Braised Lamb Shanks

2 Tbs cumin seeds
3 Tbs coriander seeds
1 tsp sea salt
4 lamb shanks, about 250g each
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled & finely chopped
2 small sticks celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic peeled & sliced
400g tin tomatoes, drained & roughly chopped
200ml dry red wine
200ml port
1 litre beef stock
green beans for serving

Preheat oven to 140C.
Roughly crush the cumin and coriander in a mortar and pestle until fragrant.
Add salt and mix well. Sprinkle over shanks and press to coat.
In a large, deep, heavy-based ovenproof dish, heat the oil over medium heat and brown shanks well. Remove and set aside.
Place the onion, carrot and celery in the same dish and sauté over medium heat until soft.
Add garlic and tomatoes and stir. Pour in wine and port, stir, then add the beef stock.
Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat. Return the shanks to the pan, cover with foil and place in oven for 3 hours,until the meat almost falls off the bone.
Remove from the oven and lift out shanks, set aside and keep warm.
Skim as much fat as you can off the surface of the cooking liquid and return the stove top over medium heat and simmer and reduce to a slightly syrupy consistency.
To serve, divide polenta or mash between 4 plates and place a lamb shank on each plate.
Strain the cooking liquid and spoon over the meat.
Serve with blanched beans sauteed in butter with shallots and a glass of shiraz.

Serves 4

Burmese House

I had the pleasure of dining out at Burmese House last night. It's a lovely family-owned restaurant that serves authentic Burmese cuisine out of the small open kitchen on the ground floor. The prices are a little higher than some but the quality is definitely worth the few extra dollars.

We started with Roti Bread with a Chickpea Dipping Sauce ($7.50) and then shared the Moh Hin Gha ($10.80) which is the national dish of Burma. It is an absolutely delicious fish soup with rice vermicelli noodles, hard-boiled eggs, and lemon juice, fish sauce, chilli and coriander on the side. It was definitely enough to have as a main meal for one but they were happy to bring out two smaller bowls to allow us to share as an entree.

For our mains, we selected Masala Chicken ($16.80), Tamarind Lamb ($16.80) and a serve of steamed rice ($2.80). The lamb was probably the best lamb curry dish that I have tasted in a very long time. The depth of flavour and texture left me wanting more but I'm afraid my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I'll have to wait until lunchtime to enjoy the leftovers.

The chicken was quite different to Thai masala curry as they do not use coconut milk and it is hotter as it is cooked with many whole red chillies even for a medium order.

Burmese House do not use any MSG, animal fat or sugar in their dishes.

Burmese House 303 Bridge Road Richmond VIC 3121 (03) 9421 2861 0438 777 722 burmesehouse@bigpond.com

Mon-Sun 5:30-10:00

BYO Wine Only (fully licenced)

Corkage $3 per person

Chicken Pasta Bake

2 cups dried pasta (shells, penne etc)
¼ cup olive oil
4 (approx 460g) chicken thigh fillets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
3 rashers bacon, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
440g tin tomato soup
1/3 cup sour cream
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cook pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling water with a little oil added until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, slice chicken breasts into long strips then cut into cubes.
Heat oil in a heavy-based pan and cook chicken quickly over high heat until browned, but not cooked through. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
Reheat oil in pan and add onion, carrot and bacon. Stir over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add zucchini and soup. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine pasta, chicken, tomato mixture and sour cream. Season to taste.
Spread into a casserole dish and top with grated cheese.
Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Serve with a tossed garden salad.

Serves: 4

Source: Family Circle Chicken Recipes

NOTE:
This is a bit time consuming because of all the chopping but is definitely worth it. It also reheats well in the microwave if you have leftovers.

Cardamom Scented Lamb with Mashed Sweet Potato

This is a recipe I adapted from Bon Appétit which I first made way back in 2002. I still rate this as one of my favourite dishes. Add some spinach or swiss chard to round out a perfect dish.

Sauce:
1 tbs butter
2 tbs tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 cups dry red wine - Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup beef stock
1 cup low-salt chicken stock
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 tsp coarse-grained mustard
freshly ground black pepper

Lamb:
2 tbs shelled cardamom seeds
2 x 600g frenched racks of lamb, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup (see below)

Sauce:
Melt 1 tbs butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add tomato paste, garlic and thyme; sauté 1 minute.
Add wine and boil until reduced by half, about 8 minutes.
Add both broths; boil until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 25 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Lamb:
Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F).
Toast cardamom seeds in heavy small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Cool. Transfer to spice grinder; grind coarsely.
Rub garlic over lamb and sprinkle with cardamom, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add 1 lamb rack; sear until brown, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer lamb, meat side up, to baking sheet. Repeat with second lamb rack.

Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 51°C (125°F) for medium-rare, about 18 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut lamb between bones into chops.

Bring sauce to simmer. Reduce heat to low. Add butter and mustard; whisk just until butter melts. Season with pepper. Spoon mashed Sweet Potato onto plates. Top with lamb and sauce.
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup
1kg sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pot and mash. Mix in butter, syrup and cardamom. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Bacon and Pumpkin Pesto Pasta

This delicious pasta dish can be made with home-made pesto or a good store bought variety. This is a regular fixture on my meal rotation.

1kg kent pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into 2.5cm pieces
Olive oil spray
Salt & freshly ground pepper
400g dried penne pasta
300g short-cut bacon, thinly sliced
125g (1/2 cup) Basil Pesto
shaved parmesan

Preheat oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Place the pumpkin, in a single layer, on the prepared tray.
Spray with olive oil spray and season with salt & pepper.
Bake in oven for 25mins or until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
Cook the bacon in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring, for 5mins or until crisp and golden.
Add the pesto to the pasta and toss until coated.
Add the pumpkin and bacon and toss until well combined.
Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with parmesan.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4. Prep & cooking time - 30 mins

Source: Australian Good Taste, March 2006. P61

Lamb Shanks in Dijon Mustard Sauce

A hearty dish inspired by Barry Tuckley at the Caulfield RSL, Melbourne.

8 French-cut lamb shanks, (ask the butcher to do it for you)
2 medium onions, roughly cut
3 or 4 sticks of celery, roughly cut
2 leeks, roughly cut
4 or 5 medium carrots, roughly cut
1 litre or so chicken stock
250 mls cream (optional)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Stir fry onions, celery, carrot and leek pieces in the oil over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes.
Add the litre of chicken stock and lamb shanks. Add more chicken stock if shanks are not covered. Bring to the boil and simmer very very slowly for around 3 hours (or until cooked).Leave to cool in stock and refrigerate. This is best done the day before needed.
Next day, remove solidified fat from top of the mixture then gently re-heat.
Drain shanks and vegetables (keeping warm), and pour the liquid into a wide pan.
Bring to the boil, add Dijon-style mustard and reduce by two-thirds. It should be a syrupy sauce.
Remove from heat and whisk in cream and egg yolk. (Do not re-boil once egg is added, it will curdle). Serve shanks on creamy mash potato with vegetables of your choice, and cover in mustard sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serves 4

Wine suggestion: Grenache

NOTE:
Special-K 10Aug03 We made this last night and it was definitely worth the time and effort. Instead of letting the stock cool overnight we took the shanks out after about 2 1/2 hours and placed them in a warm oven covered in foil while we reduced the stock. I thought it might be a bit fatty because we hadn't let the fat solidify so it could be removed but it was delicious! We served it with a nice mound of creamy mash and crispy snow peas.

Garlic & Mustard Lamb Cutlets

My all time favourite lamb cutlet recipe. If only lamb was a bit cheaper I'd have these every week...

80ml / 1/3 cup olive oil
2tbs Dijon mustard
1tbs chopped fresh parsley
2tbs soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, crushed
freshly grounds black pepper
12 frenched lamb cutlets

Place oil, mustard, parsley, soy sauce, garlic and pepper in a medium bowl and which until combined.
Coat cutlets with mustard mixture. Marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
Cook cutlets on a heated oiled griddle, grill or BBQ, until browned on both sides and cooked as desired.

Serves 3-4

Chorizo and Bean Stew

We made this last night and it was so delicious we had seconds and thirds!!

700g salad potatoes (such as chats or Nicola), quartered
60ml / 1/4 cup olive oil
1 red onion, peeled, chopped
500g chorizo sausage, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
400g can butter beans
410g can diced tomatoes
2 fresh bay leaves
150ml beef or chicken stock
4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, salted water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat. Drain.
Heat the oil in the same pan. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until just softened.
Add the chorizo and cook until it starts to turn golden.
Transfer chorizo mixture to a plate and set aside.
Add garlic and chilli to the pan. Cook for a few seconds, then add potatoes, butter beans,tomatoes, bay leaves and chorizo mixture.
Pour in stock, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4

Source: Delicious magazine April 2003. Recipe by Valli Little

Hoisin and Honey Pork Riblets

1kg pork spareribs, halved crosswise, preferably by a butcher, and cut into individual ribs
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

In a kettle of boiling salted water simmer the ribs, covered, for 30 minutes and drain them well. In a large bowl whisk together the honey, the soy sauce, the garlic paste, the hoisin sauce, the mustard, the vinegar, and black pepper to taste, add the ribs, and toss the mixture well, coating the ribs thoroughly. Let the ribs marinate, chilled, for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Remove the ribs from the marinade and place in a roasting tray covered with foil and cook in the oven for about 45 mins.
The sauce seemed thin so I mixed up some cornflour and added it to the pan. I ended up with a nice thick sauce which stuck to the ribs perfectly. I finished them off under the grill which definitely made a difference to their taste - YUM!!

Chilli Con Carne

1 Tbs Olive oil
1kg mince
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
4 tomatoes, chopped
440g tin red kidney beans, drained
425g tin Old El Paso Mexi Beans, undrained
420g tin Campbells Condensed Tomato Soup
2 Old El Paso Chilli Seasoning Mix packs

Heat oil in a large deep frypan or saucepan and fry onion until soft.
Add mince and cook until brown. Add red and green capsicum and tomatoes.
Cook for 5 mins then add beans, soup and seasoning mixes. Simmer for 20-30 mins.
Serve with rice.

NOTE:
16Jun07 Added 3 tsp chilli, substituted 350ml La Gina Premium Italian Pasta Sauce for tomato soup.