Lamb although expensive is one of my favourite meats, its certainly a meat to be respected and enjoyed. As with most red meats, keep refrigerated until roughly 30 Min's before expected cooking time, then allow to breath and come "to life" at room temperature.
Wash and peel 8-10 medium potatoes, most consistent potato and my personal preference is always Maris Piper, Slice the potatoes, to cook evenly ensure they are sliced uniformly, if your knife skills are not the most competent then use a mandolin, boil a large pan of water add a pinch of salt, add the potatoes and allow to gently boil for exactly 6 minutes, take off heat and drain put in to a pan of cold water. meanwhile finely slice 2 large brown onions, and crush or slice 1 garlic clove add both to a pan on a medium heat, add a good glug of olive oil, add some sliced streaky bacon or pancetta as soon as they start to brown take off the heat.
Add a 2 oz knob of butter to a small sauce pan, heat through gently as if clarifying butter, once the butter is melted add equal parts milk (semi skimmed) and thick double cream, blend together making sure not to over cook, add a hand full no more, of mature cheddar, season, and add the onions, garlic and pancetta. drain the potatoes and add to the cream mix. pour into a oven dish sprinkle another hand full of cheese and bake for 30-35 Min's until golden. sprinkle on fresh cut parsley.
Lamb, remove from the fridge and set aside to breath, finely slice a garlic clove, add to the lamb, add a good drizzle of olive oil, season heavily, and add in some fresh parsley and some dried thyme. Usually rosemary goes hand in hand with garlic and lamb but thyme is very underrated.
Heat a pan to a medium high heat, add a drizzle, not much, of olive oil and add the seasoned steak, cook on both sides until cooked to YOUR preference, for me medium rare is perfect 2 Min's each side until the marbling has started to dissolve. take off the heat and rest on a chopping board.
Remove the Dauphinois from the oven and carefully remove a good slice on to your plate, add your lamb and enjoy.
Fajitas,
Commonly a Mexican dish a Tex-Mex "little strips" ordinarily beef skirt cut up, fried and served with spices in a tortillas wrap with an array of finger foods. In restaurants it tends to be served on a red hot skillet leaving a trail of choking dense spicy smoke in its wake. The dish has been jazzed up for profitability, in the food economy beef has been replaced with cheaper meats like chicken and even pork.
The beauty of Fajitas just like all Mexican food is how versatile it is, it can be manipulated into literally thousands of combinations depending on your tastes, spice, meats, veggies, its open ended.
Roast Chicken, why roast chicken and not just chicken, well to be economical and price sensitive its actually cheaper to buy a fresh roast chicken then it is to buy a pack of chicken fillets, once sliced up and fried the results is all too commonly dry, rubbery and a complete waste of money, down side to a roast is the time to cook, but put this aside and the meat is always moist, tender and delicious.
Roast Chicken Fajitas Brought from Tesco's Serves 4 £16.81 = £4.20 per person.
- 1 x re fried spicy beans 215g tin £0.78
- 1 x discovery fajita seasoning £0.89
- 1 x 8 large tortillas wraps £1.40
- 1 x Tex Mex multi pack dips £2.20
- 1 x 250g mature cheddar grated £2.00
- 1 x iceberg lettuce £1.00
- 3 x large loose brown onions £0.57
- 1 x Whole chicken 2-4 pers £4.96
- 1 x Tesco pancetta cubed £3.00
Pre heat the oven to 220 Celsius, remove packaging and wash the chicken with cold water. put the chicken in a roasting tin brush with oil and cook for generally 30 Min's per 500g plus 30 Min's extra, medium chickens normally cook in 90 Min's, check the packaging for full instructions and remember to ensure the juices from the thickest part of the breast meat are running clear.
Once the chicken is cooked take out and remove from the roasting tin on to a clean chopping board, cover with foil, fry off the Pancetta, set aside, and then peel and chop the onions, fry off and again set aside in a separate bowl. slice the lettuce in to a bowl. Open and drain the re fried beans put into a microwavable container and microwave for 90 seconds or until hot, alternatively fry gently.
uncover the chicken and slice the chicken in my version I had plain breast meat and the remaining meat I sprinkled over the fajita seasoning.
Lastly place your wraps in a microwave for 30 seconds or wrapped in tinfoil in the oven for 2 minutes, to allow a bit of heat in them gives them a warm elasticated feel, easier to actually wrap.
Assemble the wraps as you please and enjoy.
