From a very unpromising 60p worth of Yellow Sticker Lamb hearts we created a meal which we’d had happily paid good money for in a restaurant. Restaurants, remember them?!
I’ll break this recipe into sections. It looks complicated but it’s not really and cheap as chips….
Stuffing ingredients:-
1 Onion, finely diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
50g of Mushrooms, sliced
4 Sausages, de-skinned
1 Egg, beaten
Chopped Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Margarine to fry
Sauce ingredients:-
25g Margarine
1 Onion, finely diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Plain Four (Gluten free for us)
1 Tin of chopped Tomatoes
75ml cheap Red Wine
175ml Beef Stock
Salt & Pepper
Main ingredients:-
4 Lamb Hearts
8 Rashers of Streaky Bacon
Margarine to fry
Method:-
(1) Get the grizzly bit out of the way first. With a sharp knife cut the unpromising pipes and walls out of the Hearts. You want a large open pocket to get the stuffing into.
(2) For the stuffing fry the Onion and then add the minced Garlic and fry until softened.
(3) Add the sliced mushrooms, Parsley and season with Salt & Pepper.
(4) Fry over a low heat until the Mushrooms have softened.
(5) Set aside to cool.
(6) Once cooled mix all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl.
(7) Stuff the Hearts with the resulting mixture.
(8) Wrap in the Streaky Bacon.
(9) Fry on all sides to seal in the taste and set aside on kitchen paper to drain.
(10) For the sauce fry the Onion and then add the minced Garlic and fry until softened.
(11) Stir in the Flour and stir to make a paste.
(12) Add the chopped Tomatoes, Stock and Red Wine.
(13) Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
(14) Pour about half of the sauce into a casserole dish and add the Hearts.
(15) Place in a pre heated oven at 160c, cover and braise for 2 to 2 ½ hours until the Hearts are tender.
(16) The remaining sauce you have in the pan can now be gently heated and wuzzed until smooth.
(17) When you have prepared the vegetables you are serving with slice the stuffed hearts and spoon the sauce over the top.
We had mashed Potatoes with Wholegrain Mustard as the base and crispy fried Kale with Sea Salt and Cumin seeds around the edge.
A Pork Hock at £2 doesn't in it's own right either sound or look very appealing. But cooked low and slow in a casserole it was taste and very tender The vegetable in the casserole were just what we had in the fridge, any firm root vegetable will do at long as they won't turn to mush.
When I worked in the butchers many moons ago we bought Pork Hock in 20Kg boxes, bagged them and broiled them in their own juices over night in the Ham Boiler. They never lasted long in the hot counter..... Customers wandering round town with greasy chops and fingers!
Ingredients:-
1 Pork Hock
2 small Onions roughly sliced
2 Carrots cut into think batons
¼ of a Celeriac thickly sliced
1 stock cube
1 tin of Kidney Bean
Salt & Pepper
Chilli flake
Oil to rub
Method:-
(1) Dissolve the stock cube in a pint of boiling water and add a little salt and pepper.
(2) Layer the vegetable and Kidney Beans in a casserole dish.
(3) Mix the Chilli Flakes and oil are rub over the skin.
(4) Lay the meat over the vegetables and beans and pour the stock around. Add a little move hot water if the vegetables aren't submerged.
(5) Place in the oven and cook uncovered at 160c for hours. Hours and hours. Do a couple of wash loads, paint the spare room, write a book. You know, hours and hours!
(6) Once in a while baste the meat with a little of the stock.
When the meat is falling off the bone you're good to serve. We had ours with Garlic New Potatoes and deep fried Savoy cabbage to add a little colour.