We were talking about cooking in the chat recently, so why not have a recipe topic?
This one's probably not for beginners. It's a family recipe that I had to convince my mum to let me share.
Here we go!
Lamb BriouatesCast:
1 Kilo of lamb mince
1 smallish tablespoon of oil
1 Finely chopped onion
1 Heaped tablespoon of chopped fresh corriander
2 Heaped tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
Half a teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of ground corriander
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 eggs
A box of filo pastry sheets
Butter
Cinnamon
Sugar
Tamarind syrup
Crew:
1 large nonstick saucepan
1 Wooden spoon
1 Collander
1 Pastry brush
1 Microwave safe bowl
1 Large baking tray
Baking paper
1 Large appetite
Act 1:
Scene 1: First combine the lamb, oil and chopped onion in a nonstick pan and cook on a stove top on a medium heat. I use spanish/red onion because I like the milder taste, but use regular onion if you like.
Scene 2: While the lamb starts to brown, chop the and add the corriander and parsley, aswell as the dried paprika, ginger and corriander.
Scene 3: Regularly stir the mixture until the lamb has browned throughout. Once it's cooked, drain the fat (lamb can be very fatty) from the mixture in a collander and allow to cool.
Scene 4: Once the mixture has cooled, add the eggs and stir them through thouroughly. These help the mixture to cling into lumps.
End of Act 1.
Intermission:
Now the next step can be tricky and requires some keen origami abilities, so if you aren't comfortable with pastry rolling you can always serve the mixture in a taco or tortilla with the usual co-stars. Here's a step by step guide for the brave pastry makers (which can also be used to make spring rolls or spinach and feta pastries):
Act 2:
Scene 1: Melt some butter (maybe a hundred grams?) in a microwave safe bowl and lay a single sheet of filo pastry on a clean benchtop. Line the tray with baking paper aswell.
Scene 2: Using the pastry brush spread some melted butter in a square shape over the edges of the lower half of the pastry sheet. I'm using way more than you actually need in these photos to make sure it actually shows up in the pictures.
Scene 3: Fold the pastry in half. The butter will hold it in place.
Scene 4: Place a spoonful of lamb on the in the middle of the top of the pastry. It should take up about one third of the width.
Scene 5: Brush some melted butter in a "U" shape across the edges of the pastry.
Scene 6: Fold the left hand side of the pastry over so that the top covers the filling.
Scene 7: Fold the right hand side over in the same way.
Scene 8: Brush some melted butter from the bottom of the filling bundle down to the bottom edge of the pastry.
Scene 9: This is the difficult part. Gently hold the top of the pastry where the filling bundle is at the top. Do this with the finger tips of both hands and gently roll the bundle down until the parcel is securely wrapped.
Scene 10: Repeat until you have enough pastries to feed a dinner party, apparently. Cook the tray of pastries in the oven until they brown on top, then turn them over and cook until they're brown on the underside.
Scene 11: Sprinkle a mix of cinnamon and sugar (I think I used about one part cinnamon to eight parts sugar) and then drizzle with tamarind syrup. Tamarind syrup is imported from Lebanon and can usually be found at all the cool specialty food stores (I get mine from a middle-eastern bakery). Trust me, tamarind syrup is worth buying. It's so delicious.
Scene 12: This recipe makes enough pastries to feed a dinner party and can be frozen and reheated in the oven if you have leftovers. They're also great for when friends drop in for a chat and a bite to eat, like these guys did while I was cooking!
Anyone else have any yummy taste sensations to share?
