Meat!

Let me start by saying I am a bit of a reluctant cook. I am sure most of you are superb chefs and these recipes are a bit passe. However that said, I am going to share my fail-safe roast recipes with you anyway, just in case there is another me out there.

For a fantastic meal you cant go wrong with slow roast lamb. My mother-in -law always does it for us and she is a superb cook so I just figured it was difficult, but it is not! So all you do is buy a leg of Lamb (for great prices I recommend The Bluff Meat Supply). Rub it in olive oil and salt. Put it in a roasting pan. Cover it with tinfoil and put it in the oven for 6 - 7 hours (depending on size) at 70 degrees centigrade. Don't touch it. You can crisp it at the end on grill for ten mins. You will be amazed by the result - it just falls off the bone. It is great that day with roast veg and potatoes and fantastic the next day with tzatziki in a pita bread.

For Fillet - the trick is hot and quick. Get your fillet and rub it with English Mustard and salt it. Heat Holsum in a roasting pan and then add the fillet and roast for 30min - 45mins (depending on size) at 200 degrees centigrade. slice into thick medallions and serve with green peppercorn sauce. Or shave it into thin slivers for a Fillet Ciabatta.

My friend Tom taught me how to cook gammon on the weekend and I tried it today and it is absolutely fab and easy. Get a gammon (Woolies or Mr Mozzies are good places). Place two liters of Coke-a-Cola  in a big pot. Bring the gammon to the boil in the Coke and then turn it down and allow to simmer for two hours. Drain and place in a roasting pan. Coat with any marinade you like (I used a mixture of teriyaki sauce, honey and spices) and roast for 20 - 30mins at 200 degrees centigrade to crisp and glaze.

Roast chicken rocks when you place flour and spices in a plastic bag and toss your chicken around in the mixture until well coated - then roast in Holsum at 180 degrees for one hour - basting in between.