Homely Easy Food Makes a Come Back

Do you eat to live or live to eat? 
For me, it's always been the latter.
I love my food and I love being in the kitchen. If I could, I would be in there all day.
So faced with a redundancy and loads of time on my hands (Covid is still hanging in there) there has been a resurgence in one thing online - cooking. 

Cooking doesn't need to be hard or daunting. Friends have always been amazed at my dinner parties and online food posts. Home food that is made easily and goes down even better, is back!

So, why shouldn't I show you all my easy recipes? I wish I could cook like Heston Blumethal...but I'm more like Anthony Bourdain. Keep it simple.

As I was going to university in the early 90's, I worked in the kitchen of a Leichhardt Cafe/Restaurant. When I was asked to move from waitressing to cooking, (we were short staffed) my mother scoffed and told me to beware that I didn't kill anyone. Oh ye of little faith. 
I actually found my passion in that kitchen. The joy on customers faces as they had their first mouthfuls of food gave me a high. A sense of belonging. Anyone who has ever worked in hospitality knows this feeling and knows it well. If you don't, then I fear you were not made for serving.

Having married a man who had two teenagers, my cooking skills came quite in handy. They earnt me their first compliments and hopefully gathered us around the table, bringing us closer.

Well, here I am, serving you as well and keeping it simple. I will show you recipes that are quick and yummy so you can create them for yourself or friends and family. 

Stick with me and we'll hunt the globe together for good food.

 

Crumbed Lamb Cutlets - served with Fennel Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total: 50 minutes

Growing up, lamb was a very popular food in our family - as is with most. 

Mum and Dad would cook lamb roasts, chops, shanks and stews, just to name a few. 
This recipe is a mix of their crumbed cutlets with my fennel salad. They're easy lamb chops and the salad adds some creaminess to the breadcrumbs whilst eating.

Recipe - Cutlets

500g Lamb Cutlets - if you like them fatty you can use the normal store ones or buy frenched

Himalayan Salt and Cracked Pepper - to taste

200g Plain Flour

2 whole eggs - cracked and whipped

200g Breadcrumbs - mine are mixed with Panko Japanese bread crumbs

2 Rosemary Sprigs

4 Garlic Cloves - whole

Olive Oil

Method - Cutlets

Lie the chops on your cutting board and hammer thin. Add a sprinkling of salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.

Take three shallow bowls and add the flour to one; the eggs to the 2nd and the breadcrumbs to the third.

Dip each cutlet into the bowls consecutively (see video: ) until all are coated and crumbed.

At this point, make the salad prior to cooking.

Heat to medium a generous amount of olive oil in your frying pan and once hot, add the rosemary and garlic cloves to flavour.

Proceed by adding each cutlet into your frying pan. Turn down the heat once all the cutlets are in.

Check the chops and once a golden brown, turn each one over. 

If you find they cook better in one area of the frying pan to another, move them so they all have a lovely brown colour.

Once cooked, remove from the pan and place onto paper towels to remove the excess oil.

Recipe - Fennel Salad

1/2 Fennel Bulb - outside layers removed

4 Snow peas

1/2 Brown Onion 

1 Celery Stalk

1 Lemon

1 dash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp. Whole Seeded Mustard

1 tbsp. Aioli or Mayonnaise

Himalayan Salt and Cracked Pepper - to taste

1/4 Danish Fetta 

Method - Fennel Salad

Thinly slice the fennel bulb, snow peas, brown onion and celery stalk.

Set aside.
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze contents into mixing bowl, adding the mustard and the aioli. Salt and pepper to taste and whip until thoroughly mixed. 
Place the sliced salad ingredients into the bowl and stir until everything is coated in the dressing. Then add the fetta, crumbing it into the bowl and lightly stir again so it doesn't break up too much. 

When plating, use your hands to dome the salad. In this way, your hands will help. Place the cooked cutlets, bone up around the dome and add a sprig of rosemary for effect ;)

Happy Hunting!