AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #8 MONGOLIA: MONGOLIAN LAMB

This week my Around the World adventure had taken me to the far off land of Mongolia.

And the dish I chose from Mongolia was a fantastic Mongolian Lamb dish served with brown rice and Green Peppers.

Ingredients: 

Lamb Steaks cut into large chunks

Soy Sauce

Clear Honey

a large thumb of  Ginger

6 Cloves of Garlic

1 Onion

1 Green Pepper

Spring Onions

Ground Cumin

Ground Cinnamon

Olive Oil

Sesame Oil

Brown Rice

Chopped Nuts

If you have the time, it is well worth preparing & marinading the lamb overnight,

First up pour 100ml of Dark Soy Sauce in a large bowl, then add 4 tablespoons of Ground Cinnamon, 5 tablespoons of Ground Cumin, 4 tablespoons of clear runny honey, 3 teaspoons of sesame oil, 4 teaspoons of olive oil & a good grind of pepper. Then finely grate a good 3cm thumb of fresh ginger to the marinade followed by 6 pressed cloves of garlic. Give the whole marinade a thorough mix until all blended together. 

Cut up your lamb into large chunks and add to the marinade. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for as long as possible.

When ready to start cooking remove the meat from the marinade and put into a separate bowl saving the leftover marinade.

Preheat the oven to 200C. 

Chop a green pepper and a large onion into chunky slices, and place on a baking tray. Then spoon over 2-3 tablespoons of the saved leftover marinde, a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkling of salt & pop in the oven for about 35 minutes.

Also when your peppers have gone in, you need to start to cook your brown rice (as per the instructions on the pack) - add salt to taste. In the last few minutes of cooking your rice throw in some chopped up spring onions.

When you are about 10 minutes away from the rice and green peppers being ready then its time to toast some chopped nuts & also to start cooking the marinaded lamb. Heat a large frying pan on a very high heat & add a small amount of oil. Then throw in the lamb so that it sizzles. continue to fry keeping the pan on a high heat & turning the meat constantly. After about 5-7 minutes it should start to get that nice slightly charred edge to it - time to turn off the heat and let rest in the pan for a further 4-5 mins.

The lamb should be slightly charred, cooked through but still slightly pink in the middle. 

Serve with the rice, green peppers & onions, and sprinkle on a teaspoon of the toasted chopped nuts over the top of the lamb and serve to hungry dinner guests!

Countries to go: 72

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

#4 Sweden

#5 Botswana

#6 Germany

#7 Iceland

#8 Mongolia

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!  

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #7 ICELAND: BAKED ICELANDIC FISH

As it gets a bit chilly out, I thought I would mark my return to "Around the World in 80 Dishes" (yes I have been a bit lazy lately) with a visit to Iceland.

A tasty treat in the form of a baked fish dish was the dish I cooked for Iceland:

Ingredients:
Butter
Fish fillets (Cod or Hallibut)
1 lemon
200g Emmenthal cheese
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
1 cup of cream
sliced white bread for breadcrumbs
potatoes
chives
on the vine cherry tomatoes
Rye Bread
Nutmeg

Firstly invite some guests and hopefully they will turn up wearing furry winter hats to get into the mood for a good bit of Icelandic cuisine.
Then take a baking dish and butter it before placing the fish fillets in to fill the base. Squeeze the lemon all over it lavishly and season with a little sea salt sprinkled all over & a grinding of pepper.

Then came the slightly confusing part (I wasnt convinced it would go until I tasted it - it did!)...... finely grate the 200g of Emmenthal over the fish.

In a cup of cream mix in a teaspoon of dijon mustard and pour all over the fish, then whiz up some white sliced bread and mix with some chopped chives and sprinkle all over the top to cover.
Pop the dish into a preheated oven (180C) and bake for 40 minutes.

Whilst your fish bakes, make up some smooth mash (I used a potato ricer) add butter, a dash of cream and grate some nutmeg in (or for ease - just use Nutmeg powder) and some finely chopped chives (use fresh).
Also put the on the vine tomatoes on a baking tray - sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt & pepper and bake for 20 mins.

Once ready then plate up the baked fish and serve with the mash and tomatoes and enjoy!
I couldnt find any Icelandic wine, but found a nice Austrian white wine to accompany this dish.

Hopefully your guests have not only brought furry hats with them, but have done as ours did and brought a home made Arctic Roll (Jamie Oliver recipe) for desert with them - a splendid way to round off the Icelandic dinner!

    Thanks Sandra & Howard!

Countries to go: 73

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

#4 Sweden

#5 Botswana

#6 Germany

#7 Iceland

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!  

TWO GREEDY MANCUNIANS AT NANDOS

Well the Two Greedy Mancunians were out again on Thursday the 31^st July, We had been invited to a evening at Nandos (Arndale) to sample a new menu.

A new menu I hear you say at Nandos surely not!!!

The evening started with a stroll through the Andale which I must admit I hadn’t ventured in for years, because it always had that pants reputation, but what a shock I had there was many restaurants and clothes stores and i will certainly be going back.

When we arrived the Two Greedy Mancunians seemed to be in a Arndale daze as it took us 10 min to realise we were standing outside Bella Italia, eventually we found Nandos which was next door & we were greeted by a lovely member of staff who guided us upstairs to where we were all to meet.

To my suprise there were many foodies & bloggers invited & there was a good atmosphere (could it have been the offer of free beer and wine that did the trick)

There was one couple who arrived late & sat down for all of 10 minutes then left because they were sat next to the toilets.  I'm sure people do this for the attention, just get over it please you are not at a Michelin starred restaurant, you are at Nandos. Just enjoy the company and the atmosphere (and on  behalf of Nandos the toilets were clean and there were no bad smells)

So the manger gave us a brief introduction of the history of Nandos and it was clear she really did enjoy her job which is great to see.

The food we had was a sample of the new menu we were first given a plate of olives, toasted pitta bread, a red pepper dip & a lovely hummous. Then out came our first lot of chicken, we had bonless chicken thighs which i really enjoyed. The chicken was really moist and very tasty,  there was also sweet potato wedges (nice big chunky wedges too) which again were really very good.

More chicken was piled upon us and being Two Greedy Mancunians we did our best to help eat it all up.  They also did a chicken roullette, different chicken in different strength sauces, you had to pick one, and one could have been extremely hot, it was all fun.

Then all of a sudden a giant cock came out of the back, people seemed to be having their photo taken with the cock and some were touching the cock, then I realised it was the Nandos mascot 'Barci'.

There isn’t much more i can say we both had a really good evening, Nandos put on a really good feast, and some people don’t like Nandos, but I do. I have been a few times and always enjoyed it.

I’m not saying I go all the time but if you want a quick lunch or quick evening meal (and you like chicken) then you really can’t go wrong, the food is good, staff are always pleasant and it is all at a reasonable price. And you know Nandos must be doing something right because the restaurants are always busy, which to me is always a great sign.

The night wasnt just about Nandos, it was also in aid of promoting the Arndale's "Get Your Eat On" campaign. Basically for the whole of August you can download or pick up a booklet of vouchers for most of the food places in the Arndale, so what are you waiting for, go get your eat on!

Visit: https://www.manchesterarndale.com/getyoureaton for further details and to download the vouchers.

Thank you to Nandos and the Arndale for putting on a great, fun evening.

Greedy Mancuinan (Alex)

STAY TUNED FOR REVIEWS OF A NEW BOOK I HAVE DISCOVERED CALLED DEATH BY BORRITTO WHICH IS FULL OF RESCIPES FOR MEXICAN STREET FOOD....COMING SOON

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #6 GERMANY: BRATWURST MIT SAUERKRAUT

In honour of a recent World Cup win - I'm cooking some German cuisine this week!

And where would German cuisine be without the humble Bratwurst - so I decided it has to be the classic bratwurst & sauerkraut - served with potatoes with bacon. 

Ingredients:
1 pack of good quality Bratwursts
Butter
1 Granny Smith apple
Light brown sugar
Dark brown sugar
1 large onion
Potatoes
Bacon (not pictured below)
Sauerkraut
Salt & Pepper
Brown Beer/Ale
Balsamic Vinegar

Take a couple of cups worth of sauerkraut from the jar and rinse thoroughly and drain, then thinly slice up half the onion and apple. in a frying pan add 3 tablespoons of butter and melt - then add the onion, fry for a minute before adding the sauerkraut and apple - when these start to soften add a sprinkling of the light brown sugar & a good grind of pepper and add a glug or 2 of beer (you can enjoy the rest of the beer either whilst you cook or served with the meal itself). Turn heat down low and cover - this should cook for 30-40 mins, check and stir occasionally making sure it isn't drying out & sticking to the pan.

Slice up your potatoes about 1/4 inch thick, and dice the bacon and remainder of the onion. Cook the bacon pieces and onion in a pan, adding a few tablespoons worth of balsamic vinegar. Then add the sliced potatoes with a sprinke of salt (not too much as the bacon will be salty too) and a teaspoon of dark brown sugar - finally add a small dash of water, cover and turn to a low heat. As with the Sauerkraut this will need to be checked and stirred occasionally to ensure it isnt sticking - if it is - then add another dash more water. This will need 20-30 mins or until the potatoes are cooked through.

Last but not least - you will need to put on the Bratwursts - using a large frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and put in the Bratwursts - turn to coat the Brats in the butter and add a cup of water - keep at a medium temp, so they cook in the water as is evaporates, top up the water whenever it is about to run dry and turn occationally - after 20 mins, let the water evaporate and brown in the remaining butter.

Plate up your sauerkraut, potatoes & bacon, and 1 or 2 bratwursts (being a Greedy Mancunian I went for 2) - serve with a dollop of wholegrain or brown mustard & a couple of slices of sourdough bread & butter.

Wunderbar!

Countries to go: 74

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

#4 Sweden

#5 Botswana

#6 Germany

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!  

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #5 BOTSWANA: SESWAA WITH BOGOBE

I now take a turn in my trip towards Africa and the country of Botwana....

What culinary delights will I find here..... only a tasty beef dish called Seswaa with cornmeal porridge (Bogobe) and served with traditional carrot and cabbage side! So join me now as I lead you through how to make this exciting meal.

Ingredients:

Seswaa:
1 pack of diced beef
1 onion peeled & quartered
2 cloves of garlic halved
Salt
4 Bay leaves
water to cover

Bogobe:
Cormeal (fine)
Beef stock
Salt & Pepper

Carrot and Cabbage Botswanan Style:
1 large tomato (or several small ones)
1 Onion
2 carrots
Powdered Ginger
Thyme
Chilli flakes
White cabbage

Pop the beef, onion, garlic & bay leaves in a large casserole pot (I went for an orange one, but any coloured pot will do) - season with a good dose of salt and cover with water - put a lid on and put in the oven at about 160C for 4hrs stir occasionally and if it is drying out too much add a little more water.
about half hour before your beef is done then its time to prepare the rest of the dish.

 next up is the Bogobe - make up a pan of beef stock (500ml) slowly add the cornmeal - stirring or whisking continuously to avoid it going too lumply (mine was a little lumpy - see pic below - but was just about acceptable). Add enough of the cornmeal until it becomes the consistency of thick porridge.

Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 mins.

Slice up the carrots, cabbage and onion, and finely chop the tomato.

In a frying pan fry the onion and tomato in a little oil for 4-5 minutes then add the carrot and cabbage.

Add 2 teaspoons of the ginger, half a teaspoon of the chilli flakes and a tablespoon of thyme. Add salt to taste.

Ok - now get that beef out of the oven & remove the bay leaves - using a slotted spoon scoop out the beef and onion and then pound with a big spoon - the beef should break apart and look flaked.

Finally its time to plate up! Pop a big dollop of the Bogobe on a plate followed by a large spoonfull (or 2) of the Seswaa beef and add some of the cabbage and carrots on the side. Press play on your favourite traditional African music CD and bring your dish to the table.

Enjoy!

Countries to go: 75

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

#4 Sweden

#5 Botswana

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!  

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #4 SWEDEN - SWEDISH MEATBALLS (KOTTBULLAR)

Its time to put on the Abba CD and assemble some Ikea furniture - yes..... that's right I'm off to Sweden this week on my culinary adventure.

There is only 1 choice that springs to mind really for Sweden, and that's meatballs, here's what you'll need to cook traditional Swedish meatballs (or Kottbullar as they like to call them):

500g of minced pork/beef mixed (about 60% pork & 40% beef)

1/2 cup of milk

3/4 cup of white breadcrumbs

1 onion

1 egg

salt

white pepper

ground allspice

fresh dill

cranberry sauce

shredded cabbage

potatoes

butter

plain flour

500ml beef stock

Firstly to make the meatballs, peel and finely chop the onion (i used my new Kenwood mini chopper to whiz it up into finely chopped pieces) then gently fry in butter - once softened put in a mixing bowl with the beef & pork mince mixed together. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and when fully absorbed add to the mixing bowl, then add the egg, salt & pepper to season, and a couple of teaspoons of allspice. Finally add a good handfull of finely chopped fresh dill & mix together until all the ingredients are blended together nicely - if it is a bit too wet to make meatballs out of, then add a little more mince or dry breadcrumbs. (usefull tip - use a bigger mixing bowl than the one pictured below - I had to do a transfer as it was a tad too full!)

Meanwhile peel and put on some potatoes to boil in salted water for the mash. You can now make up your meatballs - I made 8 per person and they were about the size of pingpong balls.

Melt some butter in a large frying pan with a little oil and fry the meatballs for about 5-10 minutes until all sides are nicely browned. Remove balls from the pan and rest on a plate whilst you make the sauce. take off the heat - melt a bit more butter in the pan and add 2 tablespoons of plain flour stir until all the butter and juices in the pan have made a paste (add a little more butter or oil if needs be). A little at a time, add and stir/whisk in the beef stock until it has the consistency of a thick sauce. Add a blob or 2 of cranberry sauce and stir in. Put the meatballs back in the pan and turn down to a low heat to simmer.

Whilst the meatballs finish off, make up some creamy mash with plenty of fresh chopped dill. Shred some cabbage (i used savoy) and fry with some white pepper, salt and butter in a separate frying pan. 

to serve - dollop on a good helping of mash onto a plate, add couple of spoonfulls of the cabbage and then ladle on the meatballs and sauce.

Enjoy!

Countries to go: 76

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

#4 Sweden

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!  

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES: #3 MALTA - MAJJAL BHAL FIL-FORN

The latest stop on my around the world in 80 dishes it Malta!

Maltese cooking it seems isnt just opening a bag of Malteasers, after a thorough search throug Maltese recipes I cam across the layered pork based dish Majjal Bhal Fil-Forn.

Ingredients:

4 pork loin steaks

savoy cabbage

1 granny smith apple

1 large onion

2 slices of bacon

2 large baking potatoes

dried cranberries

nutmeg

smoked paprika

fennel seeds

100ml water

olive oil

This is a really easy dish to make!

In a large casserole dish layer some of the cabbage and add the 2 slices of bacon (cut into pieces)

Grate a Granny Smiths apple and add that on top, followed by a layer of sliced onion.

Next up is a layer of the pork loin steaks

slice the potatoes and layer on top of the pork, add the 100ml of water the then give it all a good grind of salt & pepper. Add the nutmeg, smoked paprika & plenty of fennel seeds ontop.

Finally, drizzle a good glug of olive oil over the top and throw in plenty of dried cranberries. Put a lid on it and bung in an oven on 180C for 1hr 20mins.

Plate up a portion making sure to keep the pork loin whole & enjoy!

A rather tasty trip to Malta!

Countries to go: 77

Countries done:

#1 Peru

#2 Oman

#3 Malta

Keep following the Greedy Mancunians to see what country I 'visit' next!