recipe: lamb shank terrine, arabian spices, crabapple cinnamon jelly

a joy to make, terrines seem to be a culinary tradition sadly slowly disappearing from our menus.
why? perhaps its just in the too-hard basket, takes too long, maybe its the cult of cook-inna-minute chefs who forgo the value of method skill & training for marketability & how good they look on a tv screen...
whatever
terrines take a little time i guess, but once made there is a real sense of accomplishment. i think its because they look so choice!
i remember the first time i made terrine, working at petit lyon in wellington, my chef kent baddeley brought over a cpl of rabbits & a pheasant which we boned out, holding the fillets & backstraps aside, hand mincing the rest, layering with spring onion & baby carrots threaded thru the layers, three spices (red peppercorns, coriander seed, thyme), wrapped in strips of leek, inside a pastry casing...it was cooked slowly in the terrine, not simply cold pressed as mine is this time.
it's a chef's dish for sure

this week's terrine recipe then:

stage 1: the cooking of:
>lamb/goat shanks/carrot/onion/celery/leek/garlic/bouquet garni/chicken stock: in the crock pot all together, on low, cook all day or overnight, til meat falls from the bone. let it cool, remove the meat gently, leaving the muscles intact where possible. strain the liquid stock & discard the solids.
>yellow split peas/onion/garlic/thyme/a ladle or three of stock from the crock pot: all together in a casserole, cook slowly till the sauce has been absorbed & the peas are firm but not crunchy. i did mine in the oven, lid on the pot, for 1 1/2 hours, but on the flame slowly is good too, adding more liquid as necessary, just try not to stir or it goes mushy. i like the nuttiness of unstirred peas, slightly caramelised, sweet from the onions & garlic.
>remaining stock from crockpot/a cinnamon quill/allspice/a little cayenne pepper/crabapple jelly: in a saucepan, add the spices, a good dollop of port wine/crabapple/quince jelly & reduce the stock to about a cpl of cups worth. at this point it is thick & tacky, concentrated in flavour it will set to a firm jelly in the fridge.

stage 2: the assembly of:
>line yr terrine dish with gladwrap, leaving overhang that can be folded over completely covering the top. i have a terrine dish proper, but a loaf tim, or indeed any container will do, tho long & rectangular is probably best, or else perhaps the small individual timbale type shape is good too. just remember, it will be set in the fridge, turned out & sliced for service. so shape is important.
>combine meat & pea mixture, correcting the seasoning if necessary. layer longways the meat, with a good amount of the pea mixture in between to help bind it all together. i like to lay carrots or garlic chives the length of the terrine too, for the cross section effect, tho this time round i simply layered without getting fancy about it all...
>when terrine dish is full, take some warm liquid reduced stock & pour over the top to cover completely. i use my carving fork to poke in & make space inside the layers for the stock to properly seep in & fill all the empty spaces, moving the dish side to side a little to settle it all evenly. wrap gladwrap flaps over the top & gently press down till stock liquid comes over. i cut out a piece of cardboard next, laying ontop & weighted down with a cpl of containers with water in them, lay the whole thing in the fridge overnight to set.
>next day, remove, turn out, slice. its good to go.

stage 3: the presentation of:
>options include cold/warm/hot. some terrines are good cold, this one i think is improved with a little warming up. dinnerbox convenience would suggest the microwave style zap, tho i like to flash it in a smoking hot cast iron pan with a little olive oil, for about 30 secs each side. remember the jelly setting aspect, which quickly turns to liquid. so speed & gentle handling are crucial here.
>alternatively, crumbed in panko (flour/egg/crumb process - aka pane (+accent over the e, however you do that)) is good too, very good actually.
>regardless, served with a nice crunchy pickle, cornichon or whatever, as in the ploughman's type arrangement, & a sweet/savoury relish, over a nice crisp green lettuce salad is perfect.


extra stage: because i'm making something of a meal out of this dish, i have chosen to accompany some potatoes. (bernadette, this is for you:) this week fondant potatoes:
>easy version, firm flesh potatoes, cut in two. seasoned, in a hot roasting dish with olive oil & thyme, starting off like roast potatoes & get some colour on the cut side. turn them over, half fill roasting dish with hot stock, & into the oven. crisp & crunchy on top, soft & flavoursome underneath. when yr knife slides thru the potato without resistance, they are ready.
(a bundle of beans, a few carrots, just as good an accompaniment...)

happy cooking!

fri28oct2011: lamb shank terrine, arabian spices, crabapple cinnamon jelly

tho still taking shape, this week's dish: a terrine. a terrine of leg meats, lamb maybe goat if my halal butcher has them. there will be a pickle or preserve of some kind & sweet preserving type spices, as well as a lentil or split pea braise through the mix to help it bind.
to serve, the terrine is nice cold, but better warm. you can zap the terrine to warm it through, i know that's easiest, but flashed in a piping hot pan, on a bbq hot plate is perfect, with a little olive oil is muchmuch better. hmm...now my mind is wandering...i dont see why you couldnt dust it with flour or crumb it even...panko crumbs...gremolata, parmessan...
stop now lol
so then, lamb shanks terrine, a green & crunchy salad & some veg on the side, fondant potatoes perhaps..

any questions, fire away, otherwise...
simply let me know how many fridaynightdinnerboxes you'd like
this week its a thursday afternoon deadline
(terrines must be made a day in advance, y'see)
my delivery run is between 3-6pm on friday afternoon
drop-offs to work or home, no problem

txt: 021 2414 020
email: pabloskitchen@yahoo.com (subject: fridaynightdinnerbox)

talk to you soon
-pablo

recipe: saffron prawn jambalaya

as mentioned, this is a dish i love; it combines some of my favouritefavourite things. i generally prepare my ingredients separately, as in i cook the rice separately, mainly for the convenience of being able to throw it together quickly, as is the case in a restaurant kitchen.

it is important to remember that this dish is a jumble of things by definition as well as by name, so that should necessity dictate one ingredient be sub'd for another, what of it? the enjoyment of food is the main ingredient; it's all in the eating.

so then, the recipe:

>onions/garlic/olive oil/butter/thyme/saffron: in an oven dish, with a lid/foil cover, in the oven for 15minutes on 220. the outer onions may caramelise a little, but they are sweet & delicious, a layer strength & depth of flavour happens to the dish as a result.

>spicy sausage, kulen & kobasica i use all the time, chorizo, culatello i used this week/prawn tails: bring the pot roasted onions out & sit on a hi/medium flame, adding the sliced sausage & prawns, thawed if using frozen.

>rice, precooked: i use a rice cooker “one billion chinese people cannot be wrong about rice”  & the rice cooks in chicken stock, a little white wine. this is fine using aborio rice, as with a risotto, but there are lots of options here. this is a lot like a paella, where a short or medium grain rice is used. couscous, bulghur wheat...this week i used a short grain pearly brown rice. anyway, whatever yr using, add it now, stirring it in gently so that it soaks up the flavour in the pan.

>from here its about finishing. with rice, i add a little cream about now, folding it thru. with couscous or bulghur wheat i may use haloumi, coloured in a hot pan with olive oil & cut thru, either way, spring onons & fresh herbs chopped finely, & lastly lemon zest.

>the addition of olives or capers i like, & roast capsicum, when in season, is a must. 

>serve with a green leafy salad, lightly dressed, to bring freshness & crunch.

21oct2011: saffron prawn jambalaya

the evolution of a risotto dish i've loved cooking for years, combining the spice of saffron, the heat khulen sausage, the sweetness of roast capsicum & garlic prawns, brought together by brown rice, served with a green salad.

of note is the sausage, made by salash it is just sensational. serbian khulen made to traditional methods, an art form all but disappearing, i was thrilled to discover their stall at the la cigale markets one sunday morning. these days it is an essential stop on my wanderings round that market, sampling as i go. the salash sausage adds a vibrant meaty zing to an already fabulous combination of ingredients.

sound good? jambalaya is a rice dish, full of flavour, full of substance, perfect from out of the fridaynightdinnerbox style noodle box. txt me or email, let me know how many you'd like. i'll see you friday.

email: pabloskitchen@yahoo.com (subject fridaynightdinnerbox)
txt: 021 2414 020

recipe: chicken cacciatora

"is there a dish more universal & more universally loved than chicken cacciatora?" writes patrica wells in trattoria, going on to say, "today, all i have to say is "chicken cacciatora' & everyone's in a cheery mood."

the very first fridaynightdinnerbox friaug05th was a cacciatora, an italian hunter's stew. it's an old fav; it's a classic. this variation uses chicken in place of the shoulder of mutton i used last time. but its rustic reference implies one pot cooking & saddlebag vegies, a living-off-of-the-land shopping list. i like to think this variation of the dish goes back to those times when chicken hunters roamed the wilds of italian mountainsides. to cook the dish, become the chicken hunter

this dish makes everyone cheery round here too. certain customers would demand it if too long went by without me making chicken cacciatora for them, so it became a regular daily feature.

method is pretty much the same...the recipe:

>onions/garlic/carrot/celery/leek/thyme/bay/cayenne pepper: sweat in a big pot, lid on, low heat til translucent, about 15minutes.
>while onions etc are cooking: chicken/olive oil/salt/rosemary/garlic: separately, combine all & brown off in a large pan. when done, add to the onions
>tomato puree/chopped tomatoes/red wine/chicken stock: in the chicken pan, squirt in some tomato puree & stir it about, add chopped tomatoes & deglaze the pan with the juices, some red wine.
>let it simmer away, til the chicken has cooked thru & the sauce has thickened. if it gets too thick, add some chicken stock.

with the chicken, i buy a whole bird, joint it & roughly cut into smaller pieces, adding to the stew, some with bones & all. with the frame, i make a quick stock which i add to the casserole. sometimes i cook this dish in the crock pot at home, coming home to the smell of tomatoes & wine wafting thru the house , the chicken is plump & succulent

14oct2011: chicken cacciatora

this week a variation on the classic cacciatora, a fridaynightdinnerbox from several weeks ago. such a versatile dish, its great. an italian casserole, tomato as the base, garlic & wine.  finshed with gremolata, parsley & lemon, toasted almonds may find their way there as garnish too.

i'll probably serve it with a bulghur wheat salad, light&fluffy to soak up the sauce, cut thru with fresh herbs & olive oil. simply, a magnificent dish.

if you havent cacciatora'd before, now's your moment. if you have, i expect to hear from you soon.

txt me or email for your order, let me know how many you'd like, i'll see you friday!

txt me: 021 2414 020
email me: pabloskitchen@yahoo.com  (please type 'fridaynightdinnerbox' in subject box)

oh! nearly forgot, i'm thinking its time to introduce the brownie factor. something sweet to follow.

this picture was sent to me by my friend sara, in nederlands, after she cooked chicken cacciatora for her birthday dinner. i love the fact she cooks dinner for her friends & family on her birthday! me too! 

recipe: risotto sforzesco

an exciting dish to cook for me, using some of my favourite ingredients, i also found in this dish the perfect excuse to open a bottle of aged porto calem secofino, for the sauce. i bought the bottle at an auction back in '91; this dish has been a while coming!

the recipe:

>packet of dried porcinis/2 oranges/white wine or sherry/boiling water: remove zest from oranges, set aside. squeeze juice over the mushrooms along with a good dose of something a little more, i used my white port, but a dark sweet sherry is nice & white wine is nice too. top up with a little boiling water & soak the mushrooms for a cpl of hours at least, turning them regularly. once soaked, squeeze them out, reserving the liquid stock & slicing the mushrooms down. sit aside
>olive oil/onion/garlic/streaky bacon/thyme/salt/arborio rice: sweat onions&garlic, seasoned. *this time i added my bacon at this stage, but i found it over-powered the end result. next time i'd cook the meat separately & stir it in at the very end. add the rice & stir it thru the olive oil thoroughly
>chicken stock/mushroom stock: in a separate pot heat the liquids to a simmer. add it by the ladle to the risotto, folding as it absorbs before adding the next
>mushrooms/cream: separately, warm together, fold into risotto. *at this point, next time, i'll add cooked bacon&khulen sausage
>sage/fresh herbs/orange zest: chop finely & fold thru before serving

to fininsh the dish i like to plop on top a good dollop of creme fraiche on top, a twist of the pepper grinder, perhaps a swivel or three of orange zest

a green salad should accompany this dish, crisp & fresh next to the risotto's creamy richness
to drink, for me this time it was monteith's pilsener, which went particularly well. there is, however, a bottle of lochiel estate mangawhai 2007 merlot malbec which was very nearly opened for the occasion.

07oct2011: risotto sforzesco, orange sage porcini risotto

one of the surprise pleasures of this little enterprise is the conversations i'm having with people about food. maybe they've enjoyed a fridaynightdinner box or two already, or there are those who have heard about it & want to find out a little more...
i mean let's face it, who doesnt enjoy tucking into some tasty scran? on a friday night no less?? the week is done, it's time to wash it all away & the fridaynightdinnerbox sounds...kinda perfect :)
well hey, i'd be pretending if i said i'm not stoked everytime i hear that
it is, afterall, kinda the whole point

so this week the dish is a request, the second in three weeks in fact, for the folks at trelise cooper (if i was a dj, i guess that's what you'd call a shout-out). it's vegetarian, but for the meat lovers out there amidst the steadily growing fridaynightdinnerboxer population, fret not: let me know you feel nervous about a meatless meal & i'll sort you out. theres a sausage i get very excited about ;) made by salash, it's traditional, it's pure, it's sensational, & there's little to compare it to, at least in this neck of the woods. my favourite is the khulen, a spicy chorizo style sausage, air dried, sliced & tossed thru, just for you.

the dish then: risotto sforzesco, orange, sage & porcini risotto, combines 'fresh & woodsy flavours, zesty & perky at first bite. fresh sage gives the dish wonderful depth of character', though i'll be dropping in to see my fav produce supplier at la cigale this wednesday afternoon to make sure the sage is up to it; parsley will substitute if need be & that's just fine. a green spring salad will be served along side.

your part is easy: drop me a txt or an email place your order. i'll see you friday.
tel: 021 2414 020
email: pabloskitchen@yahoo.com (sub: fridaynightdinnerbox)

i've recently included an email subscription option on my blog page, & while i have no idea how it works, the hope is that it automatically sends email notification out each week about the dish.
sign up!

recipe: honey&ginger chicken noodles

posting now to come back to...
an afternoon's work lost thru carelessness, & the push of a button