Jamie Oliver's Lamb Fricassee

I love this dish AND I even stick to the recipe when making it. Shock!

To begin, lots of chopping is needed, but what a perfect way to practice your mindfulness skills while making something delicious for dinner. Once everything’s chopped it’s pretty straightforward cooking for such fabulous rewards.

The fabulous Jamie Oliver does…Spain, Italy,
Morocco, Sweden, Greece and France

  Jamie Oliver writes (or his copy editor does) a lovely introduction to this recipe leaving your mouth watering:

“Many people will find the idea of cooking lettuce in a stew weird, but to be honest, lettuce used to be really commonplace in soups and stews in Britain as well as in Greece. One thing’s for sure, you won’t regret trying this. Halfway through the cooking, the lettuce and dill won’t look their best, but this stage is all about developing bold flavours, richness and making sure the meat melts in your mouth. At the next stage you’ll be doing something to pimp it up so it looks beautiful and slaps you around the face with its flavours: by enriching this fricassee with avgolemono (mixed egg yolks and lemon), and just a touch of Greek yoghurt, you get a thickness and a shine that really bring the flavours together to perfection. Don’t miss giving this one a go.”

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Jamie Oliver’s Lamb Fricassee
From his Jamie Does… cook book

Serves 6 

My own delicious lamb fricassee

Ingredients
olive oil
1.2kb boned leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 4cm pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 bunches of spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 heads of cos or romaine lettuce, washed and finely shredded (I’ve also used iceberg before with good results)
a bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped (stalks and all)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
200ml Greek yoghurt

For the avgolemono sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
juice of 1.5 lemons

Method
Heat a few lugs of olive oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan and add the pieces of lamb. Stir and cook for and 5 to 7 minutes, until the lamb is brown all over – you will need to do this in batches. Once done, that the meat out of the pan and add the onion, garlic and spring onions. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, but not colour, then put the meat back into the pan.

Stir in the shredded lettuce and most of the dill and cook for a few more minutes, stirring constantly, until the lettuce has wilted. Add a few good pinches of salt and pepper and just enough water to cover the stew. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a really low simmer, cover with a lid, and let it tick away for 1.5 to 2 hours. After this time remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the lamb is beautifully cooked and pulls apart easily (nine times out of ten the lamb will be perfect after this time, but it does depend on your size of pot and the age of your lamb). Keep an eye on it as it cooks and add a splash of water if it looks like it’s drying out.

When you’re happy with the consistency, make the avgolemono sauce by whisking together the eggs and lemon juice until combined, then stir in a dessertspoon of Greek yoghurt and a splash of water if need be. The yoghurt isn’t traditional, but it adds a nice creaminess Jamie Oliver loves. Your stew should be happily simmering away, so take it off the heat and very gently stir the avgolemono through it. You don’t want to over-stir or the eggs will begin to set. Pop the lid on and leave for a few minutes.

Have a taste and add another pinch of salt and pepper or a squeeze of lemon juice if it needs it. Sprinkle over your reserved dill, then take the pan straight to the table so that everyone can help themselves. Serve with a tomato salad, the rest of the Greek yoghurt for dolloping over, and crusty bread or mash to mop up that delicious meaty sauce.

Competition & jamming around with preserves

For me there's something therapeutic about cooking seasonal goodies and preserving them in jars. I revel in the process of selecting the tastiest looking fruit or vegetables and then knowing I get to spend several hours in my kitchen concentrating purely on sterilising, chopping, stirring, testing, stirring some more and finally bottling.

Wonderful fresh produce from Brisbane CBD Jan Power's
Farmers Markets. Olives kindly supplied from Liz's Olives
and the meat from my friends at Rangeland Quality Meats.

In our busy, fast paced world I find preserving food is a rare treat in down time. And, of course, it's an awesome skill to have. I'm not the only one who thinks it's a fantastic skill. I've recently come across an incredible project called Dirty Girl Kitchen. The founder, Rebecca Sullivan, is ensuring all those fabulous skills our grandparents had in preserving everything, is not lost.

Another reason I love making jars of goodness, is that they make brilliant presents. These jams pictured my beloved and I gave as gifts at our wedding last year.

Portuguese pumpkin jam

Each guest received either Portuguese pumpkin jam (it's not as scary as it sounds), pear chutney or spiced apple jelly.

You can see the little gifts of preserves on the
wedding tables.

It would be unfair to talk about all this gift giving if I didn't have a couple of scrummy jars of jam and chutney from my recent bottling session aside for a lucky reader. All you need to do is leave a comment below or email me at theselfraisingkitchen@gmail.com and tell me what your favourite childhood treat was; mine was my Nana's baked cheesecake, YUM! I'll pick the winner next Friday, 2 March and you will receive a bottle each of peach jam and pear chutney. 

Peach Jam

by Maggie Beer  

Maggie Beer's peach jam

Ingredients
1 1/2 kg peaches
750g sugar
Peel of one lemon
Juice of two lemons
2 tbsp Amaretto (I used Frangellico)

Chopped up peaches

Method
Cut peaches into chunks, leaving skins on (this adds colour) and take out the stones. Use really ripe fruit for the flavour, but also some less ripe ones as these have a higher level of pectin (which you need to set the jam). Don’t keep the peaches in the fridge, as this also will reduce the pectin levels.

Put the cut peaches into a pot and simmer at a very low heat, adding lemon peel to add the tart taste and also to increase the levels of pectin.

Tie some of the stones in to a clean chux and add the bundle to the peaches continuing to simmer and stir every now and then to prevent burning the bottom of the saucepan. (SRKitchen tip - I just placed some stones directly in with the peaches.)

Once the fruit seems cooked take the stones out -- SRKitchen tip: I used a hand blender at this point so there weren't chunks of skin in the jam -- and stir in the sugar, adding lemon juice to check the flavour.

Cook until the jam begins to thicken. To see if it is ready test by taking a spoonful and put onto a saucer to see if it sets in the fridge. (SRKitchen tip - I place a saucer in the freezer while still cooking the jam. I then test the jam by putting a small amount on the cold saucer and leaving it for a few minutes. When you push the jam with your finger, if you get wrinkles in the jam it is ready for bottling.)

Just before pouring into the jars add Amaretto/Frangellico. Maggie doesn’t sterilise the jars, but you must use clean jars, fill them to the top and then invert them so that the hot jam sits on the lid and so all sides of the jar are ‘sterilised’ by the hot jam. (SRKitchen tip - I do still sterilise them in the oven. Simply place your clean jars and lids in a cold oven, heat it to 120 degrees celsius and leave for about 30 minutes.)

Once you have opened the jar, refrigerate the jam until the pot is finished.


Pear Chutney
by Jenny Disney from the Country Women's Association

Pear chutney bottled

Ingredients
2kg firm pears
2 large brown onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small, fresh hot chilli, chopped, seeds as well
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp salt
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into strips (I grated the ginger)
1 cup sultanas
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
3.5 cups cider vinegar
4 cups brown sugar

Pear chutney ingredients just starting to cook

Method
Peel the pears and chop into small pieces about the size of a sultana and put in saucepan with all the remaining ingredients except the sugar. Heat slowly and stir gently until the pears have begun to soften.

Add sugar to the pan, stir until it has dissolved and continue cooking until chutney is dark, glossy brown and thick (20 - 35 minutes).

Sugar's been added, almost ready for bottling

Put chutney into hot sterilised jars and seal.

Wait at least 3 weeks before using so the flavours can mature.

Store in a cool, dark cupboard. keeps for at least 12 months.
_____________________

SRKitchen Tip
To get your jam or chutney into the bottles, chop the bottom off a funnel so chunks can get through.

My very cheap, chopped up funnel
for preserve making

Tweet me @SRKitchen
Friend me @ www.facebook.com/TSRKitchen

Christmas hampers - vanillekipferl and ras el hanout

I hope these last few days have been wonderful for you with plenty of decadent Christmas treats and cheer shared with family and loved ones. I have had an exceptional time preparing the house for the arrival of my (soon to be) in-laws, baking cookies and cupcakes, making spice mixers and pickled onions, and cooking meals to ensure it was a festive occasion. And boy are my feet tired! But, I've had a ball.

I was originally going to put a blog post about what was in my hampers before Christmas, but, between all of the above - and slotting in a little drinking and gossip time with loved ones - I completely ran out of time. However, I hope these will still give you some great gift ideas for other special events throughout the year.

Small gift boxes with cupcakes and
vanillekipferl (vanilla crescents)

Vanillekipferl (German for vanilla crescents)
This recipe was courtesy of a friend of mine, Sian.

My very own vanillekipferl cookies coated
with icing sugar and vanilla bean powder

Ingredients
150g unsalted butter
210g flour
80g ground hazelnuts or almonds (I used almonds)
80g icing sugar
1 egg
60g icing sugar and 3 tablespoons *vanilla sugar (or to taste) to coat the biscuits once cooked

*I bought vanilla bean powder from the cake decoration and baking section of a supermarket. You can also buy vanilla sugar from the spice/herbs section.

Method
Preheat oven to 160 degree celsius.

Sieve the flour into a heap on a pastry board or into a large bowl.

Cut the cold butter into small pieces and mix with the flour. Add icing sugar, ground almonds or hazelnuts and the egg.

Rinse hands with cold water and knead the mixture into a dough. Chill for half an hour in the fridge.

Form thumb think rolls from the dough, cut into 1cm wide pieces, roll and form crescents.

Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until very light gold in colour.

Turn the crescents in a mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar while still hot as it will help the sugar stick to the biscuit.

Inside the Christmas hampers:
vanillekipferl, spiced cookies, pickled
onions, ras el hanout and choc chip cookies

Ras el hanout
This is a wonderful recipe from a little taste of morocco. I love this spice mix because not only can it be used in tagine recipes, you can simply use it on its own sprinkled over chicken, lamb or fish with some olive oil before cooking the meat how you like - roasted, fried or barbecued. You can also buy this pre-mixed from some supermarkets and most delis.

Ingredients
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cardamom
3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground coriander
2 nutmegs, freshly grated (or 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg)

Method
Combine all spices together and store in a tightly sealed jar.

A Christmas hamper wrapped
and ready to go

Gift boxes and cellophane bags

I have spent the last few days frantically trying to find cellophane bags to put biscuits in for my family Christmas hampers. Of course, many people would organise this earlier...but not me. And who would have thought they were so difficult to find?

I searched online, went to Spotlight (which is always a daunting experience for me), checked out those cheap shops, grocery stores and asked everyone I knew. Then yesterday, a friend steered me towards Reward Distribution, located in East Brisbane, and across many locations in Australia. I thought I'd died and gone to cooking heaven. This place is a cook's paradise with every possible cooking tool, utensil, machine, glassware, bakeware, china - need I go on - item you could imagine.

But did they have cellophane bags...that would be a no!

However, the lovely lady at the counter told me about an outlet store they have in the Valley. So today, after a friend of mine tried to give me a minor coronary by going for a run, I went to the outlet store, and low and behold, they had cellophane bags...EUREKA!

Finally, my cellophane bags
AND boxes for cupcakes.

My Christmas baking now begins.

It begins

Well the time has come for me to stop talking about it and to finally do it...start my blog!

I may not became the next Julie Powell, but hey, I'm going to have some fun cooking food, writing about food, and most importantly eating food.

I would like to add a disclaimer to the overall production value of The Self-Raising Kitchen blog from the outset; and hope those of you who decide to follow me - and I hope a few of you will - can excuse an element of my un-exceptional talent. That is, I take shocking photos. So, if anyone has any tips out there, I'm open to suggestions.

As we are well and truly in the crazy festive season, I thought it would be appropriate to begin this little project of mine with an entry on my gift ideas for friends and family. You may be surprised to find out it is based on food.

Yes, I decided the Australian economy was not going to be boosted by my minimum wage from tutoring university students, so I'm putting my pennies and my cooking skills to work and making curry pastes, powders and biscuits for my loved ones this year.  

Now the only thing to be aware of when choosing this gift-giving avenue is to give yourself time the day before you meet your friends or family members to actually MAKE the gift. An important element, I'm sure you would agree!

Rick Stein's Thai Green Curry Paste

Christmas gifts for friends
Rick Stein's tasty Thai green curry paste

The recipe for this paste came from one of my favourite chef's Rick Stein. I love him! His latest book Far Eastern Odyssey is absolutely brilliant with easy to make recipes, if you give yourself the time to prepare for them.

The Paste
5 fat lemongrass stalks, core chopped
15g peeled galangal or ginger, chopped (unfortunately I did have to use ginger for mine as I couldn't find galangal at the time. But it is certainly worth using galangal if you can find it)
2 medium-hot green chillies, chopped (shhhh, I forgot it was a green curry and bought red chillies instead)
2 kaffir lime eaves, roughly chopped
10 black peppercorns, crushed (just use a mortar and pestle)
50g garlic, roughly chopped
100g shallots, roughly chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste

Put all your ingredients into a food processor with about 3 tablespoons of water and a bit of salt and grind into a delicious and fragrant paste. This will keep well in the fridge for a week - hence way making it the day before or day of meeting up with friends or family will help - but can be frozen to last longer.

Thai Green Curry
(This may be blindingly obvious, but this part needs to be given with the paste)
Now with this part I changed the recipe slightly. Rick has a recipe for a stir-fried green chicken curry, which is a dryer dish. As my beloved absolutely loves the traditional Thai green curry, I thought I better adapt the recipe to his liking (i.e. I added a tin of coconut milk instead of the suggested 100ml).

1 quantity of the curry paste (as above)
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
350g chicken (I've generally increased this to about 500g and used either thigh or breast cut into strips)
1 tbsb fish sauce
2 tsp palm sugar (can substitute with brown sugar, but the palm sugar offers a far richer flavour)
2 kaffir lime leaves (if can't find use thick slices of lime rind as a substitute)
1 medium-hot red chilli thinly sliced (if you don't like hot food, leave it out. The dish still tastes great)
Include any two or three vegetables like aubergine (eggplant), baby corn, beans, bamboo shoots or carrot.
2 tsp lime juice
Large handful of Thai holy basil leaves (if you can't find I have just left this ingredient out, unfortunately).

Heat oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add the curry past and fry gently for two minutes until it starts to smell fragrant. Add three tablespoons of the coconut milk and the chicken pieces and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the fish sauce and sugar and bring to a simmer.

Add your chosen vegetables, kaffir lime leaves, sliced red chillies (if including) and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Stir in the lime juice and basil before serving.

ENJOY!!!