homemade veal ragu pasta

 

You'll need this:

1.5 kg fresh tomatoes, diced

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

4 tablespoons tomato paste

Large bunch of rosemary, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons of ground chilli

1 litre chicken stock

plain (all-purpose) flour

Salt and pepper for seasoning

250gms butter

1.5 cups dry white wine

2 kg veal shanks

1kg of your favourite pasta - homemade pasta will make this dish!

Serves 6-8 hungry people.

You'll need to do this:

Heat half the butter in a heavy based, oven proof saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot and saute for 6-8 minutes, careful not to brown.  Stir through chilli and rosemary.  Add white wine and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the wine reduces.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and stock.  Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, lightly dust each veal shank with the seasoned flour.  Add remaining butter to a shallow frying pan and fry off the shanks in batches to brown on each side.  Once browned, add to tomato mix.

Once veal is browned and added to tomato mix, place saucepan in a preheated oven (180 degrees celcius).  Cook for approximately 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to fall off the bone. Once cooked, pull meat and discard the bones.  Try not to break the meat up too much, as the chunkier, the better!

Once you are ready to eat, cook the pasta in boiling water and then stir through the ragu, with a small amount of the cooking water to create a silky texture.

Taste for seasoning, and add salt / pepper as needed.

A meal fit for a celebration (oh, and Father's Day of course!).

Eating this tonight, as well as reading about my family's wonderful day back home, has made me v. homesick.  I am feeling the full distance of the continent that separates us right now!  Really wish I could be home with them all...
 

Happy Eating!

Sam

I'll just have a salad

 

Ok and some pork.... 

 

The secret is the dressing - made from crushed marinated feta, rather than the traditional mayonnaise... Thanks mum.

You'll need this:-

1 x half green cabbage, finely shaved

1 x half red cabbage, finely shaved

1 x red onion, finely sliced

3 x sticks of celery, finely diced

1 x carrot, grated (this is an optional extra - not a favourite of the family on the east, but well received by newfound friends in the west)

Large handful of walnuts, roughly chopped

1 x green apple, chopped into fine match sticks

For the dressing:-

400g marinated feta

2 tablespoons of olive oil marinade from the feta

large glug of white balsamic

You'll need to do this:-

Add all prepared salad ingredients to a large salad bowl.  You'll need to be careful with the apple.  Only cut / add this at the last minute otherwise it will brown.

Prepare the dressing by adding the feta to a bowl and crushing with a fork to form a smooth paste.  Then gradually mix in the left over marinade and balsamic. 

Add dressing to vegetable mix and gently toss.  Sprinkle with some left over walnuts and serve.

I was going to add some mint and basil, but the not so trustworthy local supermarket was completely out of fresh herbs this afternoon.  Those of you lucky enough to have access to a 'normal' greengrocer, I suggest you add a handful of roughly chopped herbs to add some more depth to the salad.

We had the slaw with barbequed tandoori pork and veal cutlets.  Patak's tandoori paste is a life saver when you are strapped for time! To form the marinade, mix one jar of paste with 500ml of plain yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon.  Add meat and leave to marinade for a minimum of one hour.  Cook on a BBQ until ready and serve with another squeeze of lemon.

Another simple recipe- but the end result will always be well received....

Only two weeks until I am back on the east coast to spend some time with family and friends and to pack up my life for good.  Can't wait to see everyone, not least of which my young nephews!  I hope they remember who I am!!

Happy eating!

Sam