Recipes

Don't you sometimes get bored with the same old meals, and long to try something new - but when you look at different recipes, the long list of complicated ingredients can put you off before you start?  Me too. 

That is why I only choose simple and easy, but none-the-less tasty and thoroughly enjoyable recipes on this page.  

So, have a look at some new ideas,  call in to Country Farm Meats, where we will be able to provide you with all the best meat for your meals (you need good meat to make a good meal!)  and give them a go.

I would love to know what you think of these ideas - let me know which meals you have tried when you come in to the shop.

Happy cooking - from Carol.


Lamb with tomatoes and Mint

(serves 4)

  • Lamb Chops or steaks
  • Flour for coating
  • 25g (1oz) butter
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 x 397 (14oz) can tomatoes
  • 150ml (1/4 pint) stock
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons concentrated mint sauce
  • mint sprig to garnish (optional)

Coat the chops with flour

heat butter and oil in a flameproof casserole

Add the meat in batches and brown on both sides

Remove the meat from the casserole as it browns and keep warm

Add onion to fat remaining in the casserole and fry until softened

Drain off any fat remaining in the casserole

Using a slotted spoon, return the meat to the casserole and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste

Pour the tomatoes with their juice and stock over the meat

Stir in the sugar and mint sauce

Cook in a preheated moderate oven, 160oC (325oF) Gas Mark 3, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours

Garnish with a mint sprig, if liked.

Ranchero Pie

This recipe was published on one of our News Sheets a while ago, and has now become a firm favourite with several of our customers.  It is also a favourite in my own household - especially with my son.  So I thought it would be a good idea to put it on this page, so that you can have another look at it, and maybe join those of us who now make this regularly.

Serves: 3-4  but if that is more than you want, you can either halve the ingredients, or better still, make 2 - or even double the ingredients while you are doing, and put one in the freezer ready for a day when you really haven't time or inclination to cook - (I have several of those!)

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Temperature  Gas Mark 5, 190 oC, 375 oF

Ingredients

  • 450g (1lb) lean pork mince - always available from the freezer at Country Farm Meats
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 x 440g can mixed beans in Chilli sauce (or baked beans for a milder flavour - my favourite)
  • 4 x 15ml sp (4 tbsp) mild chilli sauce - or 1 x 5ml sp (1tsp) chilli powder - which I use as it's an easy storecupboard standby

For the Topping

  • 675g (1 1/2 lb) potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 x 198g can sweetcorn, drained
  • 2x15ml sp (2 tbsp) skimmed milk (or whole milk or you're not too worried about calories)
  • 25g (1oz) low-fat cheese, grated (or any other cheese of your choice)
  • 1 x 15ml sp (1 tbsp) parsley, chopped (optional)


Method:


Boil the potatoes until softened, drain and mash, adding the remaining topping ingredients.


Meanwhile, in a large non-stick saucepan, dry fry the mince and onion until changed colour, about 4-6 minutes. 


Add the beans, ketchup and chilli sauce, bring to the boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes. 


Put the mince mixture into an ovenproof dish, top with the potato and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.


Serve with crusty bread and seasonal vegetables.


Tip  Alternatively this could be made without the potato topping and the mince mixture served with rice, pasta or jacket potatoes.


Typical Nutrient Content per portion excluding serving suggestions:-                

Energy (kj) 2412  (kcal) 552:  Fat (g) 18.6:  Iron (mg) 4.0


Honey-Glazed Lamb Chops

From the farmhouse kitchen. I serve them with jacket potatoes and some lovely greens.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4  Lamb Chops (chump) from Country Farm Meats
  • 50g/2 oz butter
  • 2 tablespoons of Country Farm Meats honey and 2 tablespoons Country Farm Meats wholegrain mustard
  • Salt & Pepper

Method:

Season the chops well and beat butter until pale & creamy

Blend in the honey, mustard and seasoning to taste to form a smooth paste.

Brush the honey mixture over the chops, cover and chill for about an hour.

Grill chops under hot grill for 5 minutes on each side.



Aldo Zilli’s Bacon Tagliatelle Carbonara

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 15 mins.

Ingredients:

  • 75g(3oz) butter
  • 175g(6oz) Country Farm Meats unsmoked bacon cut into strips
  • 400g(14oz) tagliatelle
  • streaky rashers of bacon to garnish (optional)
  • 8 Country Farm Meats free range egg yolks
  • 50g(2oz) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 small tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley


Method:

Melt the butter in large deep frying pan & add bacon & cook for few minutes until golden.

Meanwhile add the pasta to large pan of salted boiling water, stir and return to a gentle rolling boil.

Cook for 8 minutes until ‘al dente’.

Mix the egg yolks, cream, parmesan, pepper, nutmeg & parsley in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta. Remove bacon & butter from heat & add pasta to it, mixing it quickly.

Add the pasta mixture to the egg mixture and toss well. The heat from the bacon, butter & pasta will cook the egg yolks.

Serve immediately or the eggs will curdle!