Warm, Winter Comfort Food Recipes

Comforting, Filling Recipe: Stolen Lamb,Stew and Casserole Dishes

Nov 2, 2009

Warm, Winter Family Recipes, singleinthekitchen

Three recipes bound to make any family come in from the cold. Easy to make, delicious and filling traditional winter meals from around the world.

These winter recipes are fairly uncomplicated and easy to make. The only real requirement is to have good quality cookware, as most of the recipes call for heavy based pots or casserole dishes, where food can cook for a long time in the oven without sticking or drying out.

Beef and Beer Casserole

This winter warmer is bound to be a hit family and friends. It is quick and easy to make and will cook itself. Serve with some cooked vegetables and some crusty French bread.

Ingredients:

1.5kg (3 pounds) cubed beef
Seasoned flour for the meat (1/2 cup, approximately)
2 tablespoons butter
6 potatoes peeled and sliced
2 onions sliced
2 or 3 carrots, diced
2 cans of beer
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
Pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Method:

Toss meat in the flour to coat evenly.
In a hot pan heat some oil, add the butter and brown the meat on all sides. Do not overcook.
Layer a casserole dish with potatoes, then onions, meat, carrots.
Add all of the liquid ingredients, the bay leaves and pepper.
Place uncovered in a moderate oven (180 Celsius) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Check on it after about 1 1/2 hours and if the carrots are beginning to brown, give it a stir and return casserole to the oven.
Serve with cooked vegetables and crusty French bread.

Tomato Bredie

A bredie is a rich, meaty stew with a slight sweetness. The dish is made mostly with tomatoes and lamb. Although tinned tomatoes are called for in this recipe, fresh tomatoes can be substituted if preferred.

Ingredients:

2 large onions halved and thinly sliced
1 kg lamb or mutton knuckles
2 tins peeled chopped tomatoes with juice (or 750g fresh tomatoes)
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 large dry red chili, crushed (optional)
50ml tomato paste
4 medium potatoes quartered
2 tablespoons sugar
Oil

Method:

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil on a medium heat in a large pot and cook the onions until they start to brown on the edges.
Add the knuckles, stir them around for a while and then place the lid on and cook for 40 minutes stirring every 5 minutes or so. The meat should be browned and pretty much cooked.
Add the tomatoes and crush any large pieces (you can also crush up the tomatoes or even puree them slightly before adding). Add chili, tomato paste, garlic and salt, stir and let it simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Add the potatoes and simmer for a further 20 minutes until they are tender.
Lastly add the sugar, stir and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with rice or mashed potatoes

Stolen Lamb (Kleftiko – A Greek recipe)

This recipe gets its name from the time a thief in Greece would steal a lamb from a flock of sheep and cook it in the earth, sealed with mud so that no escaping steam would betray his deed. There the lamb would cook slowly until it was soft enough to melt on the tongue.

The principle is the same today, allow the lamb to cook slowly until tender.

Ingredients:

1 boned shoulder of lamb (about 1.5kg - 3 pounds)
150ml extra virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, cut into slivers
3 tbsp roughly chopped oregano or rosemary
Juice of 1 large lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to high.
Heat 50ml of the oil in a large, heavy based pan over a medium heat and brown the lamb on all sides.
Cut 3 pieces of baking parchment, each about 1 metre long. Place one on top of the other, fold all in half width ways and crease down the centre, then open up. Lay the paper in a roasting tray, with one half on the base of the tray and the other half hanging over the edge.
Place the lamb on the paper. Slit the lamb with the tip of a sharp knife and push in the garlic slivers, sprinkle the herbs, the lemon juice and the remaining olive oil over it and season. Bring the second half of the paper over the meat and fold over the edges to seal the lamb inside.
Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C, gas mark 4 (moderate heat) and roast for a further 40 minutes per kilo of meat.
Remove from the oven. Cut the parcel open, carve the lamb and serve with its juices. Serve with roast potatoes and cooked vegetables.

Winter can be a time of great family fun, and many would agree that there is nothing better than coming in from the freezing outdoor cold to an aromatic and filling winter meal.