A meaty Christmas
Hello and compliments of the season to all!
Our official Cooksister, Farzana Kumandan, is taking a well-deserved break and has passed the rolling pin to me this week as we countdown to Christmas.
The festive season is in full swing and hopefully by now your tree is up, your favourite Christmas songs are klopping on repeat and your menu is sorted and slaughtered (pardon the pun).
Of course, Christmas is not just about showing off kwaai new clothes and eating ourselves into a food coma, but enjoying a meal around the table with friends and family certainly makes the day extra special.
It’s the time of the year where we all splurge a little on some of our meaty favourites.
Not even Eskom with its stage 5 load shedding will deter me from making all my favourites.
I like sticking to tradition when it comes to Christmas lunch: tongue, gammon, corned beef en leg of lamb as ek posh wil wees, but not alles has to be on the table.
Add a few of your favourite salads and lunch is sorted.
I’ve never been a fan of a Christmas braai, but Eskom might leave some of us with no choice but to light a fire.
There’s something about the smell of “Christmas meat” that I absolutely love. It brings back great childhood memories of tasting stukkies vleis as it comes out of the oven.
It’s a habit that I’ve passed down to my own child as we taste test everything as we go.
Cooking at this time becomes a family affair and everyone is excited to try out a new recipe which they saw on Facebook, TV, in a magazine or even right here in your favourite koerant.
This week’s recipes include some of our favourite Christmas meaty mains, some of which will definitely be featured on my table this year and for many years to come.
Merry Christmas!
Corned Beef
Ingredients
1 piece corned beef (preferably the eye piece)
2 carrots peeled and cut in half
1 large potato peeled and cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper corns
4 all spice
Method
Fill a large pot with cold water and add all your ingredients (water must cover the corned beef).
Once it boils, turn down to a medium heat. Allow it to simmer on a slow boil for three hours.
Be sure to keep topping up the water, ensuring the corned beef is completely submerged in water.
After three hours remove the beef from the water and transfer to a glass dish.
Lightly cover with foil and enjoy (do not refrigerate). Leave it fresh to enjoy on Christmas.
* This recipe can be used for corned tongue too.
Pineapple Gammon Glaze
Ingredients
1 medium smoked or prepared gammon
1 x 825 g can Rhodes Pineapple Rings in Light Syrup, drained, syrup reserved
65 ml (¼ C) maraschino cherries
190 ml (¾ C) brown sugar
2.5 ml (½ t) ground ginger
Method
Remove the skin and fat from the gammon and place in a roasting pan.
Using toothpicks, secure the pineapple rings and maraschino cherries to the gammon and set aside.
Heat 125 ml (½ C) reserved pineapple syrup, sugar and ginger in a small saucepan, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens.
Brush the glaze all over the gammon and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.
Baste again and bake for a further 15 minutes until browned and glossy.
Slow Roast Pork Belly with Pineapple Glaze
Ingredients
Slow roast pork:
1 kg pork belly, rind scored
65 ml (¼ C) salt
45 ml (3 T) olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Pineapple glaze:
125 ml (½ C) brown sugar
80 ml white wine vinegar
2 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick (or 5 ml ground cinnamon)
250 ml (1 C) prepared chicken stock
1 x 227 g can Rhodes Pineapple Crush
Method
Rub the pork belly with the salt and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Rinse off the salt and pat dry with kitchen paper towel.
Place the belly skin down in a roasting tray.
Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the black pepper.
Roast at 200˚C for 30 minutes.
Turn the heat down to 180˚C and roast for a further hour.
Turn the belly over, skin side up, and roast for a further 20 minutes or until the skin is crisp and golden. To make the glaze, bring the brown sugar and the vinegar to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until syrupy.
Add the star anise, cinnamon, chicken stock and pineapple crush. Bring the glaze to the boil again and then simmer over a gentle heat until thickened.
To serve, carve the roasted pork belly and pour some of the pineapple glaze over the meat, serving any extra glaze on the side.
Lamb Chops with Shisa Nyama Spices
Ingredients
3 Tbsp cooking oil or preferred oil
2 Tbsp garlic, minced plus 1 extra Tsp
Zest of one lemon
2 Tsp Hinds Spices Steak and Chops
1 Tsp Hinds Spices Mixed Herbs
2 Tsp Hinds Spices Paprika
Salt and Hinds Spices Black pepper
800g lamb chops, French trimmed (optional)
1 Tbsp butter
1 sachet Bull Brand seasoning in ½ cup water
¼ Tsp Hinds Spices Cayenne Pepper
½ Tsp Hinds Spices Black Pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Method
In a small bowl add oil, garlic, lemon zest, steak and chops spice, mixed herbs, paprika, black pepper and salt. With a spoon mix everything together to make a marinade.
In a flat tray lay the chops flat on a single layer and drizzle over each with the spice and herb marinade.
Rub the marinade to coat both sides every corner of the chops.
Clingwrap or cover the tray and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Once the chops are marinated, you are ready to cook.
Heat sautéing pan over medium high heat.
Once pan is hot, sear the chops on each side for up to two minutes then remove the chops from the pan and set aside to rest.
Turn the heat down to medium low. Add butter and the extra teaspoon of minced garlic to the pan and cook for one minute making sure you don’t burn it.
Next whisk in the brown stock and cayenne pepper. Allow the sauce to slightly thicken about two minutes.
Add chops back into the pan, baste with sauce and continue to cook the chops until they are at your level of preference.
Sprinkle with black pepper and remove chops from pan and place on serving platter.
Garnish with parsley and serve with your favourite sides; pap and relish.
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