As my regular followers may have noticed (hi, me), it’s been a while since I last took a picture of my dinner and gave a kitchen appliance a name and pretended it was my boyfriend.
Well, I’m staying with my parents in Reading for a few weeks, which means I don’t do nearly as much cooking. The eating level, however, has remained consistently high. ‘But how?’ you will, for rhetoric’s sake, no doubt be asking. ‘If you’re not cooking then how do you eat?’. To which, of course, the traditional answer is ‘Awful!’ and then we’d have a good laugh and watch Kindergarten Cop.
But no. I’m eating very well, thank you, and I shall tell you for why.
Mother dearest, after several minutes of arguing over whether or not she would let me take a picture (I won).
Mother dearest, after several minutes of arguing over whether or not she would let me take a picture (I won).
Today we will have an entry from guest blogger Mrs L, who will be cooking hearts.
What with my dad being a vegetarian, mum gets all excited when one of the kids comes home as it means it’s worth her while to get some meat in. It’s even better when I bring Pete ‘The Meat’ with me, as he has something of a carnivorous appetite. I think it was mum who first suggested having hearts, but Pete was equally enthusiastic, and I think they succeeded in making my father look fairly nauseous while he tucked into a chive omelette.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
STUFFED LAMB’S HEARTS
Can’t see this appealing to everyone in the world but those of a less nervous disposition, and who indulge in the odd offal-fest, should give this a go. The texture is a cross between liver and steak – it’s quite dense and not as strong tasting as other edible organs and really quite delicious. Honest.
Mum used to cook these for Sunday dinner back in the 60s. The stuffing was straight out of the Paxo box. I can’t say I ever saw her actually standing there and shoving stuffing into the ventricles and have an idea that dad used to the do the dirty deed. When I tried this it took me a few minutes to work out where the stuffing went – there are enough pockets to accommodate said stuffing, so use your initiative. I made my own breadcrumb stuffing, but you can use what you want obviously. They don’t take long to cook and they’re cheap and not particularly fatty, so a good all rounder, providing you like the flavour of course.
First time for this one was fairly recently when I was whisked back to the 60s and Sunday afternoon wireless just from the aroma whilst the hearts were roasting. We used to have roast spuds as well, but a nice dollop of mash with good gravy also does the trick.
Allow one lamb’s heart per person
Stuffing for 4 hearts:150 gms breadcrumbs1 small onion, finely chopped4 mushrooms, finely chopped1 tsp dried rosemary1 tsp dried sage1 small clove garlic, crushedsalt and pepper sunflower oil water
Heat about 2 tsps of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and mushroom gently until both are soft. Season. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the herbs and garlic and more seasoning and mix. Add the softened onion and mushrooms and give a good mix. Add about a tablespoon of water and a tablespoon of oil and mix. The mixture should all come together but add more oil if it’s too dry.
Make sure the hearts are washed and dry. Put the stuffing in any of the heart’s orifices you find, packing it down quite tightly – this may cause some frustration as it tends to ooze out of one orifice as you’re packing it into another, but persevere with it, and place in a roasting dish. If there’s any left over stuffing it can go in the roasting tin with the hearts. Give another sprinkling of oil and seasoning and place in oven, Gas 4 for about 45 mins. Let them rest in a warm place for about 10 mins before serving.
Can’t see this appealing to everyone in the world but those of a less nervous disposition, and who indulge in the odd offal-fest, should give this a go. The texture is a cross between liver and steak – it’s quite dense and not as strong tasting as other edible organs and really quite delicious. Honest.
Mum used to cook these for Sunday dinner back in the 60s. The stuffing was straight out of the Paxo box. I can’t say I ever saw her actually standing there and shoving stuffing into the ventricles and have an idea that dad used to the do the dirty deed. When I tried this it took me a few minutes to work out where the stuffing went – there are enough pockets to accommodate said stuffing, so use your initiative. I made my own breadcrumb stuffing, but you can use what you want obviously. They don’t take long to cook and they’re cheap and not particularly fatty, so a good all rounder, providing you like the flavour of course.
First time for this one was fairly recently when I was whisked back to the 60s and Sunday afternoon wireless just from the aroma whilst the hearts were roasting. We used to have roast spuds as well, but a nice dollop of mash with good gravy also does the trick.
Allow one lamb’s heart per person
Stuffing for 4 hearts:150 gms breadcrumbs1 small onion, finely chopped4 mushrooms, finely chopped1 tsp dried rosemary1 tsp dried sage1 small clove garlic, crushedsalt and pepper sunflower oil water
Heat about 2 tsps of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and mushroom gently until both are soft. Season. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the herbs and garlic and more seasoning and mix. Add the softened onion and mushrooms and give a good mix. Add about a tablespoon of water and a tablespoon of oil and mix. The mixture should all come together but add more oil if it’s too dry.
Make sure the hearts are washed and dry. Put the stuffing in any of the heart’s orifices you find, packing it down quite tightly – this may cause some frustration as it tends to ooze out of one orifice as you’re packing it into another, but persevere with it, and place in a roasting dish. If there’s any left over stuffing it can go in the roasting tin with the hearts. Give another sprinkling of oil and seasoning and place in oven, Gas 4 for about 45 mins. Let them rest in a warm place for about 10 mins before serving.
Mrs L
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, don’t eat the hearts but use them as interesting decorations instead. A couple of years ago mum had the idea of nailing some hearts to the door for Halloween. We live down the road to a cemetery so it seemed apt to keep the atmosphere macabre. The finishing touch was going to be attaching a TENS machine to them (it uses electric currents to relieve muscle pain) and start them beating again, but the pads kept on falling off. It was a shame, but a valiant attempt nevertheless.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete