I have never used skirt steak before but got curious about it and ventured into an unknown realm. Adriano's butcher had some secreted out the back and was surprised at the request because it is not a popular cut here. It is very flavorful but can be tough. The secret is to let it marinate for a while with a wet rub on it and the steak will tenderize nicely. It also must be grilled hot and fast and mustn't be overcooked. Why the butcher had some out the back if he thought no one would buy it was never revealed. But maybe he buys entire cows at a time and there is a skirt steak in each beast and he can't send it back. That's right - only one skirt steak per cow, but it's big. You would think this would make it rare and expensive but that was not the case. Maybe he was happy to see the back of it. Make up a strong marinade with heaps of flavour and leave it for between four and six hours. Shorter and it will remain too tough but longer and it will break down too far and turn to mush. … [Read more...] about Asian-Style Skirt Steak – Low Fodmap
Beef/lamb
Potted Mince & Cheese Pies
Mince and cheese pies are a classic New Zealand meal. We have dairies, bakeries, supermarkets and cafes all over the country with such pies. We have competitions to see who has the best pie in the nation. Men everywhere stop during their working day for lunch and buy a pie - many women too. One night, Adriano and my sister's husband hatched up a plan to open a New Zealand pie shop in Italy and then franchise it out. The more empty wine bottles that accumulated on the bench, the more elaborate the plan became. It's a shame they didn't follow through. It might have brought about a revolution in the Italians' way of eating. I found this recipe in the same supermarket magazine I mentioned a couple of nights ago. I am trying to lose some weight before going back to Italy to see family at the end of next month so I only ate half a pie but it took enormous willpower to stop eating it. If the truth be told, it was Adriano snatching it away that did the trick. This recipe is not low … [Read more...] about Potted Mince & Cheese Pies
Spicy Sausage & Bean Hot Pot
I didn’t discover chorizo sausages until a few years back and what a difference they have made to my culinary life. But you have to be careful how you use them or the strong, spicy flavour will overwhelm all else. Last night, I watched an episode of Kitchen Rules on TV and was surprised at the lack of basic cooking knowledge the couple displayed. They put a leg of lamb which was already cooked back into the oven to cook a little more and then covered it in foil to rest, which continued cooking it even longer. They also added one of the strongest herbs, tarragon, to a delicate flavoured entree dish and then for dessert made a lemon and lime tart with a passionfruit sauce – all sharp elements, which would have twisted my tongue into an arabesque. Pete hated the dessert but, strangely enough, French Manu liked it and they gave it widely disparate marks. The only other guests who liked it were the two men who love all things French and think the sun shines out of Manu’s .... you know … [Read more...] about Spicy Sausage & Bean Hot Pot
Rack of Lamb – Low Fodmap & Gluten-Free
In New Zealand we have many more sheep than people and lamb is a common meat on our dinner plates and there is nothing more succulent than a sweet rack of lamb. If you cook it properly, there is nothing more delicious. I found the herb crust I used in the latest edition of Dish magazine. Cook this exactly the way I say and you will have success every time with this cut of meat. Serve it with pureed potatoes, a little tomato salad and a nice mint jelly sauce. Rack of Lamb Print Author: Suzanne Perazzini Ingredients 2 x racks of lamb 2 tbsp dijon mustard 1 cup of packed parsley 1 tsp of garlic-infused oil 1 tsp smoked paprika Zest of 1 lemon ⅓ cup slivered almonds ¾ cup fresh gluten-free breadcrumbs 2 tbsp olive oil Salt & pepper Method Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Season the meat. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and brown the racks on both sides. Cool a little. For the crust, put the parsley, paprika and zest in a food processor and … [Read more...] about Rack of Lamb – Low Fodmap & Gluten-Free
Mexican Tortilla Stack
I am still on a wraps track since I have more packs to use but I couldn't do the same thing again or I would get bored with myself. So I flicked around the web a bit and saw the classic Mexican meal of refried beans and mince meat in tortillas with enchilada sauce or something similar. I have made stacks of tortillas before with cheese, ham and tomatoes so why not with the usual Mexican suspects. This is the result. This is not a low Fodmap recipe. Mexican Tortilla Stack Print Author: Suzanne Perazzini Ingredients 1 x 400g can of refried beans 500g mince meat Mexican spices 2 tomatoes 1 cup grated mozzarella 1 cup enchilada sauce 4 whole wheat tortillas Method Preheat oven to 250°F/180°C Fry the mincemeat in a little olive oil. When browned, add some Mexican spice and fry a little then add some water and sprinkle with a little flour to thicken the sauce. Heat the tortillas in a dry hot frying pan on both sides. Heat refried beans in the microwave for 1½ … [Read more...] about Mexican Tortilla Stack
Sliced Meat, Feta, Tomato and Pesto Wraps
At the food and wine show we visited on Sunday we saw a stall which claimed to have wraps that didn't split when rolled. I was intrigued because every kind of wrap I had ever used split if even slightly mishandled, sometimes even when treated with kid gloves. They demonstrated in front of us and showed a myriad of innovative ways to use a wrap and there was not a tear in sight. If we bought three packs - all different flavours - we got an instruction manual full of beautiful pictures to go with them, so buy them we did. Tonight I used the spinach wraps and pulled out everything I could find from the fridge. They all contained either salami, pastrami or pork - Dario buys sliced meats for lunches but never finishes any of them. They all also contained tomatoes, salad, feta or mozzarella, avocado, bean sprouts and a choice of chutney, pesto or mayonnaise. As you can see, our fridge was full of bits and pieces. Now it is much clearer and our tummies are full of all sorts of goodness. Oh, … [Read more...] about Sliced Meat, Feta, Tomato and Pesto Wraps
