Argentine Meatloaf

This is another one of my granny’s recipes, which I’ve fiddled around with to suit my own tastes and needs. I must say however, that it’s also the first time I’ve ever baked and eaten “meatloaf”. There’s a first time for everything, I guess.
It’s not the most glamorous looking preparation, but it is easy and tasty. My granny uses beef only, but I’ve added some pork, just because I think pork is nicer to eat than beef. I like to serve this cold the day after baking, sort of like a rustic terrine. It’s easier to cut into slices when cold too.
I choose to serve my grandmothers time honoured meatloaf, with my partners very modern rocket and mango salad. I like the idea of bringing those two dishes together. A meal inspired by the two great loves of my life- my Grandmother Marta, and my partner, Mike.

Components
500g minced beef
500g minced pork
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 green apple, peeled and grated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 free range eggs, mixed together
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper

Process
Heat the oven to 180c.
Combine all the ingredients together well.
Place into a lightly greased 21 cm loaf tin and pat the mixture down well.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until just cooked through.
Carefully pour away all of the fat from the tin.
Cut into slices and serve hot or cold.
Enough for 4–6 people

Glazed Borlotti Beans

When I cook with borlotti, I most often use imported, canned Italian beans. I hardly use dried beans. I think they are a nuisance, with the 24hrs of soaking and the long cooking time required. My cooking tends to be spontaneous, and I don’t usually know what I will be cooking until the day comes. So, for this reason the tinned version is far more convenient, and I usually have a few tins in my cupboard ready to go.
However, fresh borlotti are in season right now and take no time to prepare. So naturally I am enjoying cooking with the fresh ingredient. Here is one such dish, I made a few days ago. I must admit, it is a rather posh preparation for a humble ingredient, but simple if you already have the chicken stock on hand. You will need a rich French style chicken stock for this dish.

Ingredients
500g fresh borlotti beans (1 kilo unshelled)
300 ml rich chicken stock
30g butter
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Rocket, to garnish

Method
Steam the beans over boiling water for 20 minutes.
Now combine them in a saucepan with the stock, and cook gently for another 20 minutes. The stock will reduce to a shiny glaze.
Add the butter and season with pepper, and salt if it needs it.
Garnish with the rocket leaves as you please.
These beans are good with roast fish. Serves 2-3 people.

Peach, Cinnamon and Ginger Dressing

I don’t usually make oil free salad dressings but this one is wonderful sweet and fragrant, and goes particularly well with peppery rocket leaves.
You could use other fruits instead of peaches. The choices are endless and limited to your imagination. Apples, pears and cherries would work well. Try different varieties of spices, vinegars or sugars to complement your chosen fruit.
Store this dressing in a sterilized glass jar in the fridge. It should keep indefinitely.

Ingredients
2 yellow peaches, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
15g ginger, sliced into thin coins
100g brown sugar
125ml herb infused red wine vinegar (or just use plain red wine vinegar)

Method
Place all the ingredients including the peach stones into a small saucepan.
Bring very slowly to a simmer and cook for 15-20minutes.
Strain and store in a sterilized jar. Makes about 100ml.

Wagyu and Whipped Horseradish Cream

I was curious to try the famous wagyu beef (literally “Japanese cattle”). My butcher has been offering this prime breed of beef and I must say I was impressed with the clean flavour and melt in the mouth texture of this divine Asian cow. For someone who does not really like beef (I find the taste of beef dirty), that is saying a lot. Actually, it was the best beef I have ever tasted and I think we will probably be eating more beef in my household as a result (we eat more kangaroo than any other red meat)
My butcher suggested that two minutes cooking each side was sufficient- I do not like being told what to do, so I cooked for one minute each side. And it was perfect.

Ingredients
2 wagyu porterhouse steaks
2 slices of premium smoked bacon
1 garlic clove, peeled
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
A handful of rocket leaves

For the cream
100ml crème fraiche
1 tsp horseradish (from a jar, I will get around to trying the fresh stuff one day)
1 tsp of very finely chopped onion
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper

Method
Bring the steaks to room temperature and rub them with a touch of olive oil. Have ready two sheets of foil to wrap your steaks once you have seared them.
Heat a few drops of olive oil in a pan and cook the bacon slices until lightly browned on both sides. Remove them to the pieces of foil.
Add the garlic clove to the rendered bacon fat in the pan and cook until lightly golden.
Discard the garlic- it has done its job by lightly flavouring the fat in the pan.
Now you are ready to sear your “wagyu”.
The pan needs to be hot. Add the steaks and cook for one minute each side. They should brown nicely in this time. Be careful of overcooking this expensive meat-you will only end up with a pan of rendered beef fat and a dry piece of meat. It only needs to cook just long enough for all the gorgeous fat to just melt and seep through the flesh.
Place the steaks on top of the bacon slices, double wrap in the foil and place on a wooden board. Leave for 20 minutes. During this time the bacon will infuse its deep flavour throughout the beef.
In the meantime, prepare the horseradish cream. Mix together all the ingredients for the cream. Using a baby whisk, lightly whisk the cream. This will only take about 30 seconds. Refridgerate and set aside
Toss the rocket leaves with a touch of olive oil. (I hate it in restaurants when you are presented with a garnish of plain lettuce).
Scatter them other two plates and serve the steaks with the bacon underneath.
Season with a touch of salt and black pepper.
The horseradish cream is served as an accompaniment. Serves 2.

Salad & Strawberries for Spring

Borlotti and Prosciutto Salad
I don’t really think todays recipe requires a story. It is fairly straight forward. This is great for warm nights and doesn’t require any thing else on the side. Everything is already there in this salad- bread, vegetable and meat. As always, make sure to use good olive oil, real bread and nice wine vinegar. If the vinegar you have is harsh just add a bit of sugar to make the flavour more interesting. Enjoy!

Ingredients
6 baby onions, whole and unpeeled
1 tin Italian borlotti beans
10 large black olives
150g Italian style bread, crust removed
100g prosciutto, finely sliced
1 handful of rocket leaves
25 ml red wine vinegar
80ml extra virgin olive oil
2 little sprigs of rosemary, very finely chopped
Salt and fresh black pepper

Method
Turn the oven on to 220c.Roast the onions until they are charred and soft. Mine took 45 minutes. Allow them to cool and then peel.
Drain the beans and rinse them in a colander, under a tap. Tip them on to a clean teatowel and allow them to dry. The dressing will adhere better to dry beans, but if you are short on time you skip this part. Just put them in a bowl and proceed.
Whisk together the vinegar, oil, rosemary and seasoning. Set aside to allow the rosemary to permeate.
Now tear the bread into rough little chunks about the same size as the olives.
Put the beans, onions, olives and the bread into a bowl and toss with the dressing. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the dressing.
When you are ready to eat, add the rocket and prosciutto slices, season and give it a final toss.
Divide between 2 flat plates and eat. Fantastic!

Strawberries with Lemon marscapone cream

We have enjoyed this dessert 2 nights in a row now so, I shall present it here. This is just a variation of strawberries and cream but easier because there is no whipping required.

Ingredients
2 punnets of strawberries, washed and hulled
Sugar to taste
1 lemon
250g marcapone
3 tsp sugar
50ml of thickened cream

Method
Halve your strawberries (or quarter them if they are large). Put them into a bowl with some sugar, toss lightly and cover. Leave them to macerate at room temperature., until the sugar has melted and the juices are released..
In the meantime, remove the zest from the lemon. Use only the yellow part and chop it as finely as you can.
Mix together the marcapone, sugar, cream and zest. Place in the fridge.
When you are ready to eat, spritz the strawberries with a few drops of lemon juice and put into small bowls. Make sure you include the pink juice as well and top with the cream. Heavenly.