Category Archives: Meat

Zombie Brain Meatloaf

This is such a fun Halloween dinner, I know it’s a bit creepy, but isn’t that the point? Kids love it, especially the lucky one who get’s to stick the knife in the brain.

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s so easy to make, it’s basically just a shaped meatloaf and everyone will love it.

Serves 6 – 8

Needed:

Rectangular Dish, 7 by 5-Inch,

Wilton 12-Inch Featherweight Decorating Bag

Wilton Tip No. 6

INGREDIENTS BRAIN:

2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 C. Panko Bread Crumbs
2 eggs
1 tbsp. Ketchup
2 tsp. prepared Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped very fine
1 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt, Fine
freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

INGREDIENTS BASTING::

2 tbsp. Ketchup
2 tbsp. Conimex Ketjap Manis, (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)

DECORATING:

1/4 C. Ketchup

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine ground beef, and the remaining ingredients for the brain in a medium sized mixing bowl. Using your hand, incorporate everything into the meat. This only takes 30 seconds or so, you do not want to over mix.

Transfer meat into a large baking tray lined with parchment paper, press it down and shape into a brain. With the handle of a spoon go alongside the entire brain to make a ridge in the middle, then make indentations with your fingers tips all over the brain to create an uneven surface.

Mix ketjap manis with ketchup and baste brain with half the basting sauce. Baste again after an hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes

Remove from oven and drain off excess grease. Let stand for 5 minutes, put 1/4 cup of Ketchup in a pastry bag fitted with the No. 6 tip, and pipe the motive (see picture) onto the brain.

Enjoy!

Roasted red bell pepper jam

Pecan Cranberry stuffed Pork Roast

4 Replies

Pecan Cranberry stuffed Pork Roast is the best to feed a crowd.

If you’re on a budget or if you don’t have a lot of people coming over this Christmas, or for whatever reason (still a lot of restrictions in Europe) a roast Pork is a great idea!

This delicious roast pork is stuffed with sausage meat, onions, pecans and cranberries, all of those wonderful Christmas flavors, so you can imagine how thrilled I am about this easy roast. And also, this way you won’t be stuck with a wheelbarrow of leftover turkey, maybe just enough for a sandwich the next day.

You can serve this with mashed potatoes or roast potatoes and lots of different roast vegetables. Or if you want a super quick side dish you could make polenta, which might even be the best choice, with some butter and parmesan.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh sausage meat, half a pound roughly (Casings removed)
1 tsp. dry sage
1/2 tsp. all spice
1 Pork loin, 2 1/2-3 lbs.
a good drizzle of olive oil

For tray and gravy

1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
a few sage leafs
a few sprigs of thyme
one glass of red wine or port
one tablespoon flour
1 cup stock

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fry onion in olive oil over medium heat, add garlic after two minutes and cook gently until golden.
Add dry sage and allspice, give it a stir and remove from the heat, let cool completely.
Cut pork loin open to form a blanket or ask your butcher to do this.
Spread the pork loin out on a cutting board and season generously with salt and pepper, on both sides.
Mix onion-spice mixture with sausage meat, pecans and cranberries. Spread over pork leaving a one inch/2.5cm strip uncovered on the outer end (away from you). Roll up the pork carefully and tie with butcher’s string. If you have difficulty tying, use small pieces of string that fit around once and tie to make a knot. Use 4 to 5 pieces of string, it doesn’t matter as long as it holds together, we will remove the string before serving anyway.
Heat oven to 200 C/400 F
Place pork on a bed of onion, carrots, Celery and herbs. Drizzle with olive oil
Bake for 30 min. Reduce temp to 180 C/350 F and cook for another 45 min. Depending on size or meat. It’s 30 minutes per pound.
For the gravy, remove pork from tray to let rest for 5 to ten minutes, covered lightly with aluminum foil. Remove the strings before serving.
Place tray on the hob on medium heat and scrape the bottom of the pan, add one glass of red wine, or port. Stirring all the time, add a tablespoon of flour and stir it to combine well. Now slowly add chicken or beef stock until desired consistency. Let cook for a few minutes and strain into a sauce boat.
Serve sliced with gravy and your favorite vegetables and potatoes. Enjoy!

Shawarma Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

13 Replies

Sweet and Spicy Shawarma Roasted Red Pepper Pizza, because it’s still weekend and Pizzas are the best.
Homemade pizza dough topped with a simple tomato sauce, two types of cheese, grilled peppers, Shawarma, cherry tomatoes and basil.
This pizza is so good. It’s sweet and a tiny bit spicy and will leave you wanting more.
There really isn’t anything better than home-made Pizza. You could also use store-bought Pizza dough if you’re in a hurry or my one of my LINK

Prep time : 15 min
Cooking time : 10-15 min
Makes : 4

INGREDIENTS DOUGH:

• 500 gr./ 3 1/3 C (type 00) flour
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (optional)
• ¼ tsp onion powder (optional)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 350 -375 ml / 1.5 – 1 3/4 cups warm water

INGREDIENTS TOPPING:

• 1 C. Tomato sauce/marinara sauce
• 1 C. shredded Mozzarella
• 1 C. shredded Gouda cheese
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 whole roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and dried on kitchen paper
• 1 C. cooked Shawarma meat SEE RECIPE BELOW
• 1 tsp. dry chili flakes
• A handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Fresh basil

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE SHAWARMA:

• ½ lb. minced beef or lamb
• A drizzle of oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed or grated
• ½ tsp. Ground coriander
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika powder
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. dry chili flakes
• Salt and pepper

METHOD:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment combine all the dry ingredients and stir to mix, then add the wet. Knead for a few minutes until it comes together. Using your hands, place all the dough on a floured surface, kneading and forming the dough into a ball using some extra flour . Oil a large bowl lightly and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel or cling film and place in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Meanwhile make the Shawarma meat.
Heat a large frying pan and add a drizzle of oil. Once the pan is hot add the meat and garlic and fry for a minute, add the seasoning and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink. About 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 230° C / 450° F , place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one or otherwise the baking sheet.
Gently punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 25cm/10” circle (roughly). Place each circle on a piece of parchment paper.
Spread tomato sauce over each pizza base. Divide cheeses, Shawarma meat, onion, peppers and cherry tomatoes over the pizzas.
Transfer the pizza by lifting the parchment paper onto a large board and slide the pizza into the oven.
Bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is all melted and the crust golden and crispy.
Remove onto a large wooden board. Sprinkle with dried chili flakes and Basil and eat straight away.

Enjoy!

If you make this Shawarma Roasted Red Pepper Pizza be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and if you love it, pin it. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! @thecookingspoonblog or hashtag it #thecookingspoonblog