Ancient Fare, Modern Look
Meat has been man’s main source of protein since out time of fangs and claws. Try one of these six savoury takes on an ancient tradition, the roast supper.
Recipes and story by Warren Hayashi
Man has been taking the time to hunt down and then put a wonderfully seasoned cut of meat onto a spit since the discovery of fire and into a heated oven since he discovered life could be a little easier around the home for his little Eve and a profit could be made selling everyone one of these new fangled contraptions, an oven you say.
The savour aromas of these six meaty delights will fill your kitchen with smells that will reach deep into the beast within your hungry tigers and bring forth ancient memories of sitting around an open fire eating a meaty fare or more recent memories of Christmas dinner with your family.
A simple and easy cooking method, roasting meat requires a little advance planning, but preparing and cooking a roast is a simple and efficient way to feed your famished tribe. The key to cooking tasty and tender roast meats is the choice of cut. The best beef and pork roasts are obtained from the loin and rib areas, while the truly premium cuts are beef tenderloin, prime rib, pork loin and crown roast of pork, all rich in fat and flavour but more expensive to obtain.
The leaner and more affordable oven roasts are the sirloin cuts, they are tender enough to benefit from the dry heat of roasting in an oven or over an open fire. If your planning on using a braising or pot roasting method you can use a tough cut of meat, such as beef chuck, top round, or a pork shoulder or butt roast, with deliciously filling results.
Select a young bird, the leanest pork loin, juiciest rack of lamb, or best prime rib or pot roast for these six recipes that offer a novel take on an ancient tradition. Be sure to check out the tasty side selections, they’re all created to cook in the oven alongside the roasts, saving valuable cooking time and energy for other thing.
1.
Lemon-Skin Garlic Roast Chicken
1 (5 pound/2.5 kg) roasting chicken
½ small onion, chunked
½ lemon, chunked
1 (4 inch/10cm) fresh rosemary sprig, cut up
Juice of ½ lemon
Peel of ½ lemon (no white pith)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh sage
½ tablespoon (3ml) coarse black pepper
½ tablespoon (3ml) coarse salt
2 tablespoon (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) liquid honey
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse black pepper
Coarse salt
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and let stand. Wash the chicken and dry thoroughly with towel and then trim away any exterior lumps of fat, you don’t want to eat this. Place chunks of onion and lemon and the rosemary sprig inside the cavity.
Combine lemon juice, peel of lemon, garlic cloves, rosemary, sage, black pepper, salt, extra virgin olive oil, and honey in a food processor or mini chop and process the mixture for 1-2 minutes or until herbs and lemon peel are finely chopped.
Use your fingers to loosen the chicken skin over the entire bird – over the breast and down over the drumsticks and thighs, and then spread the lemon garlic mixture from the processor under the chicken skin in as many areas as possible. Use kitchen string to truss the bird, tying wing tips and legs securely to the sides of the bird. Smooth olive oil over the bird, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a roasting rack in a shallow roaster. Place small squares of foil over the top of each drumstick. Place a loose tent of foil over the whole bird and roast for 20-25 minutes, reduce the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and roast for another 1-1/4 hours (Remove the 3 foil pieces about ½ hours before the end of the roasting time and use a large spoon to pour the juice on the bottom of the roasting pan continually over the roast for about 2-3 minutes). Remove chicken to a serving platter and let stand for 10-15 minutes to rest and retain its natural juices. Remove the string holding the tender bird together, slice the chicken into appropriate size pieces and serve while still hot.
Calories: 450; Protein 65 grams; Carbohydrates 8.7 grams; Fibre 0.5 grams; Fat 15.5 grams/per serving
Will feed 4-5 hungry people
2.
Stuffed Canadian Boneless Pork Loin
4 Portabella mushrooms, stems removed
3 red bell peppers, halved, seeded
¼-1/3 pound (125-160 grams) Provolone cheese, sliced
3 (1/2 ounce/14 grams) packages, fresh basil, washed
4-1/2 pounds (2 kg) boneless pork loin, in 2 equal-sized pieces*
2 red onions, sliced
3 red bell peppers, chunked or sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced
*You can buy a boneless double pork loin, but you will have to remove the butcher strings in order to add the filling and then still have to replace with strings of your own
Preheat the oven to broil. Place mushrooms and red bell peppers on a baking tray, toss with olive oil and broil until mushrooms are soft (remove them first), leaving peppers until they are black. Place pepper halves in a paper bag or cover tray with foil, until peppers are cool. Peel blackened skins from the peppers and slice the mushrooms, thinly.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Slice the Provolone cheese into thin strips and remove the basil leave from their stems. Trim the pork loins of all visible fat, place one pork loin, inside up, on the counter and cover with, first, a layer of roasted red pepper halves, then the slices of mushroom, then the basil leaves and finally, the slices of Provolone cheese. Press down firmly on the first pork loin, place the remaining pork loin (inside down) on top and press firmly. Cut 4 pieces of kitchen string and tie around the double roast at equally spaced intervals.
Make a rack for the pork loin to sit on by placing the red onion slices, red bell pepper chunks and garlic cloves in a shallow baker sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray and then place the double roast on top of this rack. Roast the pork loin for 20-25 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and roast another 70-75 minutes, then remove roast (with the vegetable rack) to a serving plate and let it stand for 10 minutes. Keep the strings on the roast while you hold it steady with a pair of tongs and cut thick slices. Serve on piles of the cooked vegetables with pasta, mashed potatoes or rice and a crisp green salad of your choice (cut slices thicker than usual, otherwise, the filling will fall out when you slice the pork loin).
Calories: 313; Protein 47 grams; Carbohydrate 4.7 grams; Fibre 1.4 grams; Fat 11 grams/per serving
This roast will feed up to 10 hungry people
3.
Middle Eastern Rack of Lamb
Couscous:
¾ cup (175 ml) tomato juice
2/3 cup (150 ml) couscous
3 small tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 eggplant, chunked, roasted*
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1/2 ounce/14 gram) package fresh mint, minced
½ tablespoon (8 ml) ground cumin
1 tablespoon (5 ml) coarse black pepper
Lamb:
1 (1/2ounce/14 gram) package fresh mint, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground ginger
1 tablespoon (15ml) ground nutmeg
½ tablespoon (8 ml) ground allspice
½ tablespoon (8 ml) ground turmeric
½ tablespoon (8 ml) ground oregano
½ tablespoon (3 ml) coarse salt
½ tablespoon (8 ml) coarse black pepper
2 large lamb racks
Extra virgin olive oil
Plain yogurt optional
*Roast the eggplant by chopping it, tossing it with olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking tray and roasting in a preheated oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit (250 degrees Celsius) for about 10-15 minutes. Keep the oven at the same temperature while you prepare the lamb.
To make the Couscous: Heat the tomato juice in a large pot on medium heat, or in a large bowl in the microwave, until it boils – about 1-3 minutes on high – then stir in the couscous with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 5-6 minutes. Add tomatoes, eggplant chunks, garlic, mint, cumin and pepper, mix well.
To prepare Lamb: Combine mint, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, turmeric, oregano, salt and black pepper and mix well.
Trim all fat from the lamb racks, smooth oil over the racks, front and back, and then press the herb mixture over the lamb racks.
Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place a square of foil in the baker, turning up the four sides to make a tray and then pile the couscous mixture in the foil tray. Stand the 2 lamb racks up on top of the couscous mixture, with the bones interlocking so the racks support each other and stand up together. Press the remaining herb mixture over the sides of the racks.
Place in your preheated 500 degrees Fahrenheit (250 degrees Celsius) oven for 10-11 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and roast for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes to rest the meat and retain the juices.
Slice the two racks into chops, between the bones, and then serve on top of the couscous mixture with a selection of green vegetables and a fresh tossed salad, and the yogurt on the side.
Calories: 611; Protein 76 grams; Carbohydrate 38 grams; Fibre 6 grams; Fat 16 grams/per serving
Feeds 4 hungry people
4.
Canadian Pork Roast with Barbeque Sauce
Pork:
5 pounds (2.5 kg) pork butt roast
Whole cloves
¾ tablespoon (4 m) ground cumin
2 tablespoon (30 ml) chilli powder
1 tablespoon (5 ml) curry powder
½ tablespoon (8 ml) garlic powder
¾ tablespoon (4 ml) cayenne
1 tablespoon (5 ml) salt
1/1/2 tablespoon (25 ml) paprika
1-1/2 tablespoon (25 ml) ground white pepper
Onions:
2 tablespoon (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 large white onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Balsamic vinegar
Sauce:
¾ cup (175 ml) red wine vinegar
1 cup (250 ml) bottled chilli sauce
5 tablespoons (75 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 cup (250 ml) Ketchup
2 tablespoon (30 ml) liquid honey
¼ cup (60 ml) packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced fresh garlic
1-2 tablespoons (5-10 ml) sambal oelek
2 tablespoon (10 ml) dry English mustard
½ tablespoon (3 ml) each dried thyme and oregano
½ tablespoon (3 ml) chilli powder
2-3 tablespoon (10-15 ml) liquid smoke
Place pork butt in a slow cooker and stud with whole cloves. Mix cumin, chilli powder, curry powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, paprika, white pepper in a dry mixture and rub all over the outer surface of the pork butt roast. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for about 8 hours, or until the roast is cooked through.
Remove netting around the roast, transfer pork roast to a plate of a board and use two forks to pull meat apart into shreds. Discard any pieces of fat and the cloves. Clean the slow cooker and then return the roast to the cooker.
For the caramelized onions, heat olive oil in a saucepan, add onions, brown sugar and Balsamic vinegar. Stir, cover and cook over low heat about ½ hour or until thickened and caramelized. Add red wine vinegar, chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, garlic, sambal oelek, mustard, thyme and oregano, chilli powder, and liquid smoke, bring heat up to medium, and then stir to mix well. Pour over the pork in the slow cooker, replace the lid, turn to high and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Serve over toasted bun of your choice, stuffed into bell peppers, over baked potatoes or sweet potato, with an accompanying fresh green salad of your choice.
Calories: 405; Protein 45.4 grams; Carbohydrate 20.3 grams; Fibre 2.3 grams; Fat 15.7 grams/ per serving
Feeds up to twelve hungry people
5.
Canadian Prime Rib of Beef with Herbs and Vegetables
3 large carrots, chopped
3 large potatoes, chopped small
3 sweet peppers, chopped
3 medium onions, chopped
1 garlic head, separated into cloves, peeled, sliced
5 fresh thyme sprigs
3 whole bay leaves
5 pounds (2.5 kg) prime rib of beef, bone in
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) coarse black pepper
1 (1/2 ounce/ 14 gram) package fresh thyme, minced
2 tablespoons (10 ml) dry English mustard
1-1/2 tablespoon (25 ml) minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon (5 ml) coarse salt
1 cup (250ml) dry red wine
1-1/2 cup (375 ml) Madeira wine
1 cup (250 ml) beef broth
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (250 degrees Celsius). Spray a shallow stovetop- safe baker or roasting pan with non-stick vegetable spray. Add carrots, potatoes, onions, sweet peppers, garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaves to the baker, arranging to make a rack bed) for the beef. Trim all excess fat from the roast. Combine pepper, minced thyme, mustard, minced sage and salt as a dry compound and mix well.
Smooth olive oil over the whole surface of the roast beef. Press the dry herb mixture onto the skin of the beef evenly and then place on the rack (bed) of vegetables in the roasting pan. Drizzle a little more olive oil and the rest of the herb mixture over the roast beef and then roast for 20-23 minutes.
Reduce heat after this time to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius) and roast for an additional 30 minutes per pound, for a rare interior, increase to 35-40 minutes per pound for medium or well. Remove cooked roast to a serving platter and let stand 10-15 minutes to rest and retain its juices.
Meanwhile, place the roasting pan on a medium-hot element and cook vegetables until you can smash them with a potato masher. Add wine, Madeira and broth. Boil for 10-12 minutes, until reduced. Press mixture through a sieve. Slice roast and serve with roast potatoes, vegetables and the sauce.
Calories: 842; Protein 67 grams; Carbohydrate 9.6 grams; Fibre 2 grams; Fat 54 grams/ per serving
Feeds up to six hungry people
6.
Beef Pot Roast
6 slices lean bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
10 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
6 pounds (2.5-3 kg) beef pot roast (chuck, blade, round, shellbone)
Coarse salt and fresh black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) dry red win
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (10 ml) sambal oelek
1 (28 fluid ounces/796 ml) tin chopped tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoon (25 ml) instant flour
3 tablespoons (45 ml) dry red wine
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp and then remove from pan. Add diced onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft. Remove from pan. Sprinkle roast on all sides with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. Use tongs to move roast around until it is well browned on all sides. Reduce heat and add bacon, onions and garlic. Add wine, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, sambal oelek, and tomatoes. Mix well. Cover, remove from heat and place in a 350 degree Fahrenheit (180 degree Celsius) oven for 4-5 hours. Remove roast to a serving platter and keep warm. Stir together the flour and red wine and stir into the pan over medium heat. Stir and cook for five minutes until sauce thickens. Slice roast and serve with hot sauce over, mashed potatoes, rice or pasta, with vegetables.
Calories: Protein 75 grams; Carbohydrate 12 grams; Fibre 1.5 grams; Fat 24.5 grams/ per serving
