Uyghur lamb skewers

I first came across Uyghur food during my post graduate university days. On a cold night, my boyfriend now hubby came across this small restaurant with the ceiling covered in the grapes and vine leaves diagonally opposite UTS Library. Sorry to say this place no longer exists. It was at that restaurant, I was introduced to the mouth numbing use of Sichuan pepper, braised and steamed dumplings, handmade noodles, the most tender lamb skewers and delicious chicken potato stew dish.

There are many Uyghur restaurants in Chinatown, Haymarket with their giant tapestries, plastic tablecloths, ceiling covered in vine leaves and cheap décor but the food is what people come here for time and time again.

So who or what is Uyghur you may say. The Uyghurs are a mainly Turkic people whose home is in Central Asia, between Kazakhstan and Mongolia, just north of Tibet in Xinjiang. They're one of more than 50 ethnic minorities in China and speak their own language, Uyghur.

The food is delicious and very comforting. With sciatic nerve issues with walking, it has been harder to go out for dinner so I thought I would try and bring Uyghur food to me with attempting the spice mix on the lamb kebabs that will have you salivating.

The spice mix hits it on the nail and is so good. I dare you try it for yourself.  These are perfect with the eggplant fattoush salad.

Ingredients

1 kg diced lamb (I've tried neck, leg which has worked a treat so far)

3 tbs cumin seeds
2 tbs fennel seeds
1 tbs chilli powder with seeds
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tsp of powdered garlic
2 tsp salt

3 cloves of garlic
2cm knob of ginger

Method

1. Place 20 skewers in water so these don't burn when you place these lamb skewers on the bbq.

2. Make the seasoning by pounding together, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, chilli powder, powder garlic in a mortle and pestle and set aside.

3. Add garlic and ginger to the mortar and pestle and pound to a paste is formed.

3. Add the garlic and ginger paste with the powdered spices to massage the seasoning into the diced lamb.

4. Skewer the marinated lamb meat onto the skewers.

5. Put the skewers on the bbq grill and cook for 4 minutes and then turn them. Continue grilling until meat is cooked through, approximately 8-10mins in total.

6. Wait til they a slightly cooled and devour with salad.

Rabbit terrine

I've made a few terrines now and it's especially good when shared with friends and family. I love being in control of the mincing since I received a sausage mincer attachment for my birthday. Great present sis.

With a trip to Tathra on the agenda, my contribution was going to be a rabbit terrine. I sourced my ingredients from Vic's Meats, Fish Markets and they happily deboned the rabbit and kept the livers for me to use. If you can't get your hands on pork cheek, then go with pork shoulder. I also love making a pork terrine with pistachios but that will be for another post.

The secret to making this terrine according to charcutier Romeo Baudouin from Victor Churchill, Woollahra, is to have the right balance of lean meat and fat in the mixture, and also to weigh out the meats after you have trimmed them to ensure you have the right ratio of mixture to salt. Full of flavour with armagnac, wine, shallots and herbs, the terrine is fabulous served with cornichons and good sourdough.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

300 g boneless rabbit meat, diced
100 g rabbit livers, cleaned and diced
300 g trimmed pork cheek (or pork shoulder), diced
300 g skinless pork fat (ideally from the loin), diced
18 g sea salt
2 g freshly ground black pepper (about 1 teaspoon)
1 tbsp armagnac
1 tbsp white wine

100 g French shallots, finely diced
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ bunch tarragon, finely chopped
¼ bunch chervil, finely chopped
¼ bunch chives, finely chopped 
100 g egg whites (from 3–4 eggs)
6 thin slices of lardo or pancetta (I used 18 slices of pancetta)
100 g caul fat (I actually don't use this and use additional pancetta to wrap the mix)

Glaze (optional)
5 gold-strength gelatine leaves
250 ml chicken stock

Method

Marinating overnight

1. Combine the rabbit, liver, pork cheek, pork fat, salt, pepper, armagnac and wine in a large bowl. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

2. The next day, push the meat through the coarse plate of a mincer into another large bowl. Add the shallots and herbs and mix well with your hands, then mix in the egg whites.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

4. Line the base of a terrine dish with the lardo or pancetta, if using. Take handfuls of the meat mixture and throw them into the terrine from a short distance, to ensure the meat goes into the dish without any air pockets (which can oxidise the terrine).

Unmoulded terrine

5. Continue doing this until you have put all the meat in the terrine. Use damp hands to smooth the top of the terrine and slightly mound it up like a loaf of bread. Then cover the top with extra pancetta to keep the shape of the terrine. (If you use the caul fat- Cover the terrine with a layer of caul fat, trimming the fat to just bigger than the dish. Tuck the edges of fat down the sides of the terrine to thoroughly encase it. The caul fat helps to keep the shape of the terrine.)

6. Place the terrine in a deep dish and bake in the oven until the top has nicely coloured to brown (about 20 minutes). Pour boiling water into the dish to surround the terrine and come halfway up the sides, and reduce the oven temperature to 100°C.

7. Bake until the internal temperature of the terrine reaches 75°C when tested with a meat thermometer (about 2-2½ hours). Leave the terrine to cool.

8. To make the glaze, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5–10 minutes. Bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Take the gelatine from the bowl, squeeze out the excess water, and stir into the hot stock until dissolved. Leave to cool until the mixture starts to thicken and set, then pour over the terrine.

9. Refrigerate the terrine for 24 hours before serving in slices.

10. Will last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge if it lasts that long.

My delicious rabbit terrine

 

Handy Hints

Start a day in advance to marinate the meat.

Serve terrine up with cornichons, pickled celery and crusty bread