{mongolian lamb in hermie}

When I got married I was quite young and this meant that I had not lived outside of the family home yet. So, when I started living with Mr S all I knew how to cook were the things that my mum had made for us and showed me how to put together. 

The original recipe that this one is based on is one of the first recipes that I tried as a newlywed and it was so tasty that it made it as a regular on the turnover of dishes every fortnight or so. I don't know how it slipped off that menu but lately I'd been feeling like we were in a meal rut and when I looked over past menu plans of late, we actually were eating the same meals over and over again without much variety. 

I looked at my bookshelf full of recipe books for inspiration and found the book that this one was in. It has some tweaks done to it and has also been converted to be made in Hermie the Thermie. Enjoy!

2 gloves garlic, peeled
10 grams ginger (big thumb), peeled
450-500 grams lamb fillet, sliced
30 grams vegetable oil (canola, rice bran)
3-4 stalks spring onions, cut into 1 inch lengths
30 grams Shao Xsing Wine
20 grams soy sauce
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
chilli sauce (optional)

1. Add garlic and ginger to TM bowl. Chop 4secs/ speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl.
2. Add butterfly attachment. I do this as I find that the meat does not 'catch' on the blades as much and makes a better looking dish.
3. Add lamb to TM bowl and saute 8mins/ varoma/ stir speed/ reverse. Take OUT butterfly.
4. Add spring onions and all other sauces (including chilli sauce if using) and cook a further 5mins/ varoma/ stir speed/ reverse.
5. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables.

Serves 4 as a shared meal.

Bon Appetit xx

Note: I know that the lamb backstrap fillet is quite an expensive cut and when used in this dish, it very tender and juice. However, if you can't bear to part with $49.95kg, then my butcher also suggested using a mini lamb roast (at just over half the price) which he cut into strips for me. This is actually what I used this time and the meat was still very tender and not chewy.

{savoury and sweet pizza with hermie}

I love eating pizza. It's one of those meals that is so simple, starting with the dough base and then is transformed into something fabulous just from the toppings that adorn the top. Today, I've tried my hand at a classic meatball pizza and then with the dough left over, a chocolate and pistachio dessert pizza.

{DINNER: LAMB MEATBALL PIZZA}

Meatballs
250grams lamb mince
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 sprig rosemary, leaves only
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil for frying

Tomato Sauce
400grams tin of crushed tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Onions
onion jam from the "Everyday Cooking" Thermomix cookbook
If you don't have this, then finely slice 2 brown onions and caramelise in a frypan.

Cheese
1-2 cups sliced mozzarella cheese
handful of grated parmesan

Pizza Base
1 portion of the pizza dough from the "Everyday Cooking" Thermomix cookbook. 
2. Make the pizza dough as per the instructions in the cookbook. Set aside.
3. Place garlic & rosemary in TM bowl to chop 3secs/ speed 6. Scrape into extra bowl.
4. Add mince, salt & pepper into extra bowl with garlic & rosemary. Mix with hands and form small meatballs.
5. Place tomatoes, salt & pepper into TM bowl. Cook 10mins/ 100C/ speed 1. Once they are cooked, blend 10secs/ speed 7.
6. Preheat oven to 200-220C.
7. Fry meatballs in frypan until cooked through. Set aside.
8. Rollout enough dough to cover your pizza pan. Oil and lightly flour the pan and place base on top. 
9. Spread tomato sauce over pizza base. Add remaining toppings. Place pizza in oven and cook 12minutes or until cheese is melted and base is cooked through.

Serves 2.5 hungry people 

Lamb meatball pizza

{DESSERT: CHOCOLATE & PISTACHIO PIZZA}

This dessert pizza is a great follow to a savoury pizza. It's even better that it's made with everyday pantry and fridge items. It's inspiration is taken from the dessert pizza available from Melt in Adelaide. The pistachios used are one of the few nuts Mr S can eat but can easily be replaced by other nuts such as hazelnuts or almonds.

Topping
Extra piece of dough (depending on how large you want this pizza)
2 handfuls dark chocolate drops
1 handful crushed pistachios
cream & icing sugar for serving

1. Roll dough out as per previous instructions.
2. Place chocolate & nuts on top.
3. Dust a small amount of icing sugar over the top.
4. Place into pre-heated oven for 10minutes.
5. Serve with extra icing dusted over the top and a dollop of thick cream on each serve.

Chocolate & pistachio pizza

Serves 2.5

Bon Appetit xx

{lamb curry in hermie}

This curry comes from my husbands side of the family. The method was taught to me by my mother-in-law and husband and i hope i have done the conversion in Hermie justice. If the wafts of curry in my house are anything to go by, then it tastes fantastic.

2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled
big thumb of ginger, peeled
1 onion, peeled, halved
1 cinnamon stick
10-12 curry leaves (optional)
30g vegetable oil
meat curry powder (if you’re not using your own, Baba’s is quite good)
600-700g cubed lamb
150-200g water
100g coconut milk (optional)
2 potatoes, 3-4cm cubed (optional)
salt to taste

1. Place garlic, ginger and onion into bowl. Chop 3sec/ speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl.
2. Add cinnamon stick and curry leaves (if using). Add vegetable oil. Saute 5min/ Varoma/ stir speed / reverse.
3. Place cubed lamb into bowl. Put 2 large tablespoons of curry powder (or as much required to coat all meat). Add small amounts of water and mix until the powder turns into a curry paste all over the meat. This should be no more that 1/4 cup.
4. Add lamb to Thermomix bowl. Saute 5min/ Varoma/ stir speed/ reverse. Scrape down sides of bowl.
5. Add 150-200g of water to just cover the lamb. Cook 40min/ 100°C/ stir speed / reverse.
6. The curry will be quite watery at this stage so to thicken up, add salt, potatoes (if using) and further cook 15min / 100°C / stir speed / reverse with the MC removed. Taste and adjust salt if required.
7. If using coconut milk, add now and cook for 5min / 100°C / stir speed / reverse.

Serve with rice and other curry vegetable dishes.

Serves 4.

Bon appétit xx

Notes: Baba’s curry powder can be found in all good Asian grocers. It looks like this. This curry also works well with beef and chicken. Other great curry inspiration is found in Charmaine Solomon’s recipe books.