Category Archives: Meat

Quick Quiche with Ham, Broccoli, caramelized Onions and Basil

This recipe for a super quick and easy Quiche is one of those recipes you’ll make time and time again. I love a good fool-proof recipe that you can have on the table in 30 minutes or less. Add a salad and voila, dinner is served.
I have made this Quiche with pre rolled ready made Puff pastry, which I consider a freezer/pantry essential. So this really comes together in no-time. You can vary the ingredients according to what you have (leftover) in your fridge too, should you not have ham or Broccoli. Think seafood, meat, poultry, veggies, cold cuts, you name it. In fact it’s a great way to use up your leftovers. But for now, this is one of our favourite combos. Try it, you’ll see why.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Sheet ready made puff pastry
2 cups broccoli florets
4 oz/ 100 gr. cooked ham
4 oz./100 gr. grated cheese
2 medium onions
Some olive oil or butter
2 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper
A handful of fresh Basil
1 cup light cream
4 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

Begin by defrosting your puff pastry if it is frozen.
Pre heat oven to 180C/350F.
Next, peel the onions, slice in half and cut into half rings.
Heat a frying pan to medium heat, add the butter or oil. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, add the honey and cook for a few more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile cut broccoli into florets and steam in microwave for 3 minutes or in a pan of boiling water, make sure to drain very well after so that there is no extra water.
Cut ham into cubes,or slice thinly.
Line a baking tin, about 8×8 inch/ 20×20 cm or 9×9 inch/22x22cm. with parchment paper.
Place the puff pastry in the tin making sure you go up the sides as well.
Divide onions, ham, broccoli and basil (reserve some for decorating) over the crust.
In a bowl beat the eggs with the cream, season generously and pour over the filling. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 -35 minutes or until set when you tap the side of the tin. It should wiggle just a tiny bit in the middle.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!

If you make this recipe please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you. And please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!

Steak au Poivre, Steak in a creamy green peppercorn sauce

7 Replies

Steak au Poivre or, Steak in a creamy green Peppercorn sauce is a classic recipe that is easy to make at home and everyone loves. My version however is alcohol free, making it suitable for all eaters.
You really don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant to eat Steak au Poivre.
The classic version uses cognac for the sauce but I’ve made this non alcoholic version and so far no one has even noticed. The secret ingredient is the Worcestershire sauce, it’s a great addition of flavor if you don’t want to use alcohol or simply don’t have a bottle of cognac or brandy sitting around in the house.
Cooking Steak is a personal thing and most chefs have their own tricks, I like to sear the heck out of mine to get the most caramelized meat flavor and I add the butter half way thru cooking so it doesn’t burn, but we do want that buttery flavor. If you have a cast iron skillet, use it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 x 250 gr/8.8 oz Steaks, about 3cm/1.2 ” thick (I used Rib-eye)
• 1 tbsp. Black peppercorns, crushed or freshly ground coarse black pepper
• Salt
• 3 tbsp. Butter, divided into three
• a little neutral flavored olive oil for rubbing the meat
• 4 tbsp green peppercorns in brine
• 240 ml/1 cup heavy cream
• 60 ml/1/4 cup beef stock
• 7.5 ml/1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• a few dashes of Frank’s hot sauce or Tabasco

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take the Steaks out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, so they can get to room temperature.
Crush the black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar until medium fine.
Pat the steaks dry and rub them all over with a little oil.
Season the steaks on both sides with the pepper and salt just before cooking.
Heat a (cast iron) skillet to piping hot.
Place the Steaks in the pan and don’t move them, after one minute turn them over and sear for one more minute.
Now sear the sides quickly, add one tablespoon of the butter, turn the heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of butter.
After two to three more minutes add the remaining butter, depending on how you want your steak done, add the green peppercorns. Remove the steaks to a (warm)* plate and cover with foil to rest while you finish the sauce.
Add the beef stock to the pan, reduce by half and add the cream, turning heat to low.
Add the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more ground pepper if you like. Place the steaks on a serving platter or individual plates and cover with some of the sauce.
I always serve the steaks with French fries for mopping up the green peppercorn sauce, it’s so delicious.
*The steaks in the photographs were cooked 3 minutes each side.
** Since I always serve steaks with oven fries, I put the plates on top of the oven to warm up a bit. Serve straight away with some vegetables or roasted Broccoli like in the pictures

Enjoy!

Greek Steak Souvlaki with Feta and Cucumber Pomegranate salsa

5 Replies

Now that summer is here I can’t wait to get the Bbq on, and these Steak Souvlaki skewers are perfect for grilling. Tender pieces of Beef are marinated for a few hours with Greek herbs and spices. The marinade is so amazing that you can use it on any kind of meat. The red wine vinegar is a key ingredient as it tenderizes the meat and gives the dish that typical Greek flavour.
The smell when the beef is grilling is insane – you can really smell the oregano and it’s almost as if your in a Greek Tavern, (with a bit of imagination and perhaps a glass of Retsina in your hand). If you ever go to Greece make sure to bring back some Oregano, they sell it dried in bushes and it’s the best you’ll ever find.

Serves: 4 – 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lb / 1 kg beef (steak), thinly sliced
Marinade
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1½ tbsp dried oregano
• a pinch of cinnamon
• a pinch of ground cloves
• a pinch of dry mint
• 1/2 tsp dry chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Cucumber Pomegranate Salsa:
• 1 large beef tomato, de-seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled, de=seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 red spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped
• a pinch of sugar
• salt and pepper
• a drizzle of olive oil
• a little squeeze of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 tsp.dry mint
• 1/2 tsp. dry oregano

To serve:
• 4 – 6 Pitas or baguette
• extra lettuce
• more Feta to crumble on top

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the Marinade ingredients and the beef in a ziplock bag and massage to mix. Marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 6. Remove from marinade and skewer on to wooden or metal pins alternating with pepper and onion pieces.
Salsa
1. Combine ingredients in a bowl.
Cook Beef
1. Heat a griddle pan over high heat.
2. Cook the skewers on high for a few minutes until crispy and brown then turn them over and cook for an other two minutes.
3. Remove and serve straight away. Serve with lots of Pita or Baguette

Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Meatballs in Onion Sauce

6 Replies

Meatballs loaded with onion sauce and finished off under the grill to melt all that cheese to golden perfection. These are the kind of dishes that make me wish winter would last forever.

You can serve these with mashed potatoes, over pasta or even in a bun.

The meatballs in this recipe are medium large intended for dinner, but you could make them a lot smaller and then serve them as an appetizer for a party with little wooden skewers in them.

Serves: 4 – 6

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed or grated
1 egg yolk
2 – 3 tbsp. panko bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsley
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
———————————-
4 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 cups beef stock
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup grated cheese*

*Cheddar , Gouda, Asiago, Fontina, Gruyère, Havarti, Monterey Jack are all great cheeses for melting and grilling, use any one or make a mix.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre heat the oven to 220° C / 425° F
For the meatballs, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. Don’t overmix. Form 8 meatballs.
Put them in a oiled oven dish and place in the middle of the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes. I use a cast iron skillet but a baking dish is fine too.
Meanwhile heat a large frying pan and glaze the onions on medium low heat in the two tablespoons of olive oil, add a pinch of salt. Partially cover and let cook for about 20 minutes. Stirring now and again. After the 20 minutes add one tablespoon of sugar and stir around until in begins to caramelize and gets a deep golden color.
Add the two tablespoons of flour and again stir until this too gets a golden color.
Gently add the beef stock and stir to completely combine. Add the cumin and let simmer for 10 minutes.
When the meatballs are cooked take them out of the oven and carefully pour over all the onion sauce.
Set the oven to grilling.
Cover the meatballs and onions with the grated cheese and place back in to oven. Grill for about 5 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

Enjoy!

Myra XO