My hubby's favourite Lamb Casserole

This is one of the dishes at the top of my hubby's list as far as meals that I make.  I started making it shortly before we got married and I used a Jamie Oliver recipe, but since then it has morphed and I now make it to make use of root vegetables either in excess or getting a bit on the old side.

You'll need either a very large roasting tray, a dutch oven or what I use is a large corningware dish with a lid.

Ingredients:

1kg lamb forequarter chops (you could use any cut of lamb)

3tb olive oil

2tb dried rosemary or 3 stalks of fresh rosemary

1 tsp powdered mixed spice

1/2 cup plain flour

2 large carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

+ a few potatoes if you wish, diced

2tb balsamic vinegar

1 cup dry white wine

2 x 420g cans diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C

De-stem rosemary if using fresh and put it with 1tsp of olive oil, and the mixed spice in the mortar and pestle and mash until rosemary fragance is released into the oil.

Brush oil onto one side of the lamb and dust all sides with flour, set aside.

Chop all vegetables and set aside.

Put oil in bottom of casserole dish/pan and put on the stove, heat oil until sizzles.  Brown lamb well a few pieces at a time and set aside on a plate.

When all the lamb is brown, keep the casserole dish on heat and add balsamic vinegar to the dish - this will caramelise, but stir around the bottom of the pan as it will help dislodge any burnt bits.

Add the veges and stir to ensure all covered with vinegar, and add white wine. Continue stirring until they are soft (about 3-4 mins). 

Add tomatoes and water and then return your lamb back to dish.  Put lid on and put in the oven.

Turn down the heat to 150 degrees and leave for 3 hours.

Serve with rice or mash potato/pumpkin.

The art of a good meatloaf.

It's so 70's isn't it? But I've had some great and not so great ones in my time and experimented quite a bit - so I would call myself somewhat educated on the preparation and taste of a good meatloaf.

Our last week of autumn is here and with that I cannot deny winter will soon be here and comfort food is order of the day(s). I like to make a big meatloaf assuring there's enough to eat for dinner and some more for lunches. Have on a sandwich with tomato sauce/barbeque sauce or home-made relish (yum I have some in the fridge at the moment!) Kids will eat fingers of it for lunch hot or cold.

Yummy Winter Meatloaf

Ingredients:

500grams sausage mince (you can buy this from woollies for $1.99 a roll)

500grams regular beef mince (I have topside)

3 slices grainy bread

1/2 cup milk

couple stalks of fresh chopped parsley

1 egg

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, grated

1 potato, grated

2tb Worcestershire sauce

1tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp curry powder (add more if you like a bit more of a zing, I did about 4 tsp!)

Sauce:

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tb white vinegar

2 tb cream

2 tb butter or margarine

2 tb lemon juice

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 deg c.

Soak the bread in the milk, break it up with a fork when soaked and then mix the rest of ingredients in. Place in greased loaf pan/s (depending how big yours are you may need 2) cover with aluminium foil and bake for 30 mins.

Prepare the sauce by putting all ingredients in saucepan and simmering for about 5 minutes. When the meatloaf comes out the oven, drain any fat and pour on the sauce and return to the oven for another 15 minutes without aluminium foil.

Let sit for another 15 minutes before serving. Slice like bread whilst in the pan is my preferred method!

If you are so inclined:

My mum used to make her meatloaf in the 70's with a hard-boiled egg in the middle... so when you sliced it you got a cross-section of egg too - I don't do that now as I fielded complaints in the house and it's just not worth it, but this recipe works well with that too - just add 3 hard boiled eggs to your mixture. Just put half the mixture in the bottom of the loaf tin, line up your eggs in row along the loaf and then put the rest of the mixture on top.

Mine as you can see filled 1 loaf pan plus 2 large ramekins (for hubby to take for lunch)