Greek lamb meatballs with roasted vegetables - a real crowd pleaser.

I don't mind admitting, I was a bit dubious about this recipe.

It certainly looked appetising and interesting - and I figured I could tweak it around to our likes and dislikes whilst still being able to feed everyone sufficiently.  However, I had a slight reservation over the lamb mince we had roosting in the freezer.  It wasn't from our local butcher, it was an old purchase from the supermarket - before we ventured into lamb mince from the butcher.  However, it needed using up.

As it was, although the meatballs were a teensy bit paste-like on the inside, the flavours were lovely and I reckon the mince did an okay job.  Of course, the next time I do it with butcher's mince, it'll be lovely and chunky which will make for a much firmer meatball.  Delicious!  Considering the meatballs were really only mince, breadcrumbs, grated onion & mint with egg to bind them, they had an amazing flavour.  This was one of those "less is more" lessons in not cluttering up a recipe!

Where the vegetables were concerned, included in the recipe were courgette (which is fine, although son doesn't like them), cherry tomatoes (again fine, although son doesn't eat those either) and potatoes cut into wedges (which of course hubby hates, but son likes).  So, to give son something to eat, I added sweet potato cut into wedges (which pleased both son & hubby) and butternut squash cubes (again, pleased son & hubby).  Me?  I'll eat the lot!

The end result was a lovely melange of flavours - particularly with the feta crumbled over the top.  Son & heir opted out of the feta cheese, but as he had both potato and sweet potato wedges, plus butternut squash (and the ubiquitous tomato ketchup), I figured he'd be fine.

I served a Tzatziki/Raita yoghurt/cucumber/mint combo alongside, which went very nicely with the meatballs and which took on the job of a sauce, on the occasions when something a bit more moist was required.

I particularly enjoyed the mint flavour through the lamb meatballs, together with the combination of feta with courgette and the tomatoes.  Yummy.  The assembled throng declared this to very definitely be a 10 out of 10 dish, which they'd happily have again.  So that's alright then!

GREEK LAMB TRAY BAKE  (feeds 3)

Ingredients :

50g fresh white breadcrumbs

400g lamb mince

1 egg, beaten

2 onions, halved

large handful of mint, chopped

2 medium potatoes, cut into wedges

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

half a tsp dried oregano

a flat tsp of paprika

2 courgettes, cut into batons

200g butternut squash, peeled and cut into large dice

12 cherry tomatoes, pierced

2 tbsp olive oil

50g feta cheese, crumbled

Method :

1.  Pre-heat oven to 200deg C/180deg fan/gas 6.

2.  Put the breadcrumbs, lamb mince, egg and seasoning into a bowl.  Grate in half of one onion and sprinkle in half the chopped mint.

3.  Give everything a good mix, then shape into meatballs – should make around 12-15.

4.  Place the meatballs into the fridge to cool and firm.

5.  Place both types of wedges into a bowl and add the oregano, paprika, seasoning and a tbsp of oil.  Mix to ensure everything is well coated.

6.  Decant onto a large flat roasting tray and place into the oven for 35-45 minutes, turning once.

7.  Place the meatballs onto another large flat roasting tray and add the courgettes, squash and tomatoes.  Season well and drizzle with olive oil.

8.  Add to the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.

9.  Remove from the oven when done and sprinkle with the feta cheese and remaining mint.  Serve.

.

 

Pirozhki, Sweet Potato Wedges with Red Cabbage & Apple

I had been looking forward to this dinner ever since we'd decided to include it on the Menu list.  Hubby - who was cooking it - was losing faith in it the closer he got to the day.

However, for me, it turned out to be a complete triumph and I would be very happy to see any one of the three recipes he used, trotted out for another go.  I think Hubby would agree that, for him, the Pirozhki's were a bit disappointing as he'd expected the pastry to be lighter and more flaky than it was, plus the filling was a tad on the bland side for him.  Mind you - I had the leftover filling on toast for breakfast this morning after we'd been shopping.  With a teensy bit of Ancona Chilli Sauce, it was gorgeous!  Son loved the Pirozhki's, liked the Sweet Potato Wedges and hated the Cabbage.  That's not altogether surprising though, as son has a marked sensitivity to anything (that's not a pickled onion) that involves vinegar.

I don't think hubby would be too keen on reproducing the three recipes all in one go again - as he needed a lie down in a darkened room by the end of it.  However, he'd be keen enough to make the Pirozhki's again for a buffet supper, the Cabbage dish would be divine with sausages or gammon ham and the Sweet Potato wedges would go with just about anything and were decreed to be streets ahead of a normal potato wedge.  All in all, pretty darned successful.

If you don't find the recipe you're looking for straight away, keep on scrolling down, as all three are in this post.

PIROZHKI (could make from 15-30, depending on how big you make them)

This is an adaptation of one of Silvena Rowe's recipes, taken from her book "Feasts".

Ingredients for sour-cream pastry
225g plain flour
half a tsp salt
half a tsp baking powder
100g butter, chilled and cubed
2 large egg yolks, beaten
125ml sour cream

Ingredients for filling
200g minced cooked chicken (we used the other half of a roast chicken)
your choice of vegetables like onion, celery, swede - whatever you want, but diced finely
or - and this is what we used - some leftover Spicy Red Lentils.
Salt & Pepper.

To make up the filling, saute your vegetables until soft and add any herbs or spices you might want.  Chop the chicken until it is in fine dice, but not a paste, to retain some texture.  Combine the chicken with your vegetables, season to taste and leave to cool.

To make the pastry, place the flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.  Add the butter cubes and, using your fingers, mix it all together rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the beaten egg yolks and sour cream to the pastry a little at a time, working it all together to achieve a smooth and elastic pastry.  Knead for 2-3 minutes then wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 190deg C/375deg F/gas mark 5.

When ready to make the pirozhki, roll out half the dough to abut 3-4mm thick.  Using a pastry cutter or a glass about 8cm (3 inches) in diameter, stamp out as many rounds as you can.

Brush the edges of the pastry rounds with beaten egg yolk, and place a spoonful of filling in the middle of each.  Press the edges gently together to make a half-moon shape.  Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.

Place the pirozhki on a baking sheet, brush the tops with egg yolk and bake for 25 minutes.

SWEET POTATO WEDGES

Ingredients :

Sweet potato, enough for your purposes
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Seasonings of your choice, such as garlic & herb, cajun spices or cumin & coriander.

Method :

Peel the sweet potato and cut into wedge shapes of around 1 cm at their widest part.  Place into a bowl.

Add 2 tbsp or so of oil, sufficient to coat each wedge.

Add your seasonings of choice and thoroughly mix to ensure every wedge has a good coating.

Tip onto a roasting tray and roast at min. 190degC, max 200deg C, for 25-30 mins or until the potato feels tender to the knife tip and the edges appear caramelised.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE WITH APPLES & CARAWAY SEEDS

Recipe is adapted from Orangette blog.

Ingredients :

2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs finely chopped red onion
1 small head red cabbage (about two pounds), quartered, cored, and very thinly sliced
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs honey
1 tsp salt
1/8 to ¼ tsp caraway seeds

Method :

Heat oil in a large, nonreactive saucepan over a medium-low heat.

Add onions and cook until translucent and slightly golden.

Add cabbage, apple, vinegar, honey, salt, and caraway seeds; then cover pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is very soft but not falling apart, about an hour.

Serves roughly 4. Delicious warm, at room temperature, or cold, straight from the fridge.
Oh - and I can verify the "cold, straight from the fridge" thing, as I had the leftovers for my lunch today.  Delicious!