Tuscan Roast Pork

I mentioned that I received a beautiful cookbook from my gorgeous friend Bernie for my birthday when we cooked Rioja Chicken a little while ago and to be honest the book hasn't made it to the bookshelf yet - in fact it hasn't left the kitchen.  The cookbook is ABC's Delicious - Love To Eat and if you get a chance to get a copy I would encourage you to do so.  It is one of the better cookbooks I have read and used in such a long time.

This is the second time that we have cooked the Tuscan Pork.  The recipe as written has two components - one being the pork and the other being Mustard Fruits.  I am going to confess to having only cooked the pork as I do not believe that any of the family would try let alone enjoy the Mustard Fruits so I haven't even bothered with making them.  If anyone would like the recipe though please contact me and I can email it to you.

The fascinating thing about this recipe which actually goes against everything that I have learnt about cooking pork is that the whole piece of pork belly is marinated including the much treasured skin or the crackle.  Every other recipe will state you must keep the skin dry, do not get the skin wet, pat down with paper towel to ensure it's dry, it won't crisp up if the skin is wet, etc.  Well not this recipe... and it does crisp up producing a fantastic rosemary and fennel infused crackle.

Marinading the pork belly doesn't come any easier than this either.  A combination of fresh rosemary and fennel seeds mixed with olive oil and lemon seasoned with salt - it is simply that easy.  As decadent as this sounds it is one of the easiest marinades but it's by far one of the tastiest.  You can definitely not match the flavour of fresh rosemary or the slight aniseed flavour of the fennel.   Yet together they taste amazing.

We adore the flavours of this pork belly recipe.  Is it our favourite?  Yes definitely.

Tuscan Roast Pork

(Recipe adapted from Delicious - Love To Eat)

Serves: 6 - 8

2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

Ensure pork rind is scored to your liking.

Combine rosemary, fennel, lemon zest, salt and oil in a bowl then rub all over the pork. 

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prior to cooking remove pork belly from fridge and sit at room temperature for approx 30 minutes to take the chill of the pork.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Place the pork, skin side up, on a roasting rack over a roasting pan.  Fill pan with 2cm water.  Roast pork for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to 180 degrees Celsius and cook for a further 2 hours, topping up water if necessary.  Remove from the oven and site aside to rest, loosely covered with foil.

Slice pork and serve.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Italian Sausage and Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

There is nothing quite like a quick late night snack.... we had been busy all week and when it was finally the weekend - and being Saturday night I thought I would treat us with one of our favourite treats... JALAPENO POPPERS!!!

 

Jalapeno Poppers have become a regular feature in our house.  Both hubby and I love jalapenos and experimenting with different fillings.  There are so many different varieties of these unbelievable tasty morsels - just Google you will be surprised.  I loved the idea of putting sausage and cheese together to give these some meatiness but not take away from the jalapeno itself.

 

These tasty yet sometimes hot nibbles are just what the doctor ordered.  Tonight we tried filling them with Italian Sausage and creamy cheese.  Very simple ingredients but an abundance of flavour.  The Italian Sausage filled with fennel, garlic and chilli made it easy as I didn't have to add anything else to the mix except for the cream cheese and some grated parmesan.

 

Trust me these did not last long... didn't even make it to a fancy platter!! OOPS!!

Italian Sausage and Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

(Recipe adapted from A Taste of Home)

Makes: 40
 

500 grams Italian sausages

cooking spray

250 grams cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

20 large jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Cook the sausage until no longer pink; drain.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese; fold in sausage.

Line two large baking trays with baking paper. 

Spoon about 1 tablespoonful into each jalapeno half.  Place on baking tray in a single layer.

Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until filling is lightly browned and bubbly.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chilli Chicken, Mushroom and Pesto Pizza

Nothing beats a Saturday night relaxing with a few drinks and a pizza especially when the pizza is home made and so fresh.

Noel enjoys simple plain and tasty pizzas whereas I tend to experiment a lot with flavours.  I first saw this recipe in one of our many cookbooks a long time ago and knew it would be cooked.  I had to adapt it a little as I am also a huge fan of mushrooms and bocconcini  on pizza and of course, omitted the olive oil from the chicken mixture as it simply does not need it.

The flavour kick was amazing.... chilli and garlic enveloped in freshly shredded chicken, vegetables and cheese with mouthfuls of basil pesto drizzled on the top.  What more could a girl ask for?  Maybe a bigger tummy.....  LOL!!

Chilli Chicken, Mushroom and Pesto Pizza

(recipe adapted from Women's Weekly Weeknights Fast and Fabulous Cookbook) 

Makes: 1 large pizza

Serves: 4

1 ball of Noel's pizza dough or a shop brought base

1 skinless chicken fillet

cooking spray

1/4 cup tomato paste

50 grams grated tasty cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 brown onion, thinly sliced

100 grams button mushrooms, sliced

100 grams cherry tomatoes, sliced thickly

100 grams baby Bocconcini

1/4 cup basil pesto

Make dough as per recipe.

Place 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium - high heat.  Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool.  Once cool, shred chicken into small pieces.

Preheat pizza oven to 280 degrees Celsius or oven to 240 degrees Celsius or 220 degrees Celsius fan-forced.

Spray pizza tray with cooking spray.

Roll out dough and place on pizza tray or place pizza base on tray.

Spread dough or pizza base with the tomato paste and sprinkle over the grated cheese.

Combined chicken, chilli flakes and garlic in a small bowl. Arrange chicken mixture, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes over pizza. Top with Bocconcini.

Bake pizzas for 10 minutes in pizza oven or 15 minutes in oven or until browned lightly and bases are crisp.

Drizzle pizza with with pesto and serve.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pepper Crusted Lamb Rack with Cream Cheese Mash

 

Today we celebrated 21 years of wedded bliss.... what more of a gift could I give my husband than a beautiful rack of lamb dinner.... the more part that I gave him was that he cooked most of it!!!!  LOL I have to say it was a joint effort cooking tonight.  Cooking together is something that we have always enjoyed doing which is a bonus.

 

Both of us enjoy lamb especially the fillet, rack or cutlets and even more so a lamb roast.  This lamb rack was cooked to perfection and it wasn't very difficult at all.  A quick pan fry and then finished off in the oven for 15 minutes it was not over cooked - just right.  The crust had a flavour sensation that was not over powered by the pepper it was beautifully balanced with thte rosemary and salt. 

 

The mash - what can I say?  I was mash to die for.  Very rustic with a leek and thyme infusion which did nothing but complimented the lamb rack.

 

It was a toss up as to whether the lamb was better than the mash or that the mash was better than the lamb - that's how nice this dish was.

 

Overall this dinner, which would be a magnificient entertainer's meal, was avvery easy to prepare, cook and serve weeknight wonder. 

Pepper Crusted Lamb Rack with Cream Cheese

(Recipe adapted from WW Dinner With Friends Cookbook)

 

Serves: 4

ProPoints per serve: 12

 

650 grams peeled potatoes, chopped

3 teaspoons cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 x 200 gram (4 cutlets in each) french trimmed lamb racks

1 tablespoon oil

2 small leeks, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs to garnish

60 grams extra light cream cheese

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Boil, steam or microwave potatoes until tender.  Drain, cover and keep warm.

 

Meanwhile combine pepper, rosemary and salt in a small bowl.  Press pepper mixture over lamb racks.  Heat half the oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook the lamb for 2 minutes each side or until browned.  Transfer to a baking tray.  Bake for 15 - 18 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking.  Remove from oven, cover with foil and set aside to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Heat remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic, leek and thyme leaves, stirring, for 5 - 7 minutes or until leek has softened.   Mash potatoe in a bowl with cream cheese and milk until smooth.  Stir in the leek mixture.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Serve mash with lamb and 0 ProPoint steamed vegetables.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)