Originally Posted by
Bruce
I was trying to put the most basic thing I could think of on here :wink: . I am not married but live with my GF, Cuisine is high on our agenda. We are off to the Three Chimneys on Skye later this year, Anyone Been?
I love 'basic'. Too many people try to complicate food, either with too many ingredients or too much messing about. This latter is particularly true of cookery programs :evil:
Here's my simple recipe and method for a basic and complete meal, Kleftiko. Simple ingredients, simple preparation, simple cooking and a truly fantastic taste; that I promise you................
For each person you'll need
4 or 5 Lamb Cutlets. (I buy complete racks and cut the cutlets off myself - cheaper and better)
1/2 of a lamb neck fillet, cut into two pieces.
6 New Potatoes.
2 Medium Sized Carrots, quartered.
6 Shallots, peeled.
3 Cloves of Garlic skinned and left whole.
4 or 5 Black Olives (Kalamata preferably).
4 or 5 Green Olives.
4 or 5 Pieces of Sun-dried Tomato.
A sprig or two of your favourite herb.
Preparation - about 5 minutes, tops :)
For each person, take two sheets of cooking foil and form a cross - shiny side up, most important.
Put a small, (and I nean SMALL), sprinkle of olive oil on the foil then make a pyramid of the ingredients. No particular order, just mix them up nicely).
A good seasoning of salt and black pepper, then add a sprig or two of your favourite herb, (here I'm using Italian Basil, but this meal works well with any fresh herb, Origano, Thyme, Rosemary - whatever you have handy).
Now drizzle the whole lot with a little, (and I mean a LITTLE), olive oil then screw up the foil to completely enclose the whole meal. Make sure it's fully closed and than none of the cutlet bones are sticking through the foil.
Place the parcels in a pre-heated oven at 150 degrees C for one and a quarter hours.
Remove from the oven and simply place a complete foil parcel, still sealed, on each plate and serve as-is. Eat it out of the foil, the aromas are fabulous.
I haven't included a picture of the finished article, I'll leave that to your imagination in the hope that you'll be tempted to try it and see just how good a simple meal can be. It's a fantastic meal, simple all the way from preparation to presentation. Enjoy. :D