The beef and lamb megathread

Everything you want to tell us about moo moo's and bah bah's!

My friend gave me this lamb recipe that always goes down extremely well.

It's a good take on a roast or for an evening meal with friends or something.

The lamb comes out really tender and it's very easy to do (but takes a long time to cook- start about 3 hours before serving time)

Serves 6 (or less with leftover meat!)

Ingredients

5lb leg of lamb

3 garlic cloves crushed

1tsp lemon rind

1tsp rock salt

1 oz butter

2 tbsp veg oil

juice of a lemon

4 fl oz veg stock

2 white onions chunky chopped

2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

6 oz mushrooms (button ones are nice, and easy!)

rice

Beforehand:

Get lamb out of fridge to bring up to room temp.

OVEN ON gas mark 9 (don't know the conversions sorry, but it's very hot)

Mix the garlic lemon rind, salt and pepper to make a dry rub.

Pierce the lamb all over with a knife and rub the dry rub on. It's normal for it to clump in some places.

Set aside

Get a roasting tin and put in the butter, oil, lemon juice and stock and bring it to the boil on the hob. Put the lamb in.

Put it in the middle of the hot oven for 20 mins.

Then add the onions, parsley and mushrooms around the lamb and

reduce it to gas mark 4.

Cook for another 2 hours, you can baste it after an hour or so.

Take the lamb out and put foil over to rest. Leave the veg on low in the oven.

Cook however much rice you want, then mix it with the veg and juice left in the tin.

Carve and serve!

Has anyone got a make from scratch, tried and tested recipe for chilli con carni without using packet mixes?

Thanks.

Has anyone got a make from scratch, tried and tested recipe for chilli con carni without using packet mixes?

 

Thanks.

This is how I make it, I'm sure others will be along with their own versions. If it reads as if it was written for a complete beginner that'll be because it's one of the recipes I typed up for my son when he first left the nest.

Serves 2

1 medium sized onion

Fresh garlic

250g pack of lean mince

Cayenne pepper

Oregano

Bay leaves

Salt

Tomato puree

Large tin of red kidney beans

Vegetable oil

Chop onion, fry gently until soft but not brown in a small amount of vegetable oil. Add mince and fry gently until brown, chopping with spoon as it cooks. Add a few drops of dark soy sauce and mix in, then add 3-5 cloves of crushed garlic. Drain the kidney beans in a sieve and rinse with water, then add to pan. Top up with enough water to just cover the ingredients, add a generous squeeze of tomato puree, about half a level teaspoon of cayenne pepper ( you might want to start with less) , a dash of salt, generous sprinkling of oregano and 1 or 2 bay leaves. Turn heat to low, put a lid on and simmer for about an hour and a half stirring occasionally. Don’t let it dry out. Taste after about half an hour of cooking and add more spices, herbs, tomato puree etc if needed.

I do my chilli much the same as Lectrolove but I add assorted veg and I also add 1 tsp of sugar and a tablespoon of vinegar, it's surprising how much difference it makes to the flavour. Another tip for if you are using fresh chillies the tip is cooler than the stalk end, and if you want to get rid of the seeds cut across the stalk end then hold the chilli cut end down, between your palms and roll it back and forward. The seeds drop out and you don't end up with chilli all over your hands..

How 'hot' does this make it? My kids like chilli just not spicey chilli!

It doesn't make it any hotter, the reverse if anything but it adds a depth of flavour and particularly with green chillies. It's also a good idea if you are using chunks of beef shin rather than mince as it the vinegar helps break down the fibres in the meat and the sugar takes the edge of the vinegar.