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Recipe: Balkan Rack of Lamb in Sour Cream

11/04/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

There are parts of the Balkans that lamb just isn’t popular, however, there are regions in which dishes such as rack of lamb are simply adored. As with most cultural traditions and traits related to this region, food can be highly polarised. Now lamb is in season this foolproof recipe should provide you with a show-stopping meal suitable for any guest.

Ingredients

1 rack of lamb

50g butter

3 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp cracked black pepper

1 tbsp cornflour dissolved in a small amount of water

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp tomato puree

1 cup red wine

250ml lamb stock

1 bay leaf

Instructions

Mix the rosemary, salt and pepper into the butter

Rub the butter onto the rack of lamb

Pour wine and stock and place bay leaf into roasting tin

Place rack of lamb above stock

Cook in the oven according to taste (rare, medium, well done etc.)

Remove lamb from oven, cover and leave to rest

Put roasting tin on hob

Add cornflour to roasting tin and stir

When the gravy reaches a simmer add the sour cream and tomato puree

Carve the rack of lamb and place on plate with sauce drizzled over the top

Serve with seasonal vegetables

My Easy, Cheap, Georgian Beef & Chicken Shashlyk Recipes

06/09/201023/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Whenever I discuss what I do for a living, most people say in amazement, “Surely the cuisine of the region is no more exciting than meat and carbohydrates?” I spend hours explaining just how varied the food is across Central and Eastern Europe. When I talk about former USSR countries, such as Georgia, people are truly shocked how fabulous the traditional dishes are. However, there is nothing wrong with some basic meat recipes such as shashlyk skewers of meat. These are popular, in some form, in many countries, Turkey for one, but for me, they will always remind me of a wonderful meal in Ket in St Petersburg. Shashlyk can be served with a variety of sauces but they key is to get the meat tender and charred. Here’s my easy, cheap, recipe, inspired by the people of Georgia…

Ingredients

500g cubed meat (this can be chicken, beef – though make sure it is not stewing steak or it’ll be tough as old boots – or pork)

2 large white onions cut in quarters

4 bay leaves

1 tsp black peppercorns

Pinch of salt

100ml white wine vinegar

50ml Georgian white wine

150ml cold water

Instructions

Put the all the ingredients into a large bowl and leave to marinate for at least 3 hours

Rinse meat under tap to take away any harsh acidic taste of vinegar

Put meat on skewers (metal work best but as you can see from the photographs, wood will work too, just ensure they have been thoroughly soaked in water to prevent them burning)

Either put on a barbecue/hot coals to seal the outside of the meat for a minute on each side

Heat a griddle pan until it’s steaming, add a teaspoon of rapeseed oil (or vegetable oil but NOT olive oil) and seal the meat for a minute each side

Place in a hot oven (at about 180 degrees Centigrade) and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through but still tender

Serve on a plate with a sauce of your choice, buckwheat kasha and salad

Related Images:

Varna Chicken

14/09/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

This is a really tasty and healthy dish originating from Bulgaria. It’s super quick and requires few dishes so the washing up is limited! The chicken is smothered in a rich, herby sauce. Serve the chicken with rice to mop up all the wonderful juices.

Sacivi – Chicken with Walnut Sauce

09/09/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Sacivi is a Georgian dish with a thick sauce containing onion, garlic, walnuts, spices and herbs. Although this is a pretty easy dish to make, it requires plenty of time. The dish must be prepared in advance and chilled for 24 hours before serving. So it’s a good one to serve at a dinner party (particularly if you are serving a tapas or mezze style dinner) as it can all be prepared in advance and all you need to do before putting it on the table is add some garnish. Although this recipe uses chicken, a firm white fish such as monk fish or halibut are viable alternatives.