Pulled Pork Goulash

The slow cooker, it is fair to say, has brought about a huge shift in cooking, for those of us who don’t have a lot of time in the evening to create wonderful meals.

I mainly use it for pulled pork to be honest with you, but I saw this next recipe on the telly, and tweaked it until it became a household favourite.

Leftover Pasties

So the Cornish Pasty has been around for many a year, made famous by the Cornish miners and their soot covered bellies.

Now, I don’t tend to stick to a traditional recipe, simply because it’s a leftover dish for me.

The Three Best Falafel Recipes, known to man

Considering I gave a whole book to my favourite food in Pizza, Falafel has been underused in the FatLad arsenal, yet it is my number two, all time favourite food.

Calzone Pizza

You know, I have been waiting to do this recipe for a while, because I very rarely make these, but yet eat a lot of them when I am out in restaurants.

Gourmet Pizza

Recently, myself and my lovely lady went to Seattle to holiday, and visit her Aunt and Uncle.

Simple Meatballs

If there is one food in life I go through alot, it’s beef burgers. But I always find there is a batch left over, and for that occasion, I make mini meatballs.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Whilst I have done pulled pork on a few different occasions for family and my lady, unfortunately I can’t get the barbecue out as often as I would like.

But it’s a wonderful meal, and one I would do time and time again.

But now it’s time to get out a new piece of kitchen equipment, the slow cooker, and what a find it is.

I’d say it’ll be used for other recipes too.

Ingredients

Pork Rub

• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Mustard Powder
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tbsp Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• 1 1/2 tbsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Garlic Granules
• 1 tbsp Onion Powder

The Pork

• 1kg Pork Shoulder

How to make Pulled Pork

You will need a slow cooker for the is recipe.

1. Put the pork on a board and remove the top layer of skin.

2. Make up the pork rub.

3. Cover the entire shoulder with the rub on both sides.

4. Add into the slow cooker, putting cold water half way up the side of the pork.

5. Put the slow cooker on low, and leave overnight, or for a total of 10 hours.

Pull the pork out into a large tray and use two forks to pull it apart.

Enjoy in a brioche with BBQ sauce and loads of cheese.

Vegetarian Bolognese

My first ever (bastardised) Italian meal was Spaghetti Bolognese, a wonderful staple of the student household.

There used to be vats of it in our student house, and I ate it for years, day in, day out.

Then (as you can imagine) I got impressively sick of it, and didn’t eat it again for many, many years. Until I created this vegetarian version, which I come back to again and again.

Ingredients

Vegetarian Mince Meat

• 200g of Mushrooms
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 100g Butter
• 1/2 Bag of Spinach
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Tomato Sauce

• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 2 Celery sticks, chopped
• 1 Carrot, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon of Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 1tbsp TomatoPuree
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Half a bunch/Packet of Basil

For the meal

• 200g of Tagliatelle
• 1 tbsp of Salt
• 50g Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Making the Mince Meat

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 5

1. Put the mushrooms in a baking tray and cover and coat with Olive Oil.

2. Chop the garlic cloves, and spread evenly amongst the mushrooms.

3. Cut the butter into cubes, and dot around the mushrooms.

4. Place into the oven, and cook for 30mins.

5. When cooked, put the mushrooms and all of the butter and garlic, into the food processor.

6. Pulse five times to cut the mushrooms up a bit.

7. Add the spinach in, and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Do not blitz to a paste so take your time.

For the Tomato Sauce

1. Chop up the garlic and add to a saucepan with the onion, carrot and celery, on a medium hob heat, frying gently in Olive Oil for a few minutes.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes to the saucepan along with the tomato puree, stirring it to mix, and leave to heat up to a boil.

3. At this point, add in the Balsamic Vinegar and the sugar and mix thoroughly. Leave the sauce to cook for 45mins.

4. At the end of cooking, add salt and pepper to taste, along with some Basil.

Bolgnese please!

1. Add the mince meat to the tomato sauce and simmer on a low heat.

2. In a large pan, fill it with water and add a lot of salt.

3. Place the pasta into it when boiling, and cook for as long as it suggests on the packet.

4. Drain the pasta and put into a bowl.

5. Cover the pasta with the Bolognese mixture.

Grate some parmesan over the top and eat, its as good as the meaty alternative.

The Origin of Bolognese

Bolognese sauce, known in Italian as ragù (alla) bolognese, or simply ragù, is a meat-based sauce originating from Bologna, Italy. In Italian cuisine, it is customarily used to dress “tagliatelle al ragù” and to prepare “lasagne alla bolognese“. In the absence of tagliatelle, it can also be used with other broad, flat pasta shapes, such as pappardelle or fettuccine. Genuine ragù alla bolognese is a slowly cooked sauce, and its preparation involves several techniques, including sweating, sautéing and braising. Ingredients include a characteristic soffritto of onion, celery and carrot, different types of minced or finely chopped beef, often alongside small amounts of fatty pork. Red wine and a small amount of tomato concentrate or tomatoes are added, and the dish is then gently simmered at length to produce a thick sauce.

The earliest documented recipe of an Italian meat-based sauce (ragù) served with pasta comes from late 18th century Imola, near Bologna. A recipe for a meat sauce for pasta that is specifically described as being “bolognese” appeared in Pellegrino Artusi’s cookbook of 1891. The ragù alla bolognese that is now traditionally associated with tagliatelle and lasagne is somewhat different from Artusi’s recipe. Many traditional variations currently exist. In 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine registered a recipe for authentic ragù alla bolognese with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce (incorporating some fresh pancetta and a little milk). In Italy, ragù alla bolognese is often referred to simply as ragù; and in Bologna, tagliatella.

Outside Italy, the phrase “Bolognese sauce” often refers to a tomato-based sauce to which mince (beef or pork) has been added; such sauces typically bear little resemblance to ragù alla bolognese. Whereas in Italy ragù is not used with spaghetti, so-called spaghetti bolognese has become a popular dish in many other parts of the world.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia

Pulled Pork

It has taken me three goes now to start my new BBQ, without the use of lighter fluid, as I don’t wish to degrade the taste of the food.

I have tried everything, and finally created a chimney of charcoal, which worked perfectly.

So what to do first? Pulled Pork of course. It was delicious, and it didn’t last long.

Hot & Smoky Vegetable Rub

I tend to roast a huge amount of vegetables on a weekly basis, whether it be roast potatoes or just a full blend of root vegetables.

I usually salt and pepper them, covering in oil, which is enough to gain a wonderful taste.