Mongolian Lamb Fondue

A lot of people are off work throughout February not only for half term, some are off to hit the mountains. This time last year I was overly excited with preparing my snowboarding trip to Austria. Because of work commitment (as well as I already had a holiday over Christmas in the Middle East), I am not gracing the Alps this winter. Snow holiday is the best combination of all - you get the sun, the night life, the adrenaline of racing down the mountain and of course the food. With some luck I am hoping to spend a season in the Alps comes next winter.

Yes, I am reminiscing the sun and snow in Austria and am slightly jealous of those who are off snowboarding/ skiing. An acquitance of mine showed me a picture of his meat fondue on Friday, and that's all I could think of all weekend - FONDUE. Let's make it into reality!

Instead of beef, I am having lamb, with a slightly oriental flavoured dipping sauce and broth.

Serves 2

400g lamb fillet (partially freeze for ease of slicing to paper thin)
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1 thumb of ginger, sliced
500ml chicken stock
2 tbsp dry cherry
1 tbsp fish sauce
Steamed rice
250g baby leaf spinach

For the dipping sauce:

4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp chilli sauce
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 thumb of ginger, crushed

1. Wrap the lamb fillet with cling film and freeze for just over an hour.

2. Sharpen the knife, unwrap the lamb and slice the meat to paper thin.

3. In a saucepan, bring the stock, dry cherry, fish sauce, ginger and garlic to boiling point.

4. Set up the fondue set.

5. Transfer the stock into the fondue pot.

6. Cook the lamb fillet in the stock to suit your taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

7. The stock contains the essence of the meat, don't just pour it down the sink. Wilt the spinach in the stock.

8. Serve up a bowl of steam rice each and pour in the stock. Get tuck in!

Beef Shank Stew with Mustard Suet Dumplings

Beef stew is one of my favourite winter dish. Boeuf Bourguignon, Guinesse beef stew, Cantonese style braised beef etc. They are effortless to make and rather wholesome. I have cooked lamb shank and pork shank before, but it was not until last weekend I came across beef shank at the Waitrose meat section. I am sure it has always been available at a butcher, but it was the first time I see it available as pre-packed. My immediately thought was 'bone marrow + beef = tasty stew!'. It do love Waitrose's meat section. It offers an excellent variety of cuts of meat that is comparable with the butcher, which other supermarkets cannot compete with. 

Beef shank meat is actually the shin. It has to be slow cooked to perfection. Once the meat is cooked through and falls off the bone, I then cut them into pieces. 

Serves 3

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into thick pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut to 3 pieces

6 shallots, peeled

2 bay leaves 

1 tbsp of tomato puree

500ml beef stock

700g beef shank

1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard

70g suet

125g self-raising flour

1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard

2 tbsp of plain flour

Salt & pepper

Some warm water

1. Season the plain flour with salt and pepper. Rub the meat with the mixture. 

2. Preheat the oven to gas 2.

3. Heat a dollop of oil in the cast-iron casserole dish. Once the oil is hot enough, seal the meat all around.

4. Leave the meat aside to rest. In the same casserole dish, cook the shallots, stalks, carrots and bay leaves until they soften. 

5. Put the meat back into the casserole dish, pour in the stock and tomato puree. Bring it to boil then lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Place the casserole dish into the oven and leave it to cook for 2 1/2 hour. Check the liquid level periodically and add more stock if necessary. 

7. Meanwhile, place the plain flour, suet and wholegrain mustard in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 

8. Make a dwell in the middle and pour in some warm water. Careful not to put too much. If the mixture is too dry, more warm water can be added later.

9. Bine the suet and flour mixture together to form a soft dough. It is ready when the dough doesn't stick to the hands. 

10. Roll the dough into 8 small balls (or bigger ones, depending on preference).

11. Take the casserole dish out of the oven. Turn the heat up to gas 6. Cut the meat into small pieces and put back into the dish. Remove the bone marrow. 

12. Place the dumplings into the casserole, return it to the oven and cook for another 25 minutes. 

Chorizo, Lentils & Potato Hotpot

Following on with the chorizo theme, this is another great winter one-pot recipe. So warming and comforting in those dark, winter nights. Chorizo could be replaced by pancetta if you so wish. 

Serves 2

150g chorizo, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

2 clove of garlic, crushed

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

250g puy lentils

2 bay leaves

1 small bunch of thymes

1tsp paprika 

1L chicken stock

1 red chilli, finely chopped

250g baby leaf spinach

1 potato, diced

1. Panfry the chorizo slices until the aroma releases and fills the kitchen. 

2. Set the chorizo aside. In the same saucepan, sauté the garlic, onion, chilli and celery for 10 minutes or until soften.

3. Add in the lentils, bay leaves, thymes, paprika and potatoes. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 

4. Gradually pour in the chicken stock. Bring to boil and bring the heat down to simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Check occasionally, sir and add more stock if necessary.

5. Add in the chorizo and spinach and cook until spinach starts to wilt. 

6. Season with freshly milled salt and pepper.

Baked Butternut Squash and Chorizo Risotto

Butternut squash has a deliciously clean and sweet taste. It is especially popular in winter dishes as it is a winter squash. My favourite way to cook this beauty is roasting. Because of its naturally sweet flavour, it is an excellent companion to salty chorizo.

Serves 2

1 small butternut squash, roughly chopped
250g chorizo, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
160g arborio rice
300ml chicken stock
1 small glass of white wine
100ml creme fraiche

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree. Place the chopped butternut squash in a roasting tin, add a splash of rapeseed oil and seasoned with salt and better. Ensure the butternut squash is smothered with oil. Place it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and soft.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook the chorizo for 8 minutes. It should be looking crispy and the aroma starting to fill the kitchen.

3. Spoon up the chorizo and leave them to rest on a plate. In the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until its soften.

4. Now, add in the arborio rice and the chorizo, stir for a couple of minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook on a medium heat until most of the liquid is evaporated.

5. Turn the heat down and gradually pour in the stock one ladleful at a time. Be sure to stir the mixture regularly and pour in more stock when it is absorbed by the rice. Cook for approximately 25 minutes.

6. For the butternut squash, once it is cooked, take it out of the oven to cool. Keep a dozen or so aside and blitz the rest to a smooth texture in a food processor or use a handheld blender.

7. Mix the smooth and diced butternut squash into the rice mixture.

8. Stir in the creme fraiche just before serving.