Lamb Doner

The first lamb meat in our life was a big disappointment. We didn't know then that we never buy lamb meat from supermarket - in general we don't buy any meat from there. I bought a very nice lamb rib for Christmas, I didn't have to do anything with it, just put in the oven and bake. We were  looking forward to the Christmas dinner so we could taste the first lamb meat. The meat was so old, and it had an intense flavor of tallow, that our Christmas dinner ended up in the bin. Then we said we would never eat lamb again. By now, I,ve learned that lamb meat is good if it has smell of tallow, but when it's done, it has no smell and you can't even taste it. But now for the recipe.

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 500g Lamb Mince, 1tsp Dried Oregano, 1tsp Dried Chilli Flakes, 2pcs Garlic Clove, 1tsp Ground Caraway Seeds, 60g Panko Breadcrumbs, 2pcs Red Onion, 2pcs Tomato, 4tbsp Mayonnaise, 4tbsp Ketchup.2pcs Gem Lettuces, 4pcs Wholemeal Pittas.

First, prepare the dressing and the pickled onions. For the hot sauce, mix ketchup and chilli flakes with 4tbsp of cold water. For the garlic mayonnaise, mix the mayonnaise and 1pcs grated garlic with 4tbsp of cold water and half lime of juice. Season to taste with salt, ground pepper and sugar. Then put all the dressing in the fridge. For the pickled onions, cut one of the red onions into thin slices, then scald them with hot water, then quickly put in cold water. Drain the water from it, mix it with vinegar, salt and sugar to taste, then put it in the fridge.  Wash, dry and cut the lettuce into strips, and cut the tomato into thin wedges. We also put in the fridge until serving. Put the lamb mince in a bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs, caraway seeds, oregano and the rest of the red onion that we grated. Season generously with salt and ground pepper,  then mix thoroughly with your hands. Place the meat patties between two sheet of baking paper and roll out to the thickness of wo fingers. Then place in a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven (180C/fan) for approximately 20 - 30 min. I covered the top with tin - foil and baked it like this for 15 - 20min, then I removed the tin - foil and baked it without foil for the last 10min so that the top browns. After it has been baked, dry with kitchen paper, and after it has cooled, slice it thinly. When ready, you can put the meat and vegetables in the pittas, but you can also put it on top the pittas. 

Salmon Cream

Very simple and divinely delicious creamy dinner. It's even more delicious spread on natural toast or with a toasted butter garlic baguette. we can prepare the salmon ourselves, fried in a pan, but I'm a fan of simplicity and I bought the salmon flakes ready. 

Ingredients: 200g Salmon Flakes, 160g Soured Cream, 2tbsp Nature Soft Cheese, Chive - to taste.

I can actually skip the recipe, because it is so simple that even those who have no cooking skills can prepare it. And really, because you don't have to cook, unless you consider baking a baguette as such. Because we can also buy the baguette with butter in the store, right?  So...Mix the soured cream, lemon zest and finely chopped chives in a bowl, add the salmon flakes, season with salt and ground pepper and mix thoroughly. Put it in the fridge for half an hour before consumption so that the flavors can combine. Baking the baguette is also really simple.  I won't even write the amount, because everyone can add everything according to their taste. Mix the butter at room temperature with the grated garlic and finely chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper. Then spread it on the sliced baguette and bake it in a preheated oven  (180C/ fan )until golden brown.

Cinnamon Palm Leaves

I also made a sweet version of the Chili Bacon Palm Leaf.  It is also very simple and very taste. A little sweetness when we crave some sweetness. Sugary, cinnamony and crunchy snack after the sunday roast.

Ingredients: 1pcs Puff Pastry, 80 - 90g Granulated Sugar, 20g Butter, 2tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1pcs Egg Yolk.

Sprinkle the work surface thoroughly with granulated sugar. I did this by sprinkling a piece of baking paper the size of puff pastry with sugar. spread the puff pastry over it and go over it with a rolling pin. We don't stretch it, we just stroke it carefully. This is necessary so that the sugar sticks to the puff pastry. When it's ready, spread it with melted butter. Mix the granulated sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle it on the buttered puff pastry.  (We press it a little with our hands so that it sticks to the butter. ) Then roll it up equally from the bottom and top, then put it in the fridge for 10 - 15min. After it has cooled down a bit, cut it into 1cm thick pieces and place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush the top with the egg yolk, then bake in a preheated oven ( 200C/ no fan ) for 15 - 18min or until the sugar caramelizes. When it's ready and you take it out of the oven, it's still soft, but after it cools down, it will be crispy.

Soy Fish with Creamy Miso Dressing

A wholesome dinner idea that can be made from any kind of fish, and can even be served without rice. I had a small head of broccoli at home, so I cooked that as well. And because there is never enough vegetables.

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 4pcs Basa Fillet, 160g Blanches Edamame Beans, 100g Green Beans, 1cup Basmati Rice, 2tsp miso Paste, 4tbsp Mayonnaise, 2tbsp rice Vinegar, 2tbsp Soy Sauce, Crispy Onion - to taste.

Cut off the ends of the green beans - we don't need that - cut them in half. Heat a little olive oil in a pan. when hot, add the rice and fry until white, then add the green beans and cover with twice the amount of water. Season with plenty of salt and ground pepper, wait until it boils, then cover and cook at a low temperature for 13 - 15 min. When the rice has absorbed the water, take it off the heat, add the edamame beans and set aside, cover, until serving. Beat the miso paste, mayonnaise, 1tbsp of soy sauce and 1tbsp rice vinegar with 2tbsp of cold water. Season with salt and ground pepper. This creamy miso paste. Mix the remaining soy sauce and remaining rice vinegar with a little olive oil in a bowl. We can add a pinch of salt and ground pepper. Dry the fish fillets with a kitchen paper, lightly salt and pepper them and put them in the marinade. Let it marinate for about 10min. Heat a non - stick pan with 1tbsp of olive oil. If it is hot, put marinated fish in it, making sure to rinse off the marinade thoroughly, and fry for 4 - 6min, or until the fish is golden brown.

Fish Tacos

We love...Actually, we love all this type of food. so far I've always made it with chicken, but fish is also cool. I thought three tacos per person would be enough, but it was so filling that we were full with two tacos. Let me note that we eat very little compared to the average.

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 4pcs Basa Fillets, 320g Carrot & Cabbage Slaw Mix, 4tbsp Chipotle Paste, 4tbsp Cornflour, 1tsp Chilli Flakes, 2tbsp Honey, 2pcs Gem Lettuce, 4tbsp Mayonnaise, 12pcs Plain Tortillas, 2tbsp White Wine Vinegar.

Dry the fish with a kitchen paper, add salt and pepper and grate a lime zest. For the spicy batter, mix the cornflour with 4tbsp of plain flour, the chili and 120ml of cold water in a bowl. Heat a non - stick frying pan with a little olive oil. Meanwhile, roll the fish in a little flour and then in the sicey batter. When the oil is hot, add the fish and fry for 5 - 7 min, or until it becomes a nice golden brown. Put the carrot and cabbage mix in a bowl with the cleaned and cut into strips lettuce, Add the mayonnaise, 1tbsp of vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. ( You can make it sweeter with a little sugar. ) Put the chipotle paste in a bowl with a remaining vinegar and honey, season with salt and ground pepper, add a cube of butter and put it in the microwave for 20 - 30sec, until the butter melts in it. When ready, heat the tortilla in the microwave for a few sec, then fill it with the salad the fish cut into srips, and sprinkle with the honey chipotle sauce. And if we have tomatoes and pickled red onions, it makes our tacos even better.

Chines - Style Rice with Fried Egg

This stuff could be vegan, but I had a piece of chicken breast at home and I addedit, it can no longer be called vegan. And it could be one pan, if I had cooked the egg in the rice, but I fry it separately, so it's not one pan. And that's why it's Chinese because it contains soy sauce and hoisin sauce.

Ingredients (for 4 person): 4pcs Egg, 200g Chicken Breast, 320g Peas, 2pcs Brown Onion, 300g Flat white Mushrooms, 2pcs Garlic Clove, 1tbsp Ginger Paste, 2tsp Hoisin Sauce, 1tbsp Soy Sauce, 1cup (200ml) Basmati Rice.

Heat olive oil in a non - stick pan, add the brown onion cut into strips and chicken breast cut into strips and fry. If it is browned, add the sliced mushrooms together with a knob of butter and fry for another 5 - 6min. When the mushrooms have softened, add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger paste, green peas, and simmer covered at a low temperature for 15 - 20min. Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a pan. When hot, crack eggs, add salt and fry to the desired consistency. End when eating, you can add cream fresh, sour cream or mayonnaise and garlic sauce.

Lamb Meatball Biryani

We don't like Indian flavors because of the intense seasoning, but I added everything to taste and it turned out very delicious. I loved the spicy rice, and the pickled red onion and mint sauce really enhanced the flavors. I think I will keep this rice recipe.

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 500g Lamb Mince, 2tsp Chicken Stock, 1tsp Curry Powder, 4pcs Garlic Cloves, 0,5 tsp Ground Turmeric, 5tbsp Mayonnaise, 2tsp Mint Sauce, 2pcs Red Onion, 100g Spinach, 300ml Basmati Rice.

Mix it up the minced meat with half of the mint sauce and half of the grated garlic, generously seasoned with salt and ground pepper, then from balls the size of walnuts. Heat a little olive oil a non - stick pan, add the meatball, and fry for 5 - 6 min. When cooked, put it on a plate and set aside. In the same pan, in the remaining fat, fry half the red onion, which we cut into small cubes, with a pinch of salt. When it has softened, add the curry, the ground turmeric and the remaining grated garlic and fry for 30sec. Add basmati rice and the chicken stock and fry thoroughly. Put the meat ball back, pour 600ml of water over them, season generously with ground pepper and a pinch of salt, then cover with a lid and simmer at a low temperature until the rice absorb the water. When the rice is ready, add the washed and chopped spinach, we don't cook it any longer here because the spinach will soften from the residual heat. Cut the remaining red onion into thin strips and scald with hot water. Drain and season with salt, sugar and vinegar to taste, then mix thoroughly. Finally, mix to mayonnaise  and mint sauce with the mint sauce, season to taste with salt, ground pepper, sugar, and mix thoroughly.

Cheese Stick

I love that my garden is full of these wildflowers. apart from the fact that it is terribly rocky and nothing grows in it apart from the grass and these flowers, I like it because they are very photogenic flowers. And this is not Jenga here, but a very cheesy, salty crisp, which is a great snack when we are hungry or just have a snack. 

Ingredients: 400 - 500 - 600g Flour, 250g Margarine, 2pcs Egg, 3tbsp Sour Cream, 2tsp Salt, 2tsp Baking Powder, 300g Cheddar Cheese.

I gave the amount of flour that way, because you have to put in as much flour as it takes up. I made it before and it needed 500g of flour, but now it's only 400g. So, knead the ingredients in a bowl with enough flour that it no longer sticks to your hands. Alternatively, you can add plenty of salt, and if you have a saltier cheese on hand, you can also add it together with the cheddar. I had a Greek - type saltier cheese at home, so I added it as well. So, we kneaded everything, then put it in the fridge for 10 - 15min. When the dough has cooled, roll it out on a floured surface to a finger  thickness, brush the top with egg, sprinkle with grated cheese, then cut to desired size. Place in a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven ( 200C / no fan ) for 20min.

Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake

This is a vegan pasta, because sometimes it's good to have a meat - free day. But is way that is not completely meat - free, and if you eat like me, you can fry pancetta, bacon or chorizo on top. And since there was no salad, I made pickled red onion instead of salad.

Ingredients (for 4 person): 2tsp Dijon Mustard, 500g Broccoli, 100g Cheddar Cheese, 2tsp Smoked Paprika, 2pcs Shallot, 100g Soft Cheese, 2tsp Vegetable Stock, 400g Conchiglie Pasta, 

Start cooking the pasta in boiling salted water, then after 4 min add the florets of broccoli. remove the broccoli from the water after cooking for 3 - 4min, and cook the pasta al'dente, then drain and set aside. Cut the shallots into thin slices, while heating 2 - 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the shallot and fry with a pinch of salt for 2 - 3min. When the shallots are browned, add 2tbsp of flour and fry thoroughly. Pour 200ml of water and 500ml of milk, add the vegetable stock, and  soft cheese, smoked paprika, and mustard, and cook for 5min, or until it thickens. Season with salt and ground pepper, and you can also add 100ml of double cream, this will make the sauce creamier. Grease a small oven - proof baking tray with a cube of butter, add the pasta and broccoli, pour over the sauce and mix. Sprinkle the top with half of the grated cheddar cheese - the rest is for the topping, put a little butter on top and bake preheat oven for 10 - 15min until golden brown.

Chorizo and Tomato Tart

I haven't been here in a long time... We ate because I cooked, although not very photogenic food, this is an older recipe of mine, a quick puff pastry. So it looks like everything is back to normal, I'm cooking and taking photos again.

 

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 1pcs Puff Pastry, 200g Diced Chorizo, 1tsp Dried Oregano, 2pcs Garlic Clove, 1tsp Smoked Paprika, 2tbsp Soft Cheese, 2pcs Tomato,

Put the soft cheese in a bowl with grated garlic, smoked paprika and oregano, add 2tbsp of warm water, season with salt and ground pepper, then mix thoroughly. Roll out our puff pastry and divide it into 4 halves, and put it in a baking tray lined with baking paper. With the tip of knife, cut a 1cm border into the edge, taking care not to cut into it, just scratch it, then we prick the inside with a fork. Spread the inside of the border with the mixed cheese, then place the thinly sliced tomatoes on top, and bake in a preheated oven  ( 200C/ fan ) for 10min. After 10min, take it out of the oven, sprinkle the top with chorizo, then put in back in the oven and bake it until it turns a nice brown. I serve pasta, pizza or puff pastry with some kind of green salad, I usually add racket, but now chose this baby leaf salad. I wash the salad, dry it and put it in a bowl, then sprinkle it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, ground pepper and sugar, then toss it by hand.

Pork Steak in a Creamy Mustad and Leek sauce

I'm in a very flowery mood these days, anyone who reads the blog knows why. Another dish with sauce, in the spirit if simplicity and speed.

Ingredients ( for 4 person ): 600gr ( 4 slice ) Pork Loin Steak, 2pcs Leek, 1tbsp Chicken Stock Mix, 100g Soft Cheese, 2tsp Wholegrain Mustard, Chives - to taste.

Wash the meat, dry it with a kitchen paper and pat it lightly, then sprinkle with salt and ground pepper. Heat a non - stick pan - without oil, add the meat and fry each side for 3 - 3min until it becomes nicely browned. When the meat is cooked, take it out of the pan and set aside. Pour a little olive oil into the pan and fry the leeks cut into rings for about 4min. Meanwhile, dissolve the chicken sotc mix in 200ml boiled water and pour it over the leeks. Add the cream cheese and mustard, mix, then return the pre - fried meat and cook for 10min or until the sauce thickens. Finally, sprinkle with chopped chives and plenty of ground pepper. At the end of cooking, add a large cube of butter to the sauce, this will make the sauce creamier and help to thicken it as well.