Meat, Poultry and Game

Carnivorous recipes

Buttermilk Chicken Nuggets

Buttermilk Chicken Nuggets

Tasty chicken that can be oven baked or fried. The chicken can be left marinading overnight if you want to save time.

  • Time: 30 minutes (plus 2 hrs marinading time)
  • Complexity: easy

Duck Leg Casserole with Orange and Olives

Duck Leg Casserole with Orange and Olives

A marinated and slow cooked duck casserole which does not have a thickened gravy. It is sweet from the fresh sun ripened tomatoes, deliciously citrussy from the orange zest and juice with a briny saltiness from the olives. It tastes even better the next day.

  • Time: Marinade the duck overnight if possible. Takes 1 hr 15 mins in the oven.
  • Complexity: medium

Durban Chicken Curry

Durban Chicken Curry

A hot and spicy chicken curry, originating from Durban, South Africa. Unlike traditional Indian recipes, a Durban curry does not usually include cream, milk, yoghurt or nuts, and very little butter or ghee is used. In Durban oil is used, with a lot of chilli, cumin and coriander and the vibrant colour comes from the tomatoes. Potatoes are added too. This curry is always best the next day and in Durban might be served as a Bunny Chow, in a hollowed out loaf of bread.

  • Time: 40 minutes
  • Complexity: easy

Indian Spiced Chicken Kebabs

Indian Spiced Chicken Kebabs

Succulent chicken breast pieces marinated in Indian spices and yoghurt making, a very quick and delicious summer meal. Chicken thigh meat is great to use too, and possibly more tasty and succulent than breast meat. Use less chilli powder or cayenne pepper if you prefer less kick, although the amount in this recipe won't have you gasping for water! If you do not have all the spices in your store cupboard, don't worry, just substitute all of the spices with curry powder.

  • Time: 20 minutes plus cooking time of 10 to 15 minutes
  • Complexity: very easy

Lamb, Onion and Rosemary Skewers

Lamb, Onion and Rosemary Skewers

Leg of lamb is perfect for these dainty little skewers. Use small woody stems of rosemary and thread with the marinated lamb and onion. Make sure that the rosemary sprigs are not too fleshy or the meat will not thread. Grill over hot coals. This recipe makes 8 mini skewers, enough for 4 people as a starter or 2 people for a main course. Delicious served in pitta bread with some tzatziki.

 

  • Time: 30 mins plus marinating and cooking time
  • Complexity: medium

Moroccan Spiced Lamb

Moroccan Spiced Lamb

A traditonal spiced Moroccan lamb stew. Shoulder is the best cut to use and cooking on the bone is preferable as you will get a deeper and richer flavour to the stew. Serve with steamed cous cous or buttery mashed potato.

  • Time: 20 minutes plus 2 hours cooking time in the oven.
  • Complexity: medium

Plum sauce for duck (with fresh plums)

Plum sauce for duck (with fresh plums)

Fresh plum sauce really gives duck breast, or any other rich, fatty meat a lift. It's smooth, sweet yet tart. Make it as spicy as you like by adding schezwan pepper or chilli flakes.

  • Complexity: easy

Pork Pies

Pork Pies

Pork pies are much easier to make than you might imagine. Just a little time needed to prepare the filling and the pastry and some patience required with the crimping and sealing of the pies.

  • Time: 3 hours including chilling time for the pastry
  • Complexity: advanced

Rabbit (or Chicken) with Thyme

Rabbit (or Chicken) with Thyme

A simple supper dish which can be cooked in one pot.  Stir in creme fraiche or cream at the end of the cooking time for a special occasion.

  • Time: 2 hours
  • Complexity: easy

Red Poll Shin and Oxtail Stew

Red Poll Shin and Oxtail Stew

Red Poll is a native breed of Suffolk producing excellent beef. Your local butcher will be able to provide a whole oxtail and cut it into sections for you. Use well sourced meat that has been hung for at least 28 days. The stew must be slow cooked until the meat falls from the bones. Try and use shin if possible as although it takes longer to cook it makes a gorgeous more gelatinous, sticky and lip smacking gravy. It's a cheaper cut too.
This recipe is great for slow cooking on a camp fire fire and I always make it in my South African Potjie over smouldering logs. It works just as well made in a casserole or saucepan and cooked in the oven.

  • Time: Full cooking time is 4 hrs. Can be made ahead.
  • Complexity: medium

Rub for a Barbecue Rib-Eye or Sirloin of Beef

Rub for a Barbecue Rib-Eye or Sirloin of Beef

Spice blends, commonly called dry rubs are rubbed into meat before cooking. Some say that salt should not be included in a rub as meat should be dry brined by rubbing in salt a day in advance, in order for the salt to penetrate the meat. The spices in a rub do not tend to penetrate the meat but will help form the delicious spicy crust (or bark, as they call it down South). However as we are all so short of time in our busy lives, I make an all in one rub, mixing the salt into the rub and leaving it on the meat overnight in the fridge. Sugar is a matter of taste and needed to help caramelise the crust. I use just a little on beef. Experiment with your own spice blends and store in an airtight jar. Use a whole piece of rib eye or sirloin, or if you prefer individual steaks.

  • Time: 10 minutes for the rub.
  • Complexity: easy

Sage and Thyme Stuffed Rabbit, Baked Polenta and Cauliflower

Sage and Thyme Stuffed Rabbit, Baked Polenta and Cauliflower

This recipe comes from Head Chef Dave Wall and The Unruly Pig at Bromeswell. Suffolk.

You could cheat a little by asking your butcher for boned saddle of rabbit and even ask them to stuff it for you with pork mince.  Ask for the bones for your gravy!

  • Time: Allow 8 hours if you are pressing the Polenta
  • Complexity: advanced

Southern Fried Chicken

Southern Fried Chicken

Southern fried chicken, the American way, is usually deep fried but this is our shallow fried version which is finished off in the oven. Serve with blue cheese ranch dip and sweet potato wedges.

  • Time: 15 minutes to prepare 40 minutes to cook
  • Complexity: medium

Vietnamese Pork Meatballs

Vietnamese Pork Meatballs

 

Fragrant and delicately spicy, these meatballs are quick to make in a food processor and can be steamed or fried. Serve the steamed meatballs in an Asian style vegetable broth and the fried meatballs with a dipping sauce. Makes 45 meatballs. 1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce in the meatball mix and/or the broth will add a further depth to the flavour.

  • Time: 60 minutes which includes the steaming or frying time
  • Complexity: medium