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If you have any questions about our 'design your own' sausages and beef mince, or about adding organ meat into your diet send an email to hello@cherrytreeorganics.com.au and we'll be in touch shortly.
Coming together with family and friends to enjoy good food and time together is one of life's great pleasures and a roast is a great meal to share.
Here are our tips for a perfect roast leg of lamb:
- Always use ethically raised lamb - of course!
- Remove the roast from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. This takes the chill off the meat before putting it into the pre-heated oven resulting in a juicier, more evenly cooked roast.
- Decide on your seasoning, you could go traditional rosemary and garlic or add some other flavours such as lemon, paprika, thyme or oregano.
- For juicy, tender meat cook your roast low and slow. Every oven is different but as a guide 160 degrees celsius, 60 minutes for every kilo.
- Invest in a meat thermometer. A simple digital themometer from a kitchen appliance store is about $25. This might sound daunting but it really is the most accurate way to check the doneness of your roast:
60 degrees celsius your lamb will be medium rare, pink in the middle.
70 degrees celsius your lamb will be medium well, slightly pink.
75 degrees celsius your lamb will be well done cooked through to the bone.
- Rest the meat on a warm plate, covered loosely with foil for 15 to 20 minutes. This allows the juices of the meat to redistribute evenly so when you cut the meat you don't lose all the juices.
- Slice the meat across the grain, this shortens the muscle fibres making the meat more tender to eat.
]]> Ingredients
For the minted yoghurt:
150g full fat plain Greek yoghurt
1 clove garlic, minced
a small bunch of mint, leaves picked and very finely chopped
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
For the lamb cutlets:
100g breadcrumbs (gluten free, if necessary)
40g parmesan cheese, grated
a small bunch of parsley, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
50g plain flour (cornflour, if gluten free)
2 eggs
8 Cherry Tree Organics Lamb Cutlets
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, for frying
To make the minted yoghurt:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
2. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
To make the lamb cutlets:
1. Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsley on a plate and mix to combine. Place the flour on another plate and whisk the eggs into a shallow bowl. Season the egg mixture with a sprinkle of salt and some pepper.
2. Take a lamb cutlet and gently press into the flour until well coated, shaking off any excess. Dip in the egg and finally coat well in the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside on another plate or small tray. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a good glug of olive oil so the base of the pan is well covered. Cook the cutlets for 3-4 minutes each side, for medium doneness.
4. Serve the cutlets with the minted yoghurt and some lemon wedges.
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For the filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1kg Cherry Tree Organics lamb mince
1 large brown onion, diced
2 large carrots (250g), peeled and diced
1 small bunch silverbeet (250g), stems finely diced, leaves roughly chopped
1 medium zucchini (250g), diced*
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
1 cup (250ml) good quality vegetable or chicken stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon cornflour
salt and pepper, to taste
For the mash:
550g Dutch Cream potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
650g sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon salt
60g butter
180ml full cream milk
extra salt and pepper, to taste
30g butter, melted
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated
For the filling:
1. Heat a large (3L capacity), oven-proof sauté pan over a medium flame. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the lamb mince and cook until golden (about 10 minutes). Season with a good pinch of salt. Remove the lamb (and the juices) from the pan and place into a large bowl or tray. Set aside.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Toss in the onion, add a pinch of salt and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is slightly translucent. Toss in the carrot and silverbeet stems and sauté for a further 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Add the silverbeet leaves and the zucchini and allow it all to cook for a further 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender (but still hold their shape) and the silverbeet is wilted. It should be slightly caramelised, this will add lovely sweetness to your finished dish. If it sticks a bit while cooking, add a splash or two of water to the pan.
3. Make a small space in the pan by pushing the vegetables to one side. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary to the cleared space and fry until aromatic (30 seconds-1 minute).
4. Add the lamb mince (and all those delicious juices) back into the pan and give it all a really good mix.
5. Stir through the stock and the apple cider vinegar. Cook on a medium heat for a further 15-20 minutes.
6. Place the cornflour in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of cold water. Mix into a paste and then pour this into the pan. Give it another good stir and cook until the juices in the pan have thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Set aside the mixture to cool while you make the mash.
For the mash:
1. Place the dutch cream potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir. After 5 minutes, add the sweet potato to the same pot. Cook for a further 10 minutes, or until very tender (potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork).
2. Drain the potatoes and place them back into the pot. Allow them to steam dry for a few minutes. Toss in the butter and milk and add a sprinkling of salt and cracked black pepper. Mash until very smooth.
To assemble:
1. Preheat oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan-forced).
2. Using a large spoon, dollop the potato mash onto the mixture in the oven-proof sauté pan (if you don’t have an oven-proof sauté pan, just transfer the mixture into a 3L capacity oven-proof dish and then top with the mash). Gently spread the mash so that it completely covers the pie filling. Smooth over gently with the back of a spoon. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly smooth, a few bumps and ridges here and there is a good thing (ridges=nicely browned, crispy bits!)
3. Drizzle over the melted butter as evenly as possible, and sprinkle the parmesan over the top.
4. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until lovely and golden and bubbling around the edges.
5. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
*If zucchini is not in season, substitute with mushrooms instead.
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Ingredients
4 medium brown onions, peeled, each onion cut into 8 wedges
3 large carrots, peeled, each carrot cut into 4 wedges
5 cloves garlic, peeled
3 large sprigs rosemary
5-6 sprigs thyme
1kg Cherry Tree Organics traditional beef roast
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons cornflour
Roast potatoes, to serve
Sautéed greens, to serve
Method
1. Preheat oven to 250˚C (230˚C fan-forced).
2. Place the carrots and onions into a large roasting tray . Place the garlic cloves, rosemary and thyme in the centre of the tray. Pop the beef roast on top of the garlic and herbs, ensuring the garlic is tucked under the meat.
3. Rub the olive oil and salt all over the beef.
4. Place into the hot oven and cook for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, remove the tray from the oven. Turn the heat down to 140˚C (120˚C fan-forced). Cover the tray thoroughly with foil and return to the oven.
6. Roast for an additional 4 hours, by which time the meat should be easily pierced with a fork.
7. Carefully drain the juices from the pan into a small saucepan. Using a spoon, scoop out about half of the onions from the tray and place them the saucepan with the the juices. The onions should be soft and caramelised. Set aside.
8. Place the foil back on the roast, then pop a damp tea towel over the foil. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Place the cornflour into a small bowl and mix with 2-3 tablespoons of cold water, until you form a paste.
10. Heat the juices and onions over a medium flame. Add the cornflour and water mix. Whisk continuously until the gravy has thickened. Remove from the heat.
11. Carve the roast into thin slices. It will be super tender but will hold its shape. Serve alongside the roasted carrots, the remaining onions and the onion gravy. Some crunchy roast potatoes and sautéed greens would also be a delicious addition.
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This is my absolute comfort food. It brings back memories of long lunches around my grandmother’s food-laden table on a Sunday afternoon where you would leave feeling completely nourished, in every sense of the word.
These are delicious served with thick slices of bread and a crisp green salad. You could also mix them through a bowl of pasta. Leftovers can be lightly warmed and tucked into a crunchy roll for a super satisfying lunch. ~ Lana
]]>For the meatballs:
180g day-old white bread, crusts removed, roughly torn into pieces
1/2 cup milk
1kg beef mince
Small bunch parsley (about 3 1/2 tablespoon), finely chopped
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic
60g parmesan, grated
olive oil, for frying
For the Napoletana sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
700ml tomato passata
small handful of basil, leaves removed
salt and pepper, to taste
To finish:
80g Mozzarella cheese, cut into smallish cubes
Extra basil leaves, to serve
Method
1. To make the meatballs, place the torn pieces of bread into a bowl and top with the milk. Scrunch gently with your hands so the bread is completely soaked through then set aside for a few minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed
2. Place milky bread and the rest of the meatball ingredients (except for the olive oil) into a large bowl and, using your hands, mix together thoroughly.
3. Roll into walnut sized balls and place onto a tray and set aside.
4. To make the sauce, place the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cooked until fragrant (30 seconds-1 minute), stirring constantly.
5. Pour in the passata, add the basil leaves and salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Let the sauce cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan-forced).
8. While the sauce is simmering away, cook your meatballs. Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the base of the pan. Carefully add the meatballs. Cook on all sides until browned, rotating gently as they become golden (they don’t have to be cooked through at this stage, as they will be finished off in the oven). You may have to fry the meatballs in batches as you shouldn’t overcrowd the pan.
9. Place the browned meatballs into a large oven-proof dish. Cover with the Napoletana sauce, making sure they are fully coated on all sides. Cover well with foil and place into the oven.
10. After 30 minutes, remove the meatballs from the oven. Take off the foil and evenly distribute the mozzarella over the top. Increase the oven temperature to 200˚C (180˚C fan-forced). Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
11. Let sit for about 10 minutes then serve topped with some extra basil leaves scattered on top, some crunchy bread and a crisp green salad.
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