragrant pesto.  I didn't have pine nuts so I cracked and used the last of last autumn's walnuts from NE Victoria. Yum! Good excuse to make a return trip, you think?

Ingredients
2 cups packed basil leaves (approx a lg bunch) or use rocket or spinach or a combination
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄2 cup finely chopped walnuts (toasted) or substitute almonds or pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese
juice and zest 1/2 lemon
1⁄2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Method
Place basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest and salt in food processor.
Blend until thoroughly combined.
Add parmesan and blend 5-10 seconds more.
Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.
Serve over pasta with bread and salad.
Serves 6

Chook's note: if you plan to stored it, top with olive oil to slow oxidation. It freezes well. I spoon into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen pop out and bag and store in the freezer.    
Perfect for a simple bruschetta or quick pasta lunch or as a topping for homemade pizza with fetta, tomato and bacon or good ham.

​Peach and Chili chutney

I love the colour combination of the ingredients

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 red onion, sliced
700g (prepared weight) firm peaches (7- 8), peeled and diced
3 thumb-sized red chilies, finely chopped (hot ones) or 6 mild
Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
1 tbsp cumin seed
Seeds from 10 cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
½ bunch basil and a bit of fresh mint - roughly shredded
150g brown sugar
200ml cider vinegar
salt

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins until starting to soften. Add the remaining ingredients (spices first if only to give you that wonderful blast of aroma as the spices cook), increase the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peaches have softened – this will take about 45 mins.
Transfer the chutney to hot jars, seal and leave to cool before eating. Makes about 1 L of chutney.
The chutney can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 1 year. Once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within 4 weeks.

Chock's note: I have kept it longer than 4 weeks in the fridge. It improves with age.
The chutney is not very hot but if you don't like any heat, reduce chilies to 1 or 2 sm.
I'd just give the cumin and cardamon seeds a tiny tap in the pestle to release a wee bit more flavour - but don't crush them as their wholeness is pretty in the jars.