Fresh herb meatballs
Serve these with a marinara or spaghetti sauce and over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles if desired.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef;
1 lb ground pork;
½ onion, minced;
½ cup fresh basil, finely minced;
½ cup fresh parsley, finely minced;
1 cup spinach, finely minced;
4 eggs;
½ cup almond meal;
1 tbsp dried oregano;
4 cloves garlic, minced;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
PREPARATION
1 Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2 Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your hands to combine. You can use a food processor to reduce the basil, parsley and spinach to a finer mixture before adding it to the ground meat. Season the mixture to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 Make small balls the size of a golf ball and place them apart on a baking sheet, then place them in the preheated oven to cook for about 25 minutes, until well cooked.
Citrus pork rib roast
Serve these with roasted or steamed vegetables. Alternatively, this roast is also great with apples or pears roasted for about 1 hour at 350 F.
INGREDIENTS
1 pork rib roast, about 4 lbs;
3 cloves garlic;
3 cloves;
Juice and zest of 2 lemons;
Juice and zest of 2 oranges;
10 bay leaves;
4 rosemary sprigs;
1 tbsp fennel seeds, chopped;
½ tbsp Juniper berries, crushed with the side of a knife;
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil;
Cooking fat, melted;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
PREPARATION
1 Make small incisions on the fatty side of the pork roast and insert a garlic clove and a clove in each of them.
2 Combine the olive oil, 2 tablespoons cooking fat, and the juice and zest of the lemons and orang- es in a baking dish together with the bay leaves, rosemary, fennel seeds and Juniper berries.
3 Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and place the roast in the marinade and in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
4 Get the roast out of the refrigerator before cook- ing so it tempers to room temperature.
5 Preheat your oven to 350 F.
6 Scrape the marinade off the roast and brown it all over in a skillet set over a medium heat.
7 Place back the roast in a clean baking dish and roast for about 1 ½ hours, until an instant read thermometer indicates 145 F in the thickest part.
8 Let the roast rest for about 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Crock pot cabbage rolls
INGREDIENTS
12 large cabbage leaves;
1 egg;
¼ cup chicken or beef stock;
¼ cup chopped onion;
1 lb ground beef;
1 cup cauliflower, grated;
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce;
1 tbsp lemon juice;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
PREPARATION
1 Blanch the cabbage leaves by placing them in a pot of boiling salted water for about 2 minutes, until the cabbage leaves start to soften. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
2 Combine together in a bowl the stock, onion, ground beef, cauliflower and egg. Season the mixture to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 Place the soft cabbage leaves on a flat surface and fill each one with 1/12 of the meat mixture near the base of the leaves.
4 Fold the sides of the leaves and roll them on themselves to close up the mixture inside.
5 Prepare the sauce by combining together the tomato sauce with the lemon juice. Season the sauce to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6 Place the stuffed cabbage rolls inside a crock pot and pour the tomato sauce over.
7 Cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours.
Mushroom and Hazelnut chicken
INGREDIENTS
4 boneless chicken breasts;
½ lb mushrooms, your favorite kind, finely chopped;
1 onion, finely chopped;
4 garlic cloves, minced;
¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped;
½ cup chicken stock;
¼ cup homemade or Dijon mustard;
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage;
Cooking fat;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
PREPARATION
1 Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2 Heat some cooking fat in a pan and cook the on- ion with the garlic until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
3 Add the mushrooms and cook on a medium heat until all the moisture has evaporated.
4 Set the cooked onion and mushrooms aside in a bowl.
5 Cut the thickest part of each chicken breast with a sharp knife to form a cavity for the stuffing.
6 Stuff each breast with the mushroom and onion stuffing.
7 Secure the breasts with butcher’s twine.
8 Add some more cooking fat in the pan you used to cook the stuffing and brown the chicken breasts on each side.
9 Place on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until well cooked.
10 Remove from the oven and let rest while you prepare the gravy.
11 In the same pan you used previously, heat up the stock with the mustard and sage, bring to a simmer and let simmer a few minutes to reduce and thicken to the desired consistency.
12 Cut the twine off the chicken breasts and serve topped off with the pan gravy.
Roast leg of lamb with rosemary & garlic
INGREDIENTS
1 leg of lamb, bone-in, about 5 ½ lb;
12 sprigs rosemary, each sprig cut in half;
6 garlic cloves halved lengthwise;
Cooking fat;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
PREPARATION
1 Preheat your oven to 425 F.
2 Refer to the cooking times and temperatures charts to calculate the needed cooking time of the roast depending on its weight and desired doneness.
3 Make 12 incisions on the fatty side of the roast with a sharp knife and insert half a garlic clove and half a rosemary sprig in each incisions.
4 Rub the roast with melted cooking fat of your choice.
5 Place the roast in a roasting pan and roast for a first 15 minutes.
6 Reduce the temperature to 350 F and continue roasting for the remaining of the time, basting with the fat occasionally.
7 When cooked, remove the roast from the oven, place on a cutting board and let rest, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes,.
8 Carve the roast and serve while hot.
Pan-fried Moroccan chicken
INGREDIENTS
1 chilli, seeded and finely chopped;
1 tsp chilli flakes;
2 garlic cloves, minced;
Juice of 1 lemon;
2 tsp ground cinnamon;
3 tsp ground cumin;
4 tbsp raisins (optional);
4 tbsp pine nuts;
1 tbsp olive oil
Cooking fat;
2 lbs chicken fillets, cut into strips;
1 orange, halved and sliced;
4 tbsp fresh mint, chopped;
PREPARATION
1 Combine the olive oil with the chilli flakes, chopped chilli, garlic, lemon juice, cinnamon, cumin, pine nuts and raisins, if using. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pep- per.
2 Coat the chicken strips in the rub and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
3 Heat some cooking fat in a large frying pan and cook the marinated chicken strips on a medium heat for about 2 minutes.
4 Flip the chicken strips over, add the orange slices and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes, until well cooked.
5 Stir in the fresh mint and serve.
Beef, cabbage and mushroom crock pot stew
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes;
1 medium onion, chopped;
6 fresh shitake mushrooms;
3 garlic cloves;
1 can (14 oz.) chopped tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped;
5 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces;
3 cups beef or chicken stock;
1 head cabbage, coarsely chopped;
Cooking fat;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
PREPARATION
1 Season the beef cubes to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
2 Using a pot, brown the meat on all sides in some cooking fat over a medium heat.
3 Set the beef cubes aside, add some cooking fat if needed and cook the onions with the mush- rooms until soft, about 5 minutes.
4 Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the garlic and cook for anoth- er minute or two.
5 Place the cooked onions and mushrooms with the beef in your crock pot with the wine, carrots, stock, tomatoes and season again to taste.
6 Cook on Low for about 6 hours.
7 Add the chopped cabbage and cook for another hour.
8 Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.
Brussel sprout and bacon medley
This is a great side to serve with baked or pan fried fish.
INGREDIENTS
5 slices bacon;
1 onion, chopped;
1 ½ lbs Brussel sprouts;
1 cup chicken stock;
Freshly ground black pepper to taste;
PREPARATION
1 Heat a skillet over a medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 7 minutes on each side.
2 Pat the cooked bacon dry and cut it into ¼-inch pieces.
3 Cook the chopped onion in the rendered fat in the skillet you used for the bacon for about 2 minutes.
4 Add the whole Brussel sprouts, stir well and cook for another 3 minutes, until they start to soften.
5 Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 min- utes, covered.
6 When cooked, drain the liquid and place the Brussel sprouts in a serving dish sprinkled with the cooked bacon.
German pork hocks
In Germany those pork hocks are often served with sauerkraut. Feel free though to enjoy those with any of your favorite sides. Pork hocks are a nice and cheap cut of meat that offers a delicious taste when cooked gently and slowly.
INGREDIENTS
1 leek, cleaned thoroughly and cut into 1-inch pieces;
2 celery stalks, diced;
1 carrot, diced;
1 onion, diced;
2 pork hocks;
Sea salt to taste;
1 tsp whole black peppercorns;
PREPARATION
1 Place the hocks in a large pot with the leeks, cel- ery, onion, carrot and whole peppercorns. Add some sea salt to taste.
2 Fill the pot with water to cover the hocks and vegetables, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.
3 Drain, reserve the liquid and preheat your oven to 425 F.
4 Place the cooked hocks with the vegetables in a baking dish with some of the reserved cooking liquid.
5 Place in the oven to roast for about 30 minutes, basting it from time to time.
Sweet potato chips
Here the baked sweet potato chips are simply served with lime wedges, but feel free to serve them with your favorite dip: salsa, mayonnaise, guacamole, salsa verde, …
INGREDIENTS
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/8- inch thick slices;
1 tbsp cooking fat, melted;
½ tsp sea salt;
1 lime, cut into wedges;
PREPARATION
1 Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2 Coat the sweet potato slices with the melted cooking fat in a bowl and line them on two bak- ing sheets, making sure the slices don’t touch.
3 Bake them in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, turning them once, until the edges are nice and crisp.
4 Remove the sweet potato chips from the oven and sprinkle them immediately with the sea salt.
5 Serve the chips with lime wedges.
