Food / Wine

April 2009 Recipes

By Natoora Natoora
22/04/2009

It is time to get busy cooking! Natoora's April recipes have just arrived!

Zingy seared tuna

 

Serves 4

4 tuna steaks

2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped

2 limes

1-2tsp Ginger

1 whole chilli

Olive oil

Into a bowl mix the garlic, some finely chopped chilli (add more or less to suit your taste), grated ginger and the juice of the limes. Mix together to create the zingy marinade and spread over the tuna steaks. Cover and leave to marinade for around 30 minutes.

Heat the barbeque or griddle pan. Rub the marinated steaks with oil and place onto the grill or pan. Sear the steaks quickly on each side depending on taste (around 2 minutes each side will leave a nice slice of pink in the middle). Remove from the heat and serve on some seasonal spinach or delicious peppery rocket.

Sausage & Pea Broth

Serves 4 to 6

500gr Fresh Peas, podded

4 Fresh Toulouse or Tuscan sausages – sliced into 2cm discs

1 Onion – diced

1 Carrot – diced

10gr Fennel Seeds

20cl White wine

500ml Stock (beef, chicken or vegetable)

1ltr Water

Olive oil, salt & pepper


In a pot heat enough olive oil to cover the base on medium heat and add the carrots, onions and fennel seeds. Cook stirring regularly until the onions become translucent and add the sliced sausage. Continue cooking until on medium heat, stirring, until the sausage begins to colour gently. Now raise the heat and add the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until most of the wine has evaporated.

Add the stock and water bring to a simmer and then lower the heat to minimum. Cook uncovered for about 30min, until the liquid is reduced by at least 1/3; the flavour should be delicate but not watery; if needed continue cooking to reduce further. Season with salt and pepper, add the peas and cook for a further minute or two.

Lamb with Broad Beans & Carrots:

1 “Easy Carve” Leg of Lamb

500gr Carrots – roughly cut

500gr Broad beans

1 Shallot or yellow onion – finely diced

25cl White wine

Olive oil, thyme, salt and freshly ground pepper

Place a large casserole over medium heat and add enough olive oil to cover the base. Add the leg of lamb and sear on all sides to give it a nice golden crust; this should take several minutes. Remove from casserole and set aside. Add the chopped shallot, carrots and thyme along with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper and sauté for anywhere from six to ten minutes stirring regularly, until the vegetable slightly begin to colour along the edges. Now put the lamb back in the casserole, raise the heat and pour in the white whine, scarping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. After about five minutes reduce the heat add the water, cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours. At the end of cooking, add the broad beans and cook uncovered to reduce the sauce to the desired consistency.

Griddled Lamb Chops

Serves 4

8 succulent lamb chops

1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram

1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped finely

Black pepper

1 lemon - juiced

1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Mix together all the herbs, garlic and pepper then press the mixture into both sides of the meat. Place the chops in a greased dish for at least an hour to marinade while you put your feet up.

Get the griddle searing hot while you make the sauce. First strain the lemon juice into a small bowl and then add the dijon mustard. Gradually add the oil, making sure to beat constantly. The sauce should become thicker with more beating. Make sure to taste and season.

Now the griddle is hot, sear the chops until cooked to your taste. As a rough guide, allow 3 minutes each side for pink, and longer for well cooked. Once cooked, sprinkle with salt and serve your lemon sauce on the side. Fantastic served with roasted seasonal vegetables.