Burek...my continental childhood favourite

When I was young my family lived in the very continental Melbourne suburb of Yarraville.  By continental I mean that there were many European food sellers that had opened up shop in the town’s main shopping strip.  There was a small Greek sweet shop – this was where I got to experience “death by sugar syrup” for the first time in the various baklava and sugary pastries.  A short stroll down was a “continental” bakery where Vienna bread and baguettes were always so soft and delicious when paired with some Polish sausage from the butchers.  One of my favourite Yarraville delicacies would have to be from another café style bakery near the station.  I sadly cannot even remember their country of origin, but I suspect it was Croatian or Macedonian based on their preparation of the best Burek I had tasted - by the age of 10 anyways! 
There was always something about the crispy filo pastry up top that just gave way when you bit into them and then you were on to the next layer which would be soft pastry dotted with spiced mince. It all ends with the pastry base which once again was crunchy and buttery, leaving shards of golden pastry all over the place.  Satisfaction was always painted on the faces of anyone who ate these delectable delights and appreciation was always represented by the mess of pastry crumbs on your cheeks and on the front of your clothes.
I don’t live near Yarraville anymore and on a recent drive through the main street, I am certain the café bakery is no longer there.  I have located a delicatessen in my area that does fresh hot Burek and I try to get in early on a Saturday to pick up my smallgoods and cheeses and secure myself a slice of their Burek.  I have to admit that theirs is not as special as the Yarraville one from so many years ago but without much choice of Burek alernatives, I cannot complain.  
I was most disappointed one morning when I was at the delicatessen and was told they were out of Burek and wouldn’t have any until the following week.  It had been a while between Bureks and I definitely had a hankering.  There was only one place nearby where I could guarantee some Burek – my kitchen! So with filo pastry, butter and minced meat in tow, I headed home to try my hand at a childhood favourite.
Ingredients
1 packet x Filo Pastry
300g x Lamb mince
250g x Butter, melted
1tbsp x Olive oil
1 x Onion, finely diced
2 clove x Garlic, crushed
1tsp x Allspice powder
1tsp x Paprika (Sweet or Hot. You choose!)
¼tsp x Cinnamon powder
½tsp x Salt
1tsp x Nigella seeds
Directions
To prepare the mince mixture heat the olive oil in a frypan and add the onion cooking until soft
Add the lamb mince and fry gently stirring to ensure there is no more pink
Now add the garlic and powdered spices folding through to combine all the ingredients
Turn the heat up a little and cook the mince to a nice dark brown, adjust seasoning if required, remove from heat and allow to cool completely
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
Prepare the filo by placing the entire packet’s contents between two damp kitchen towels
Use a metal pie dish or deep oven pan and butter the base and sides generously 
Place a sheet of filo pastry inside the pan tucking the excess evenly around
Use a pastry brush to paint the pastry with a splash of melted butter then add another layer of pastry
Repeat until you have used seven sheets of pastry then add half of the cooled mince mixture in one even layer
Repeat the seven pastry sheet process followed by a layer of the remaining mince mixture
Finish with another seven layers of the pastry 
Paint a generous splash of butter onto the top filo pastry layer
Sprinkle the nigella seeds over the melted butter
Place the pan into the freezer for 15 minutes then remove and cut into the desired serving slices
Do not cut all the way through to the bottom of the pastry, you need only go two thirds of the way
Place the pan into the preheated oven and cook for 40 minutes keeping an eye on the top layer to ensure that it does not burn.  You may cover with baking paper if it is browning too much
Once ready, slice the Burek into the preformed pieces and serve 

        

Lamb Rogan Josh

Some may regard Rogan Josh as the epitome of Indian Lamb curries.  You would be hard bent not to find it as a regular offering at your local Indian takeaway or restaurant menu.  It is the Butter Chicken of lamb dishes, for the Western world anyway!  Obviously due to its popularity, the dish has gone through countless iterations and ingredients can vary slightly, depending on who you speak to. The origins of the dish are notably from Persia and it was introduced to the Mogul kings in the Kashmir region of India.  Persian influenced dishes are favourably sweeter that the usual hot curries conjured up in the sub-continent's many kitchens.  Unlike many other dishes that get their sweetness from dried fruits and ultimately - the addition of sugar, Rogan Josh lends its sweet notes from the aromatic spices in its list of ingredients.  The name of the dish translates loosely to describe something "cooked in oil under intense heat".  I feel this is actually more of a misnomer than an explanation, as I am pretty sure most Indian curries are cooked in oil and under heat.  Nevertheless, the name has stuck and is firmly imprinted onto palates worldwide, none more so than an old colleague of mine who practically kept the local Indian takeaway in business by his frequent ordering of this dish repeatedly.  I promised him about a year ago I would get him a good recipe for Rogan Josh, so I hope it's not to late and he still reads my blog.  Here is my version of Rogan Josh or better named Sweet and Spicy Lamb - Nah! Doesn't have the same ring to it!   
Ingredients
1.2kg x Lamb, with bone, cut into rough chunks
1 tsp x Green Cardamom
2 pods x Black Cardamom
1 tsp x Black Peppercorns
1 tsp x Fennel Seeds
1 tsp x Cinnamon powder
3 whole x Dried Kashmiri Chillies (substitute 2 tsp x paprika)
2 tbsp x Ghee 
2 x Bay Leaves
2 pods x Black Cardamom
1 stick x Cinnamon
4 x Onions, finely chopped
4 cloves x Garlic, crushed
1 inch piece x Ginger, grated
2 tsp x Garam Masala
2 tsp x Sweet Paprika
1 tbsp x Salt
1 cup x Natural Yoghurt, extra half cup if required
1 cup x Water
1 bunch, Coriander leaves
Directions
Combine the seeds of the green and black cardamom with the peppercorns, fennel seed, cinnamon, and dry chillies in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Grind to a fine powder and rub over the lamb pieces, allow to stand for at least an hour

In a wide frypan or wok heat the ghee then add the bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon, fry for 30 seconds
Add the onions and fry, stirring frequently, until they are dark and caramelised - do not burn!

Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes then add the paprika and salt
If the mixture starts to dry add a little water to retain a little moisture as you fry
Place the lamb into the wok, folding the curry mixture through it 
Pour in the yoghurt a little at a time, incorporating it gradually

Add a little water if required to just cover the lamb, stir to combine then bring to the boil

This is now the time to transfer the lamb and spices to a heavy pot to slow cook it in

Turn heat down and simmer covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom catching

In the final 5 minutes of cooking add the coriander leaves and stir through.
Serve with piping hot naan bread or a bed of basmati rice. 

"As mentioned before there are a probably hundred ways to make Rogan Josh and who's to know the correct one - possibly a native!  This recipe follows the traditional spice and yoghurt ingredients typical of Persian cuisine.  Some variations include tomatoes and tomato paste which gives the dish a different taste again due to the acidity.  I have also come across a recipe which does not use onions and this impacts the overall sweetness."   

Greek Food Weekend...Opa!

Hot on the heels of a very successful French Food Weekend, and one from which we are still enjoying the spoils, mainly being Duck Confit and Duck Rillettes, it was time to head further down the Mediterranean Sea, to Greece, for some more culinary inspiration.  Was this destined to be another weekend of foodie joy hailing from the land of the gods Zeus and Apollo? Well I decided not to make it too labour intensive as there was a few other happenings around the kitchen this weekend being the one in September when our family celebrates three separate birthdays.  The first birthday to be celebrated is my sister’s and it was her idea for me to cook up a Greek storm to honour her 27^th annual celebration.

Happy Birthday to my sister Ro - She requested this Greek Feast so here goes!  

What to serve for the feast that was to be had for Sunday lunch? Since the weather is warming up a little it seemed like a good idea to keep it really informal and simple but tasty.  What could be more Greek than Souvlaki or Gyros (depending where you are from).  I decided on a chunky leg of lamb to marinate and cook to a juicy souvlaki filling and since we were expecting a small crowd, I put up a chicken dish on the menu too.  Paired up with a selection of fresh spring veggies and beautifully dressed Greek Salad, these “souvas” were going to be memorable.  For starters, Greek dips definitely had to be on the menu and some warm pita bread to carry them on.  No Greek meal for me would be complete without the sweet hit of flaky, syrupy Baklava to finish which also masks the relatively prominent taste of garlic that you are left with because you just had to ask for “Extra Garlic Sauce thanks!”

The menu looks like this (click on the items to take you to the dish)

Tzatziki Dip – A refreshing cucumber infused yoghurt based dip  

Warm Bean Dip – My Greek inspired dip enjoyed warm and made from Butter Beans

Lamb Souvlaki – Take one leg, marinate overnight and roast to perfection

Chicken Souvlaki – My take on a very flavoursome boneless chicken dish perfect in a souvlaki

Greek Salad – Chunky fresh vegetables, crumbly feta cheese, olives and a fresh dressing that just wows

Baklava – A spiced nutty mixture encased in layers of buttered filo pastry and soaked in a wickedly sweet sugar and honey syrup

By the way this cake was not made or decorated by me it was done by the Mrs. so I thought it only fair to show it off on this blog.

Lamb Souvlaki - Food of the gods

Charcoal grilled lamb has a beautiful aroma that you can smell a mile away and although this recipe does not use the charcoal grill it still has the potential to fill the kitchen with a very welcoming aroma.  Grilling meat to be eaten in unleavened bread dates back many years and the Ancient Greeks seemed to have a good knack of it and have passed these traditions down the generations.  Today you don’t need to be in Athens to enjoy a Souvlaki – why just the other day I was making a right mess of a souvlaki on Brunswick Street right here in Melbourne.  The humble “souva” is the go-to fast food, that Saturday night out-on-the-towners, who need a huge hit of sustenance in the early hours of the morning, after a big night, turn to almost religiously.  I must admit that it is one of my guilty pleasures on such nights that I surely regret the next morning - but will gladly do again next time.

Nevertheless, souvlaki can be enjoyed in the home and if you get the marinade right, turn up the music and eat this at odd hours, it is almost like a night on the town.  Or you could just have it for a late lunch as we did - and boy was it was good!  Start the day before with the meat marinating and 24 hours later you are bound for a treat as you dish up some home-made goodness.  I use a nice leg of lamb trimmed of any excess fat and opened up with the bone still intact.  If you do not like the idea of wielding a knife and carving into the meat then ask your butcher to do it.  The idea is to open the meat so that you can season the inside with marinade and then roll it back up as it was to roast like a big joint of meat.  It is advisable to use cooking twine to truss the meat on leg so that I stays intact through the cooking process.   

2.5kg Lamb, leg joint

½ cup x Lemon Juice

¼ cup x Olive Oil

4-5 cloves Garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp x Dried Oregano leaves

5 sprigs x Thyme, leaves picked

Store bought pita bread loaves

DAY ONE

Prepare the leg joint by cutting 1 cm deep gashes along the outer side

Cutting the leg open along the bone and turn it out so that the meat which was once rolled is now flat

Keep the bone intact as this will add to the flavour and assist in cooking.

Combine all marinade ingredients in a cup, stir well to mix

Massage the marinade into the inside of the lamb, apply a thick amount of the herb mixture

Roll the meat back around the bone as it was and tie with the twine to secure

Now work marinade onto the outside of the lamb especially in the gashes

Place the remaining marinade and any drippings into a plastic bag along with the lamb

Secure tightly and leave in the fridge for at least 12 hours

DAY TWO

Preheat oven to 220 degrees

Place lamb in a roasting dish with the marinade

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes on the high heat

Turn the leg over and turn heat down to 175 degrees

Cook for another 40 minutes and turn leg again

After another 15-20 minutes check the internal temperature with a thermometer

A temperature of 77 degrees (170 degrees Fahrenheit) is ideal

Remove from the oven and rest the lamb for at least 30 minutes before carving

Make up the souvlaki by taking a store bought pita bread loaf and filling with a generous serve of lettuce, tomato, onion and then topping this with chunks of lamb.  Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and garlic sauce (Yoghurt infused with garlic).  

Roll the pita up as best as you can and then chomp into it – there is no other way.  Keep napkins at arm’s reach because it is sure to get messy – but oh so good!