meatballs and pasta

method

Meatballs are fantastic! They’re perfect like this, with a one-minute homemade tomato sauce and spaghetti, but you could also try polenta or simple chunks of fresh crust bread. I like to make meatballs with a mixture of beef and pork, as I think it gives a really wonderful flavour and texture.

To make your meatballs
• Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks and finely chop them
• Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands
• Add to a mixing bowl with the mustard, minced meat, chopped rosemary and oregano
• Crack in the egg and add a good pinch of salt and pepper
• With clean hands scrunch and mix up well
• Divide into 4 large balls
• With wet hands, divide each ball into 6 and roll into little meatballs – you should end up with 24
• Drizzle them with olive oil and jiggle them about so they all get coated
• Put them on a plate, cover and place in the fridge until needed

To cook your pasta, meatballs and sauce
• Pick the basil leaves, keeping any smaller ones to one side for later
• Peel and finely chop the onion and the garlic
• Finely slice the chilli
• Put a large pan of salted water on to boil
• Next, heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add 2 lugs of olive oil
• Add your onion to the frying pan and stir for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden
• Then add your garlic and chilli, and as soon as they start to get some colour add the large basil leaves
• Add the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar
• Bring to the boil and season to taste
• Meanwhile, heat another large frying pan and add a lug of olive oil and your meatballs
• Stir them around and cook for 8–10 minutes until golden (check they’re cooked by opening one up – there should be no sign of pink)
• Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the pasta is ready, then remove from the heat
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions

To serve your meatballs
• Saving some of the cooking water, drain the pasta in a colander
• Return the pasta to the pan
• Spoon half the tomato sauce into the pasta, adding a little splash of your reserved water to loosen
• Serve on a large platter, or in separate bowls, with the rest of the sauce and meatballs on top
• Sprinkle over the small basil leaves and some grated Parmesan


• from Jamie's Ministry of Food

ingredients

• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 12 Jacob’s cream crackers
• 2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 500g good-quality minced beef, pork, or a mixture of the two
• 1 heaped tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 large egg, preferably free-range or organic
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• a bunch of fresh basil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ a fresh or dried red chilli
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 400g dried spaghetti or penne
• Parmesan cheese, for grating

chocolate fridge cake with pecan and meringues

method

This chocolate cake is wicked! And even better, you don't need to do any baking.

Break the biscuits into small pieces directly into a large bowl. Add the pecans, pistachio nuts and cherries and mix together. Put the rest of the ingredients into a separate, heatproof bowl and put on a low heat over a pan of simmering water until the butter and chocolate have melted.

Combine the biscuit mix with the chocolate mixture. Line a 30 x 20 cm plastic container with clingfilm, leaving plenty of extra film at the edges to help turn the cake out later. Whack everything into the container, place in the fridge to firm up then turn out and cut into chunky slices.

This cake can be kept in an airtight container for a few days, and it actually improves in flavour!

ingredients

• 200g digestive biscuits
• 110g whole pecans, roughly chopped
• 110g pistachio nuts, peeled
• 10 glace cherries
• 2 ready-made meringue nests, smashed up
• 150g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• 200g dark chocolate

Lamb Basic Cuts

Lamb Cut	Characteristics	Cooking Methods
	The leg of lamb comes from the hind quarter of the lamb. The leg may be a whole leg with sirloin attached, partly boned or a center cut roast. The classic leg of lamb is the most versatile cut as it can be rolled and tied, butterflied, boned, cubed (for kebabs) or prepared whole. The leg, with little surrounding fat and minimal fat inside, can easily be trimmed to you specification. The meat is tender yet firm and is suitable for a variety of cookery. It is economical cut for entertaining and great for leftover. Lamb legs will serve at least six, sometimes more.	Roasting Broiling (cubed meat) Barbecuing
	The loin of lamb comes from the middle, lower section of the rear quarter. The loin is usually divided into loin chops and lamb tenderloin. A lamb loin can be boned, rolled and tied or cut into loin chops. This jewel of the lamb is very tender, and cooking time should be minimal.	Roasting Broiling Pan Frying
	The rack of lamb comes from the front/middle section of the lamb. Rib chops are individual or double chops from the rack. The rack is from the beginning of the lamb saddle through the full eye muscle (one of the premium parts of the lamb suitable for quick cooking to maximize the tender, juicy qualities of this cut). A rack can be frenched (removal of the fat tissue between the bones), capoff (removal of the fat cap) or fully denuded (all fat removed).	Broiling Pan Frying Roasting Grilling
	The shoulder of the lamb, derived from the front quarter, is the most economical cut. It is most suitable for long, slow, moist cooking to tenderize it. Quite often the shoulder is cut into shoulder chops. Lamb stew or ground meat is suitable for casserole or lamb patties, and often comes from the shoulder.	Braising Stewing Pan Frying
	Lamb shanks come from the latter part of the leg and are best roasted or braised to elicit the juices from the bone. Shanks are almost always cooked in liquid, at length, until the meat starts separating from the bone. Although long slow cooking is a must, the twin rewards of flavor and unique taste are more than justified.	Stewing Braising

Beef Cuts

This list is by no means definitive, there are probably even more names out there for the same cuts, but it's a start and will keep you from making the more common mistakes.

Many steak recipes call for marinades and not all steaks can be grilled. In fact, there are very few that can be cooked really successfully in this way. But each cut has its place in a balanced group of beef recipes, so let's take a look at them.

Blade
Sometimes called 'bolar', this steak comes from the neck, shoulder and brisket and is usually braised, but can be pan-fried or grilled after marinating. It would not be most people's first choice.

Chuck
Definitely one for braising, or for making into a casserole, which is when it comes into its own. You will need to trim it carefully. It comes from the shoulder area.

Club Steak
This is the same as wing rib and is for roasting. A superb cut of meat and you will pay accordingly, if you can get hold of some. Most of it goes to hotels and restaurants. It's a relatively small part of the carcass comprising the last two ribs.

Eye Fillet
Also known as the tenderloin, this is usually and justifiably the most expensive cut. There's not very much of it and it's found under the sirloin, or middle back. It's excellent for the barbecue and the broiler. It is also chopped finely and eaten raw, as in Steak Tartare.

Fillet
Sometimes called 'Undercut', this is excellent for the barbecue, grilling or pan frying. Some braising recipes also stipulate it. It's the tail end of the eye fillet.

Flank
This is the unkindest cut of all and comes from the underside of the carcass, just forward of the back legs. It's good for braising and casseroles, but requires extended cooking. It's excellent in slow cookers such as crock-pots.

New York Cut
That's what we Aussies call it, but in fact it's the famous English Porterhouse, the French entrec?te and arguably the tastiest of all the steaks. It requires a little patience to remove the filament of gristle just under the fat, but it's worth the effort. This steak is one of two that makes up the T-bone and is also called the Sirloin Steak.

Rib Steak
It's pretty unusual to come across this cut as a steak. It's usually served as a standing rib roast which is probably the best use for it. The steaks are huge and cut from the back-end of the 'hump'. You would barbecue, pan-fry or grill these, though they could be braised.

Rump
As you would expect, this steak is from the rump of the beast and is good for barbecue, broiler and skillet. It may also be braised.

Scotch fillet
Also call club steak and rib-eye. It comes from the same part of the beast as the rib steaks and can be braised or, after marinating, pan-fried or grilled. Also cooks well on the barbecue, but needs a good marinade.

T-bone
This is really two steaks in one. It has the Porterhouse on one side and the fillet on the other. It can be barbecued, grilled or pan-fried, and responds well to a light marinade.

Topside
In Australia this is called Round Steak and is often used for fish bait. It has another life, however, and is good for braising or making beef olives. It also casseroles reasonably well and makes a good goulash.

From time to time you may come across other minor cuts such as 'crosscut blade' or 'flat bone sirloin'. Generally speaking these are only good for casseroling or dishes where extended cooking is required.