AMERICAN SOUTHERN STYLE MEAT LOAF
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup onion, diced fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup red capsicum, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or green spring onion
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or dried thyme
1 kg minced beef (or other ground meats)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Pick Me Up)
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius. Line a rectangular baking/bread tray with greaseproof paper. Lightly coat with a little of the olive oil.
2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frypan over medium heat. Sauté the onions, garlic and bay leaf until the onions are tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the capsicum and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and cook for another 2 minutes, combine well.
4. Remove pan from the heat and let the onion mixture cool. Discard the bay leaf.
5. In a large bowl, combine the minced beef, eggs, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of tomato ketchup, the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and the cooled onion mix. Use your hands to mix everything together.
6. Transfer the mixture to the lined baking tray, smooth out and coat with remaining tomato ketchup
7. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the meat loaf is firm. Let set for about 5 minutes before slicing
8. Serve with a fresh garden salad or use as a sandwich or long loaf filling
SMOKED PORK BELLY IN PEACH TEA BRINE
Reprinted with permission from award-winning Chris Lilly’s Fire & Smoke: a pitmaster’s secrets. This recipe needs to be prepared a day ahead and is best suited to wood fire ovens or charcoal babrbecues to get that smokey flavour. The recipe has been simplified and adapted for the Fijian kitchen.
1 x 2kg slab of fresh pork belly, skin on
Peach Tea Brine
1 litre “Liptons” peach or mango iced tea
1/2 cup sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 tablespoons dried thyme)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary)
2 bay leaves; 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Dry Rub
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1. In a large saucepan, bring the peach tea brine to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside to cool.
2. Wash and pat dry the whole pork belly and place into a deep long tray. Pour over the cooled peach tea brine, cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 10 hours)
3. Start a charcoal fire and allow embers to die down. Move charcoal to one side so pork may sit next to the fire, not directly in the flames. The heat should be around 110 Celsius for slow cooking.
4. In the meantime, combine the dry rub ingredients.
5. Remove the pork from the brine liquid and apply the dry rub to all sides of the belly except the skin.
6. Place pork on a metal tray and roast covered for approximately one and a half to two hours on a slow heat.
7. Remove when tender, serve with root crop vegetables and a tropical salad of greens and fruit, and barbecue sauce.
15 MINUTE BARBECUE SAUCE
(Re-printed with permission from award-winning Chris Lilly’s Fire & Smoke: a pitmaster’s secrets.)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce (Pick Me Up)
1 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon molasses or golden syrup
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha chilli sauce (available from Chinese stores)
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed firm
1. In a non-reactive stainless steel saucepan, combine the vinegars and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil and reduce to simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes
2. Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Pour the sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.
