Little Meatballs in Rich Cheese Sauce

Here I am, at the last post from this marvelous book, Josceline Dimbleby’s “Marvellous Meals with Mince”, 1982. I followed this recipe too, light years away and enjoyed it very much. I am not into mince meat but these recipes made it so delicious and easy, thanks to  the wonderful cookery writer Josceline Dimbleby. Thank you. 🙂

Today it is all about cheesy cheese and if you ask me, this recipe reminds me a lot of a pizza. Just imagine the swimming meatballs in a cheese sauce that melts away and elongates as you extract a meatball, just like a pizza. Isn’t it deliciously nice looking?

Little Meatballs in Rich Cheese Sauce

Many little meatballs

Ingredients:

• 350 g/ 3/4 lb beef mince
• 100 g/ 4 oz semolina
• 2 rounded tbsp/ 4×15 ml tomato puree
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 2 tsp/ 2×5 ml oregano
• 1 tbsp/ 15 ml oil or fat for frying
• sare si piper negru

For the sauce:

• 25 g/ 1 oz butter
• 2 rounded tbsp/ 4×15 ml plain flour
• 600 ml/ 1 pint milk
• 225 g/ 8 oz grated cheese
• 150 ml/ 5 fl oz carton of soured cream
• 1/4 – 1/2 whole nutmeg, grated
• salt and black pepper
• grated Parmesan or extra grated cheese

Method:

• To make the meatballs, put the mince in a bowl and add the semolina, tomato puree, chopped garlic and oregano. Season generously with salt and black pepper and mix thoroughly together. With your hands form the mixture into small meatballs, each about the size of a medium-size marble.
• Heat the oil or fat in a large frying pan and fry the meatballs over a fairly high heat, turning them continually for 5-10 minutes, until dark brown all over. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a fairly shallow ovenproof dish (1 3/4 – 2 pint/ 1 – 1.1 litre capacity), such as an earthenware gratinee or flan dish, in which the meatballs cover the bottom fairly loosely.
• To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour. Then gradually stir in the milk. Put back on the heat, bring to the boil, stirring, and let bubble, still stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Then stir the soured cream and grated nutmeg and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour over the meatballs, covering them. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan or other cheese over the top. Cook in the centre of the oven, Gas Mark 4/ 180°C, 350°F for 45 minutes.

Enjoy your meal!

Elena G

Pernute in sos de cascaval

Ce ma bucur! Am ajuns la ultima mea reteta culeasa din cartea de bucate “Marvellous Meals With Mince” scrisa de Josceline Dimbleby, 1982. Ultima de acum muulti ani, ca nu se stie daca imi mai cade in mana si imi atrage si altceva atentia. Insa retetele culese atunci din multe carti, reviste, etc, mi-am dorit sa le pun pe un blog. Si incet-incet, poate ajung la un final. Cel putin cu cartea am bifat tot ce aveam. Sper.

Astazi va fi despre alte chiftelute, care inoata intr-un sos delicios de cascaval. Numai cand ma gandesc si deja mi se face pofta. Dar hai sa prezint reteta si mai vedem noi apoi.

Chiftelute in sos bogat de cascaval

Nici aici nu stiu cate ies dar ies oricum

Ingrediente:

• 350 g/ 3/4 lb carne tocata de vita
• 100 g/ 4 oz malai
• 2 linguri pline/ 4×15 ml piure de rosii
• 3 catei de usturoi, tocat fin
• 2 lingurite/ 2×5 ml oregano
• 1 lingura/ 15 ml ulei sau untura
• sare si piper negru

Pentru sos:

• 25 g/ 1 oz unt
• 2 linguri pline/ 4×15 ml faina
• 600 ml/ 1 pint lapte
• 225 g/ 8 oz cascaval ras
• 150 ml/ 5 fl oz smantana
• 1/4 – 1/2 nucsoara intreaga, razuita
• sare si piper negru
• parmezan sau cascaval razuit

Preparare:

• Pune intr-un bol carnea tocata, malaiul, piureul de rosii, usturoiul tocat si oregano. Adauga sare si piper si amesteca bine. Formeaza apoi cu mana chiftelutele, cam de marimea unei nuci fiecare.
• Incalzeste uleiul sau untura intr-o tigaie si prajeste chiftelele la foc mai tare, intorcandu-le continuu cca 5-10 minute, pana se rumenesc. Mute-le apoi cu o lingura de gatit intr-un vas rezistent la caldura, din ceramica de preferat, un pic mai adanc, in care chiftelele sa stea destul de lejer. Nu le place nici lor inghesuiala.
• Pentru sos, topeste untul intr-o cratita pentru sos. De fapt orice cratita e potrivita, dar unele sunt mai potrivite decat altele. :)) Intelegi ce vreau sa zic! Ia de pe foc si adauga faina. Toarna incet si laptele, amestecand continuu. Pune cratita pe foc, adu sosul la punctul de fierbere, amestecand tot timpul si lasa la fiert cca 3 minute. Adauga cascavalul ras si amesteca iar pana se topeste. Apoi amesteca in sos si smantana si nucsoara. Acum chiar miroase minunat! Mai pune sare si piper, dupa gust.
• Toarna sosul acesta delicios in vasul cu chiftele ca sa fie bine acoperite. Pune si parmezanul sau cascavalul ras deasupra. Introdu vasul in cuptor, la 180°C, 350°F, nr. 4 la cuptorul cu gaz pentru 45 de minute. Serveste apoi cu cartofi la cuptor sau legume fierte, o salata si inchipuie-ti ca te delectezi cu o pizza pentru ca fiecare chifteluta iese cu muuuult cascaval intiiiins.

Pofta buna!

Elena G

Meat Loaf with Blue Cheese Filling

As you are accustomed by now, after the translation of the recipe in Romanian, comes the original English one. This is a personal’s Josceline Dimbleby’s variation of the American type of meat loaf from her book “Marvellous Meals with Mince”, 1982. She recommends to try it with baked potatoes, cooked in the oven at the same time, and a green salad or baby carrots. Or all at the same time, I say. You can also check her other recipes I followed, such as beef and anchovy meatballs with soured cream , cheesy fish cakes with spring onions , mousaka with Gruyère cheese . In Romania there is something similar to this recipe, called “drob” and it has a whole egg inside, plus it is made with lamb meat. For a variation, you can follow this traditional drob , but please use Google translate or any other app for translating because it is in Romanian. I chose this recipe over other as I find it very easy to follow and I also learn some interesting facts, too, that are said the way I understand and like. 🙂

Meat Loaf with Blue Cheese Filling

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• 450 g/ 1 lb beef mince (please buy good quality beef and mince it at home or at the shop, if you want to)
• 75 g/ 3 oz finely chopped mushrooms
• 50 g/ 2 oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 100 g/ 4 oz streaky bacon, chopped finely
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely
• 1 tsp/ 5 ml oregano or thyme
• 3 tbsp / 3×15 ml tomato ketchup (the book mentions this but I find it hard to believe, though I may be wrong too, that it is the ketchup we know today  and it might be the tomato juice with pulp made at home or bought)
• 1 large egg (size 1-2), beaten
• salt and black pepper

For the filling:

• 100 g/ 4 oz Danish blue cheese (you can replace with any other blue cheese I guess, if you like)
• 1 tbsp/ 15 ml single cream or top of the milk (I find it hard to understand this top of the milk but probably others do)
• 1 egg, beaten
• a good pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp/ 3×15 ml tomato ketchup (same as above)
• a few sprigs of parsley, to garnish

Method:

• In a bowl mix all the ingredients (except those for the filling) together thoroughly and season well with salt and pepper. Grease a 2 lb (1 kg) loaf tin. Heat the oven to Gas Mark 4/ 180°C, 350°F.
• Spoon half the mixture into the bread tin. Crumble the cheese in a small bowl, mix well with the cream or top of the milk and beaten egg and add the cayenne pepper. Spread this on the layer of meat in the tin. Spoon the remaining meat mixture evenly on top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour and then remove from the oven.
• Turn up the oven to Gas Mark 9/ 240°C, 475°F. Loosen the sides of the loaf with a knife and turn it out very gently on to an ovenproof serving dish. Smear the loaf all over with the tomato ketchup and put back into the oven, cooking for 10-15 minutes. Serve garnished with sprigs of parsley.

Enjoy your meal!

Elena G

Paine de…cu umplutura de branza…

Stateam si ma gandeam cum sa traduc reteta aceasta. Am vazut pe net ca exista in majoritatea tarilor o reteta asemanatoare, cu alta denumire, iar la noi ar fi ceva care se numeste drob. :))  Reteta aceasta nu este exact drobul romanesc insa ca sa iti dai seama. Tradusa mot-a-mot este o paine de carne cu umplutura de branza cu mucegai albastru, dupa cum vezi mai jos. Culeasa din deja cunoscuta carte de bucate “Marvellous Meals With Mince” scrisa de Josceline Dimbleby, 1982, alaturi de chiftelele de vita si ansoa cu smantana , chiftelele de peste si mousaka cu cascaval Gruyere , a fost testata acum multi ani si era si ea pe lista mea de adaugat aici. Daca nu stiai, mai ai o idee acum cu carnea tocata. Scriitoarea mentioneaza ca este o variatie personala a painii de carne americane si ca oricum aceasta reteta este nu numai populara dar si usor de facut. Ca side dish recomanda cartofi la cuptor, copti in acelasi timp cu painea de carne sau legume fierte sau salata (sau daca vrei, toate la un loc).

Daca te apuci sa o faci si tu, fa o lista cu tot ce iti trebuie ca sa nu uiti ceva atunci cand mergi la cumparaturi. Apoi, branza asta cu mucegai, gandeste-te bine daca te impaci cu ea. Mie imi place orice branza cu mucegai insa nu e pentru toate gusturile. O poti inlocui cu un banal cascaval dar iti dai seama ca ratezi o minunatie ;).

Paine de carne cu umplutura de branza cu mucegai albastru

4-5 portii

Ingrediente:

• 450 g/ 1 lb carne tocata de vita (ma repet, stiu, e defect profesional – cumpara carne buna din magazin si roaga sa ti-o toace in fata ta sau fa-o chiar tu acasa in robotul de bucatarie)
• 75 g/ 3 oz ciuperci tocate marunt
• 50 g/ 2 oz firimituri de paine proaspata
• 100 g/ 4 oz bacon, tocat marunt
• 1 catel de usturoi, tocat marunt si el
• 1 ceapa mica, tocata marunt si ea
• 1 lingurita/ 5 ml oregano sau cimbru
• 3 linguri / 3×15 ml suc de rosii (cartea mentioneaza ketchup dar mi-e greu sa cred, cu toate ca s-ar putea sa ma insel, ca e vorba de acelasi ketchup pe care il stim noi acum si nu se refera de fapt la sucul de rosii)
• 1 ou mare, batut
• sare si piper negru

Umplutura:

• 100 g/ 4 oz branza cu mucegai albastru (Danish sau varianta romaneasca, care este la fel de buna, dupa parerea mea, sau orice alta varianta preferi)
• 1 lingura/ 15 ml smantana mai slaba
• 1 ou, batut
• un varf de boia de ardei
• 3 linguri/ 3×15 ml suc de rosii (same as above)
• cateva fire de patrunjel pentru decor (sau poti taia marunt o mana de patrunjel)

Metoda:

• Intr-un bol amesteca bine toate ingredientele (fara cele de umplutura) si asezoneaza cu sare si piper. Unge cu ulei sau unt o forma de paine. Sau de cozonac, cum am eu. Sau de chec daca ai. Dar sa fie suficient de mare ca sa incapa totul. Incalzeste cuptorul la 180°C, 350°F, nr. 4 la cuptorul cu gaz.
• Pune jumatate din compozitie in forma de paine. Marunteste branza intr-un bol, amesteca bine cu smantana si oul batut si adauga boiaua de ardei. Daca iti place mai piperat, cum imi place si mie, atunci pune mai mult. Pune umplutura aceasta peste compozitia din forma de paine. Adauga peste ea carnea ramasa. Coace totul in mijlocul cuptorului pentru cca 1 ora si apoi scoate-o.
• Mareste focul la 240°C, 475°F, nr. 9 la cuptorul cu gaz. Scoate paine de carne cu grija din forma, ajutandu-te si de un cutit si rastoarn-o intr-un vas/ farfurie termorezistent/a. Unge painea cu sucul de rosii si pune-o iar in cuptor pentru cca 10-15 minute. Serveste decorata cu frunzele de patrunjel. Si cu cartofi copti/ salata/ legume fierte.

Pofta buna!

Elena G

Beef and Anchovy Meatballs with Soured Cream

Hi! It is time to start Monday with a nice meal. For today we have a delicious recipe, on the house, of course, followed from  Josceline Dimbleby’s “Marvellous Meals with Mince”, 1982. It is tried and tested so don’t worry. You can accompany it with a glass of red or white wine because it has red meat but also white meat. And for desert, may I suggest the fruit that blushes when you cook it? Ok, is that all? Thank you, it will be ready in 10-15 minutes. You can enjoy the wine in the meantime.

Beef and Anchovy Meatballs with Soured Cream

I have not counted them

Ingredients:

• 75 g/ 3 oz white bread (or brown) with crusts cut off
• milk
• 350 g/ 3/4 lb ground beef
• 50 g/ 1 3/4 oz can of anchovy fillets
• 2-3 cloves of garlic cloves
• a handful of  parsley,  chopped finely
• flour
• 1 tbsp/ 15 ml oil
• a good blob of butter
• 150 ml/ 5 fl oz carton of soured cream
• chopped parsley to garnish
• salt and black pepper

Method:

• Pull the bread apart roughly and pour over enough milk to soak it. Mash with a fork until pasty. Add the ground beef and drain in the oil from the can of anchovies. With a sharp knife, chop the anchovies and garlic together very finely. Mix into the meat with the parsley and season well with salt and black pepper. With wet hands, form the mixture into meatballs, each about the size of a walnut, and roll in flour.
• Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Reduce  the heat to medium and fry the meatballs for about 6-8 minutes, turning them round all the time, until they  are a rich golden brown all over. Tansfer to a warm with a slotted spoon. Stir the soured cream with a fork and then spoon over the meatballs. You can use yoghurt for a light ans healthier choice. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Enjoy your meal!

Elena G

Pernute

Sa incep de luni, zic. Ma gandeam acum ca, virgula, chiftelele seamana cu niste pernute…de carne. Le pot zice si asa. 🙂 Azi continui periplul prin lumea pernutelor sau mai degraba a ceea ce poti face cu carnea tocata. In general faci pernute, pardon, chiftele, asa ca voi povesti despre o reteta delicioasa, care include si peste, asa, ca sa nu ne departam prea mult de aceasta “leguma” minunata. Reteta e culeasa si testata, asa ca stiu despre ce vorbesc. Sau nu? Oi vedea eu. E culeasa din “Marvellous Meals With Mince” scrisa de Josceline Dimbleby, carte aparuta in 1982 si despre care stii acum, ca am tot gasit in ea retete bune, din punctul meu de vedere. Mie mi-au placut, ramane sa iti placa si tie si sa decizi daca le vei face. Vezi si chiftelutele de peste din aceeasi carte.

Chiftele de vita si ansoa cu smantana

Nu stiu cate ies ca nu le-am numarat

Ingrediente:

• 75g/ 3 oz paine alba (sau mai bronzata daca doresti), decojita
• lapte
• 350 g/ 3/4 lb carne vita tocata (cumpara carne buna si toac-o la magazin sau acasa)
• 50 g/ 1 3/4 oz ansoa file (pentru ca e un peste mai costisitor, poti inlocui si cu altul, cu conditia sa fie un peste cu carne mai ferma)
• 2-3 catei usturoi
• o mana de patrunjel, tocat fin
• faina
• 1 lingura/ 15 ml ulei (il prefer pe cel presat la rece si ti-l recomand)
• o lingura de unt
• 150 ml/ 5 fl oz smantana
• o legatura de ptarunjel, tocat, pentru decor (si mancat)
• sare si piper

Preparare:

• Rupe painea in bucati si toarna suficient lapte ca sa se inmoaie. Amestec-o cu o furculita pana devine o pasta. Adauga carnea tocata de vita si adauga uleiul din recipientul cu ansoa. Cu un cutit ascutit, toaca ansoa si usturoiul foarte fin. Amesteca-le in carne alaturi de patrunjel si asezoneaza cu sare si piper negru. Cu maini ude formeaza chiftelele, cam de marimea unei nuci si rostogoleste-le prin faina.
• Incalzeste uleiul si untul intr-o tigaie. Cartea recomanda sa fie mai mare tigaia dar daca nu ai, vei face chiftelele in etape, nu-i bai. Redu focul la mediu si prajeste chiftelele cca 6-8 minute, intorcandu-le continuu, pana devin aurii-maronii pe toata suprafata. Transfera-le intr-o farfurie calda (sa fiu sincera numai la caldura farfurie nu ma gandesc cand gatesc insa este un detaliu interesant) cu o lingura gen strecuratoare (pentru a se scurge mai usor si mai repede uleiul). Pentru a fi sigur/a ca nu ai ulei prea mult ramas, poti pune cateva servetele in farfurie pentru a absorbi excesul apoi le transferi in alta, curata si evident, incalzita. ;)) Acum vine partea care te face sa iti fie foame. Amesteca smantana un pic apoi rastoarn-o peste chiftele si decoreaza cu patrunjel. Poti schimba smantana cu iaurt daca vrei o varianta light si mai sanatoasa. Ti-e foame? Serveste.

Pofta buna!

Elena G

Cheesy Fish Cakes with Spring Onions

Hi! Here is another recipe I discovered and followed, while abroad. I like to share my experiences with food, more as an enthusiast, and also to make them available to Romanian people, that is why you will find them translated too. Sharing is caring they say. I care, I guess. 🙂 I can talk about food so that it will make you heart melt and make you hungry instantly. :)) Let’s proceed and dive into a delicious recipe from Josceline Dimbleby’s “Marvellous Meals with Mince”, 1982. It’s very easy as you will discover and goes very well with a salad, a bit of mayonnaise or Greek yoghurt as a lighter and healthier choice. Your pick.

Cheesy Fish Cakes with Spring Onions

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 350 g/ 12 oz  cod fillets, fresh or thawed from frozen
• 75 g/ 3 oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• a bunch of spring onions
• 100 g/ 4 oz grated cheese
• 1 tsp/ 5 ml capers, chopped finely (optional) (you can replace them with green olives if you like)
• 4-5 pinches of cayenne pepper
• 1 egg (size 2) and 1 egg yolk
• butter for frying (the original recipe from the book mentions margarine too, but you already know my opinion about margarine, NOOOOO)
• salt

Method:

• If necessary skin the cod fillets  (if using frozen fresh fish this is much easier done before thawing) and mince or chop in a food processor. Put in a bowl with the breadcrumbs. Chop the spring onions finely, using as much of the green stalk as possible, and add them to the fish and breadcrumbs, together wiht the grated cheese and the capers.
• Season with salt and the cayenne pepper and mix all together thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Whisk the egg and egg yolk and stir into the mixture. With well-floured hands, shape the mixture into fairly small fish cakes.
• Heat a good blob of butter in a large frying pan. Fry the fish cakes (you will probably have to do them in two batches) over a medium heat for 5-8 minutes on each side until golden brown, turning carefully once with a fish slice. Transfer to a dish, pour over any extra butter from the pan and serve. (If necessary they will keep hot in a low oven perfectly well for an hour or so).

Enjoy your meal!

Elena G