The TTLG Official Cookbook, 2nd Ed. - by Mr.Duck
faetal on 23/10/2015 at 10:14
Here is my traditional family recipe Irish stew - passed down through over 5 generations:
You need:
2 lamb shanks (can also use lamb neck or casserole lamb if you're feeling mean, but I found shanks work best - warning, some butchers don't do shanks, just legs - don't buy 2 legs. I'm told mutton is better than lamb, but since I've never tried it, I can't confirm)
Potatoes
Carrots
Beef or chicken stock (beef is richer, could use veg stock in theory)
Onions (number depends on the amount you're making same goes for spuds - I go with 2 large potatoes, 1 carrot and 1 small onion or half large onion per shank)
Fresh parsley
Cornflour (optional)
Worcestershire sauce (also optional)
Black pepper (cracked works better than fine powder, freshly ground is best)
Salt to taste
Brown the shanks or other lamb in a pan, add to your large pot / slow cooker with the bones left in if you're using shanks - add 500 ml per shank or 300g of meat (vary depending on the size of pot you're using) of stock, a large chopped onion, 4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed (smaller cubes are better as they disintegrate a bit and thicken it), plus sliced carrots, pepper, salt and cook for as long as possible, slowly (I used to do mine overnight on the slowest setting of my slow cooker). Once the whole thing is looking suitably stew-like, remove the shank meat from the bone (or, if you're not using bone-in meat, don't) and add the meat back in, do what you like with the bones - perhaps make some sinister jewellery. Then give it a taste and add pepper / salt / worcestershire sauce if you feel it could use it. If it is too thin and soup-like, mix a tablespoon of cornflour with about 10-20 ml of the liquid from the stew in the bottom of a cup or jug, then add it in and stir well for about 10 minutes, repeat if it needs to be thicker (as you prefer). Once the whole thing feels like it really is ready to eat, bowl it out, garnish with some chopped fresh parsley and prepare to feel amazing at the end of a cold day. If you use the right amount of potatoes, you shouldn't really need the cornflour as they should disintegrate and add a nice starchy thickness to it.
You can pair this with potato bread:
Boil and mash any amount of potato (use less than you think you need, as the volume is always more than you think there will be at the end), add butter, salt and pepper to taste, then slowly sift in plain flour while mixing until it reaches a dough-like consistency such that can be rolled out like pastry. Some people like to minimise the amount of flour to keep it potatoey, others like the doughiness and add plenty of flour. Roll out, cut into the desired shapes (I just cut cone shapes like pizza) and then fry on a hot pan with butter.
That's lovely.
icemann on 23/10/2015 at 13:00
I'm quite a terrible cook, but here is two quick easy meals I know how to do:
Quick Garlic Bread -
Requires:
* Bread
* Butter/Margarine
* Garlic Powder
* Gladwrap
Instructions:
1. Get bread ready / if frozen heat it up.
2. Spread butter/margarine on bread
3. Use plenty of garlic powder
4. Place bread into a single pile
5. Wrap bread pile in the glad wrap.
6. Place in microwave
7. Cook for no more than a minute (as you don't want the plastic melting onto the bread).
8. Enjoy :)
Chippy Dog -
Requires:
* Bread Roll
* Butter/Margarine
* Frozen chips
* Mayonnaise/Any sauce you like (Optional)
* Salt
Instructions:
1. Cook frozen chips
2. Salt the chips, once their done
3. Get roll ready by spreading butter on the inside
4. Place cooked chips inside roll
5. Place your choice of sauce on top (optional)
6. Enjoy :).
YcatX on 23/10/2015 at 18:59
Mr.Duck, you are such a foodie! ;D
Mr.Duck on 25/10/2015 at 21:56
:cool:
Food is love.
And I love food.
Therefore, I am love.
:cool:
Thank you, guys. Please keep the recipes coming!
@bob_doe_nz - Upload more of yournom food pics! :D
SlyFoxx on 26/10/2015 at 14:35
Quick tip.
You know how you use stale bread for chicken or turkey stuffing?
Those big bags of croutons you get from Sam's Club or the like...makes for great instant stale bread that already seasoned. I add celery, onion, poultry seasoning, giblet stock, butter, salt and pepper. Makes for an easy stuffing. Of course you can add all manner of other yummy stuff.
Mr.Duck on 27/10/2015 at 01:53
I gotta try that!
:o
Thanks!
bob_doe_nz on 27/10/2015 at 05:10
Quote Posted by MrDuck
@bob_doe_nz - Upload more of yournom food pics! :D
Just attended a nerd convention and went back to work. It's going to be a week till I get back in the mood.
heywood on 27/10/2015 at 09:16
I made PigLick's chicken for tacos over the weekend and it was good. Went light on the cinammon and added a little lime zest at the end but otherwise followed the recipe.
I'm definitely going to try faetal's stew. I love making braised lamb shanks in the winter, but I've never done them into a stew.
faetal on 27/10/2015 at 09:29
You won't regret it. It's the best comfort food there is. I usually make enough for a week and then eat it in 2 days.
Some people like to add pearl barley - I prefer not to.
heywood on 27/10/2015 at 09:35
My wife and I have a cold and were craving comfort food last night, so this is what I made. This was an impromptu quick and easy combination of Hunter's Chicken and pasta marinara, since I was craving juicy braised meat and she was craving pasta with red sauce.
Ingredients:
- A jar of good marinara sauce
- A small package of chicken thighs (3-4 thighs) with skin on
- A package of pre-sliced stir-fry vegetables. I prefer a mix of mushrooms, green & red bell peppers (capsicum for the Aussies and Kiwis). A mix of onions and bell peppers works too.
- One half of a 1lb or 500g package of pasta. I like mezzi rigatoni best for this kind of dish. Regular rigatoni or penne is good. Might work with pappardelle or even fettucini. Avoid spaghetti, linguine, etc.
- Minced garlic. The stuff in a jar is fine
- Some fresh oregano
- Some fresh basil
- Shaved parmesan
- Olive oil
Preparation:
1. Cut the bones from the chicken
2. If necessary, cut or break up the veggies into desired size. If using mushrooms, remove stems.
3. Pour sauce into pot, turn on low-medium heat
4. Place a skillet over high heat and use some tongs to sear the chicken thighs on all sides. They take ~1 minute per side, or 3-4 minutes total to brown all over. Watch out for smoke! Drop chicken thighs into sauce when done.
5. Turn down heat under skillet, and use the residual drippings to cook the bell peppers for a minute or two, then add the mushrooms and/or onions, and a tablespoon of the minced garlic. Stir and cook for another minute until the mushrooms or onions are starting to soften and the garlic is starting to brown. Then empty the pan into the sauce.
7. Remove the leaves from 2-3 small sprigs of Oregano and drop into sauce. Pick a similar amount of basil leaves (smaller is more fragrant), break them into pieces, and add to sauce. Add other spices to taste; I added chili flakes.
8. The sauce should be simmering by now. Stir and reduce to lowest heat for a slow simmer.
9. Boil a pot of water for the pasta. Cook the pasta in a low-moderate boil until it's just short of being al dente. If you remove a piece and take a bite off the end, it should be not quite cooked through.
10. Rinse pasta in cold water until the starch in gone, then drain water as best you can.
11. Return skillet to stove, set to medium heat, and pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet followed by the pasta. Stir pasta gently with a spatula to coat with oil. The pasta will start to lightly fry. Keep it moving so it doesn't stick and cook for a minute or two until the water has boiled off and the pasta is just starting to take on a golden tint and firm up.
12. Transfer pasta to serving bowls, place a chicken thigh in each bowl, cover pasta with sauce & veggies, and then add shaved parmesan on top.
Picture of result:
Inline Image:
http://www.redmc.net/food/chicken1.jpgNotes: This would be better with some fresh thyme and a bit rosemary instead of basil. Also, I would have liked to add some black olives and capers but didn't have any.
