main course Archives » David Herbert

Corned / Salt Beef

Corned beef gets its unique flavour and texture by first soaking in a salt bath and then being gently poached. It’s terribly old fashioned, but this is a very good version.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus soaking time
Cooking time: 3 hours
Serves 6

1.5–2 kg piece corned or salt beef (silverside)
2 onions, peeled and quartered
3 carrots, cut into 5 cm pieces
2 bay leaves
1 stick celery
handful of parsley stalks
6–8 whole black peppercorns
1/2 star anise (optional, but good)

To serve
12 small carrots
12 small potatoes, scrubbed
1 small cabbage, halved, core removed and cut into 4 cm wedges
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
mustard-flavoured mayonnaise (see note below)

Soak the corned beef in a very large saucepan of cold water for 3–4 hours (or up to 12 hours). Drain, return the beef to the saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh cold water.

Add the onion, carrot, bay leaves, celery, parsley stalks, peppercorns and star anise, if using. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 2 1/2 hours. Check every now and then and skim the fat from the surface. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and discard. Leave the beef in the poaching liquid and chill until needed.

3 To serve, strain the poaching liquid into a large saucepan or deep saute pan and bring to the boil. Add the carrots, potatoes and cabbage and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Slice the beef into 1 cm thick pieces and add to the liquid. Simmer until heated through.

4 Transfer the beef to large pasta bowls and surround with the vegetables. Ladle on a little hot poaching liquid and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with a dollop of mustard-flavoured mayonnaise.

Really useful …
To make mustard mayonnaise, stir 1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon lemon juice into 250 ml homemade or good-quality bought mayonnaise. Taste and add extra mustard to suit your taste.

Corned beef is easily reheated. Save some poaching liquid and simmer the beef in the liquid until warmed through. Cook any fresh vegetables in a separate pan of boiling salted water.

June 26, 2013 0

Pork Gyoza

light meal / main course / pork / recipes

I recently spent a day in a Japanese kitchen. Aya, my teacher, made making the gyoza dumpling look effortless; my slow and steady process took twice the time, but still tasted ok. Aya’s mum always salts and rinses the cabbage before using, but we found it worked ok without this step.

Pork Gyoza

150g pork mince
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp Japanese soy sauce
2 tsp sake
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp caster sugar
Pinch of ground white pepper
24 gyoza or gowgee wrappers
2 tsp peanut oil
Japanese soy sauce, to serve

Combine the pork, cabbage, green onion, garlic, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, caster sugar and pepper in a medium bowl. Place a gyoza wrapper on a clean work surface. Spoon a heaped teaspoonful of pork mixture onto the centre of the wrapper. Brush the edge with a little water. Fold over to enclose the filling. Use your fingertips to pleat the edge 4- 5 times. Place on a plate. Repeat with remaining pork mixture and wrappers.
Heat the peanut oil in a large frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Remove from heat. Arrange dumplings over the base of the frying pan. Return to the heat and cook for 2 minutes or until the base of the dumplings are golden. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup water evenly over the gyozas. Cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes or until gyozas are cooked and the water evaporates. Serve with soy sauce. Makes 24

June 26, 2013 0

Spicy Suppers

fish / main course / recipes / vegetarian

Hints of chilli, lime, lemon, garlic, ginger and curry add a punch of flavour to these autumn inspired dishes. Eating healthily never tasted so good!

Vietnamese fish curry

400g skinless white fish fillet, cut into big chunks
handful snow peas
1 large red chilli, finely sliced
2cm piece ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
pinch sugar
200ml chicken or fish stock
2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 halved
about 2 tbsp fish sauce, to season
150g rice vermicelli, cooked following pack instructions
coriander leaves
2 spring onions, sliced

Put the fish cubes with the snow peas, chilli, ginger and garlic in a large saucepan. Add the stock and a pinch of sugar and bring gently to a simmer then add the juice of 1 lime. As soon as the fish turn opaque, stir in the coriander and season with fish sauce. Spoon over bowls of rice noodles and serve extra lime to squeeze over. Serves 2

Spicy chickpeas and couscous

1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups boiling water or stock
3tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
4 spring onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
3 zucchini, sliced
1 long red chilli, sliced
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place the couscous in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water or stock. Add 1tbsp oil and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and stand for 5 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.
Meanwhile, fry the butternut squash, spring onions and garlic in the remaining oil for about 5 minutes, then add the zucchinis and chilli. Continue to fry for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir through the chickpeas, cumin and curry powder. Fold in the couscous and cook, stirring, until heated through. Stir in the parsleys and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Fluff with a fork to help separate the grains. Serves 4

Spiced Tuna with Rice

2tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red capsicum, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
1tbsp korma paste
A pinch dried chilli flakes
250g (1 1/4 cups) basmati rice
250ml (1 cup) hot vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lemon
2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 x 180g tins of tuna in oil

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, capsicum, garlic and ginger, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and dried chilli. Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes, until well coated. Add the stock and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes, or until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.
Stir though the spinach leaves and the tuna as well as its oil, then fluff the rice up with a fork. Serves 4

June 26, 2013 0

Mozzarella and Tomato Pizza

baking club / light meal / main course / recipes / vegetarian

You can make the pizza dough up to 12 hours before you want to make it and let it rise slowly in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook, punch the dough down to get rid of any air, then knead and roll it out into shape. The less topping you add, the crisper the pizza. Make sure the oven has reached the right temperature – the dough needs a blast of heat to set the crust.

Pizza base

350 g strong white bread flour
1 x 7 g sachet (two teaspoons) dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place the flour, yeast, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, add oil and 210ml of just warm water and mix until a firm dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat, using a dough hook for about 7 minutes, then knead for a minute or two.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for 1–11/2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch down the dough to release the air, divide into two or three equal portions and either roll out or stretch to a thickness of about 4 mm.

Mozzarella and tomato pizza

cornmeal or polenta, for sprinkling
1/2 quantity pizza dough
EV olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
250g mozzarella, sliced or torn into pieces
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
rocket or basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 220°C (Gas Mark 7). Lightly oil a metal pizza tray and sprinkle with a little cornmeal. Roll out or stretch the dough to a thickness of 4 mm and place on the tray.
Brush the pizza dough with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped garlic. Scatter the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes over the top and season well. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp. Top with a handful of lightly dressed salad leaves or basil leaves and serve immediately. Makes 1

http://youtu.be/KNbm6e9iej0

June 18, 2013 0

Spicy garlic prawns

light meal / main course / recipes

2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 long fresh red chillies, chopped, seeds removed
1kg large uncooked prawns, unpeeled
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
grated rind 1 lemon
2 tbsp roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
lemon wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the prawns cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the prawns are just cooked through.

Add the lemon juice, lemon rind and parsley to the prawn mixture and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the prawns among serving plates and serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4

June 18, 2013 0

Easy Carrot Soup

light meal / main course / recipes / soup

A simple yet luxurious carrot soup recipe topped with fresh chives that takes just 10 minutes to prepare. Go on, let your hob do all the work tonight…

2tbsp olive oil
600g carrots, chopped or grated
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 1/2l chicken stock
100ml whipping cream
Chives, snipped, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the carrots, onions and celery, and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently Remove the soup from the heat and leave to cool slightly before blending until smooth.

Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Ladle the hot soup into teacups and spoon 1 tbsp whipped cream on each. As the soup heats the cream, it will smooth out on the top. Sprinkle with snipped chives and celery salt. Serves 4

Top tips
The soup can be made up to 2 days in advance. Serve topped with freshly whipped cream.

May 5, 2013 0

Leg of Lamb Recipes

lamb / main course / recipes

A leg of lamb is a perfect for feasting; I especially love the ceremony of presenting and carving a roasted leg of lamb at the table. Many people find carving a leg of lamb a bit daunting, but it need not be. There are no hard and fast rules. To start, turn the meatiest side of the joint upwards (the bone will be on the underside). The first cut should be made across the leg at its thickest part, make a cut downwards to the bone. Remove two slices, about 5mm thick, from the centre of the leg, cutting to the bone. Continue slicing from both sides of the first cut, gradually angling the knife to obtain longer slices. Then carve the underside. To do this, turn the joint over, remove any unwanted fat and carve in long horizontal slices.

Pot roasted leg of lamb

About 1.75kg leg of lamb
olive oil
6 sprigs rosemary
1 lemon, halved
1 whole head garlic, halved
roasted vegetables, to serve

Preheat oven to 170C. Score the lamb and rub with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the rosemary, lemon halves and garlic in the base of a roasting tin or large lidded casserole. Add the lamb on top. Add enough beef stock (or water) to a depth of 1.5cm. Cover with foil or a lid and roast for about 11/2 hours (uncover for the last 20 minutes. Add more liquid if needed.

When cooked, remove from the oven, cover and let it rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes. While it is resting, strain the juices through a sieve, discarding the lemon and garlic. Using a spoon, remove any fat from the top of the liquid and reheat just before serving. Serve the lamb with the strained pan juices. Accompany with roast vegetables. Serves 6

‘French style’ Leg of lamb with potatoes

6-8 large Desiree potatoes, scrubbed
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig rosemary, roughly chopped
30g butter
1 leg of lamb 1.6-2kg
400ml beef or chicken stock
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C. Slice the potatoes thinly (about 4mm). Layer the potatoes, onion and crushed garlic (seasoning as you go) to a depth of about 3-4cm in a lightly oiled roasting tin just large enough to hold the leg of lamb. Scatter with the rosemary and add a couple of knobs of butter.

Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and pour in enough stock to come about 3/4 of the way of the depth of the potatoes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 170C for a further 60 minutes (for medium).

Remove the lamb to a warm place to rest for about ten minutes. While the lamb is resting increase the oven to 200C, then brush the potatoes with a little olive oil and put them back in the oven to crisp up. Serve the lamb with the potatoes and green vegetables. Serves 6-8

Really useful stuff

How pink do you like your leg of lamb?

Everyone has his or her own preference on how well they like their lamb cooked. More and more of us are appreciating the flavour and texture of lamb that is cooked pink rather than grey looking overcooked meat. The timings above will give you lamb cooked to medium, but if you prefer your meat a little more well done, just put it in the oven for a further 20-30 minutes.

To calculate the cooking time, weigh your lamb. Roast in a 200C oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180C and allow 15 minutes for every 500g.

If you are unsure of how well the leg is cooked you can use a meat thermometer (inserted into the thickest part of the leg) to test how hot the meat is inside. As a guideline, temperature for a leg of lamb would be

Rare 45C – 50C

Medium Rare 55C – 60C

Medium 60C – 65C

Well Done 75C – 80C

May 5, 2013 0

Steak with herb butter

beef / main course / recipes / Uncategorized

150g unsalted butter, diced and softened
1 small French shallot (eschallot), finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped capers
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 steaks

Make the flavoured butter by placing the butter, shallot, parsley, chives, capers, mustard, lemon rind, Worcestershire sauce, salt and a good grinding of freshly ground black pepper into a small bowl. Using a fork or wooden spoon, beat the mixture until the ingredients are combined. Slowly add the lemon juice, beating as you go, until combined.

Place on a sheet of non-stick baking paper and then roll and shape the butter into a log about 4cm in diameter, twisting the ends like a cracker. Chill for about 1 hour; store any unused butter in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Place a grill pan or heavy frying pan over a high heat. Cook the steaks in the hot pan until to your liking. Place two 1cm slices of the chilled butter on each steak and pop under a hot grill until starting to melt. Serve immediately. Serves 2

April 16, 2013 0

" To cook the perfect steak I like to use a heavy, ribbed, grill pan, heavy frying pan or barbecue. The pan needs to be placed over a high heat and be almost smoking before the steak is added. Brushing the steak with a little olive oil (rather than brushing the pan) helps prevent smoking. Once the steak has cooked for a minute or two and nicely coloured, reduce the temperature of the pan to finish the cooking. For an average steak of about 2cm thick, for rare cook 2 minutes each side, for medium cook 3 minutes each side and for well done cook for 5-6 minutes each side. It is important to rest the meat before serving. Don’t be afraid of meat that is flecked or marbled with fat; remember fat equals flavour! "

April 16, 2013 0

Spice-rub steak

beef / main course / recipes

Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp each black peppercorns, fennel seeds, dried oregano and cayenne pepper
2 sirloin steaks
Ripe tomatoes, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, grind the lemon rind with the garlic, peppercorns and fennel seeds until well blended. Add the oregano and cayenne and a good pinch of salt and grind together.

Lightly brush the steak with oil and rub the spice mixture on both sides. Set aside to marinate if desired. Cook in a hot pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned with a slight crusty coating. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for a few minutes. Serve with a tomato salad.

April 16, 2013 0

Tagliata with rocket and parmesan

beef / main course / recipes

For an average steak of about 2cm thick, for rare cook 2 minutes each side, for medium cook 3 minutes each side and for well done cook for 5-6 minutes each side. It is important to rest the meat before serving. Don’t be afraid of meat that is flecked or marbled with fat; remember fat equals flavour!

Tagliata with rocket and parmesan

2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large T bone steak or 2 rib eye or sirloin steaks
2 handfuls rocket
Shaved parmesan, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve

Pound the garlic, oil and black pepper in a pestle and mortar (or mash in a bowl with back of fork) to form paste. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Rub garlic paste over both sides of steak. Cover and set aside in a cool place for 30 minutes. Wipe off the garlic paste and brush with a little extra oil. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Cook steak on a barbecue or in a ribbed frying pan over a high heat for about 3 minutes per side (depending on how you like them cooked). Transfer the steak to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.

To serve cut steak on slight angle into 1.5 cm thick slices. Arrange the rocket on a platter, then top with the slices of meat and pour over any juice from the plate.

Serve with shaved parmesan and lemon wedges. Serves 2

April 16, 2013 0

Pumpkin and sausage roast

main course / pork / recipes

This sausage roast comes from my friend Xanthe Clay and is simply a case of putting everything in one roasting tin, popping it in the oven and sitting back to relax. Within the hour you’ll have a tasty, comforting midweek meal.

1kg pumpkin
8 large good quality sausages
2 red capsicums, deseeded and cut into chunks
2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
3 sprigs rosemary
2-3tbsp olive oil

Peel and halve the pumpkin and discard the seeds and fibres. Cut the flesh into 2cm chunks. Put the sausages, capsicums, red onions and butternut in a large roasting tin.Scatter over the rosemary and season with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and stir the sausages and vegetables until coated.

Roast for about 40 minutes, shaking the tin occasionally, until the sausages are cooked through, and the vegetables are tender and browned. Serves 4

April 13, 2013 0

Beef Goulash

beef / main course / recipes / slow cooking

It is the special flavour of paprika that sets aside a proper goulash. Paprika is made by drying and grinding the sweet and hot peppers grown around Hungary. It’s much milder than cayenne pepper and has a characteristic sweetness. Its flavour varies from mild to pretty robust; its main purpose is to add flavour and colour, more than heat. Look for paprika that is labelled ‘noble sweet’.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 11/4 hours
Serves 4

3 tablespoons plain flour
1 kg rump or chuck steak or lean beef, cut into 2 cm cubes
2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
5 allspice berries, crushed
500 ml beef or chicken stock (or 500 ml water and 1 stock cube)
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Tabasco sauce
chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
sour cream, to serve

Place the flour in a clean plastic bag. Shake a few pieces of meat in the bag until lightly dusted. Repeat until all the pieces of meat are coated.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the beef in batches until browned, adding a little extra oil if needed. Be careful not to overcrowd the frying pan, as the meat will then steam rather than sear. Transfer to a large casserole dish or lidded saucepan.

Add a little more oil to the frying pan if necessary and cook the onion over low heat until tender. Add the onion, paprika, bay leaf and allspice to the casserole and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.

Mix the cornflour with 50 ml cold water and add to the casserole with the tomato paste and a dash or two of Tabasco sauce. Bring back to the boil and simmer gently for about 5 minutes or until it thickened slightly. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with sour cream.

tip

Boiled egg noodles dressed with a little butter, chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper make a tasty accompaniment to goulash.

April 9, 2013 0

‘Pulled’ Lamb and ‘Pulled’ Pork

lamb / main course / pork / recipes / slow cooking

These delicious recipes work really well with the cheaper, awkward cuts like shoulder (or hand of pork). The slow cooking leaves you with meltingly tender meat that is then ‘pulled’ off the bone (or shredded) with forks.

‘Pulled’ Shoulder of Lamb (pictured)

2tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp Cumin seed
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
About 1.5-2kg lamb shoulder on the bone

To serve
1/2 cup chopped fresh Flat leaf parsley and fresh mint
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
4 Anchovy fillets chopped
2 tsp Capers
Finely grated zest 1 lemon

Combine the olive oil, spices, 1 tsp sea salt and rosemary.
Trim any excess fat from the lamb and rub the spice mixture into the
meat. Marinate for up to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 140C. Place the lamb in a roasting tray. Put about
1cm boiling water in the bottom of the tray and cover with foil (or a lid).
Roast for about 5 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Check every
hour and top up the water when needed.

Rest the meat then shred or pull the meat off the bone.
Stir the chopped parsley, mint, garlic, anchovy, capers and lemon zest
through the shredded meat and serve immediately. Serves 6

Chinese-style ‘Pulled Pork’

1.5 – 2kg shoulder of pork
125ml (1/2 cup) hoisin sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
2 tbsp runny honey
1/2 tsp ground five spice
1 tsp ground fresh ginger
3 spring onions. sliced

Combine the hoisin, soy sauce, shaoxing honey, five spice and ginger.
Brush the mixture over the shoulder. Marinate for up to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 140C. Place the pork in a roasting tray.
Put about 1cm boiling water in the bottom of the tray and cover with
foil (or a lid). Roast for about 5 hours, or until the meat is very
tender. Check every hour and top up the water when needed.

Rest the meat then shred or pull the meat off the bone.
Stir through the spring onion and serve immediately. Serves 6

April 8, 2013 0

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