An enormous heartfelt thanks for the messages of support following the news of Dozer’s condition. I don’t have the words to properly express how much it meant to me and never imagined I would find myself in a position where I felt such overwhelming support from all corners of this big wide world. I will continue to provide updates on his progress in the Life of Dozer section, and hope to have good news in the coming weeks. ~ Nagi x

This tray bake dinner combines beautifully spiced lamb kofta meatballs with colourful roast vegetables for a Middle Eastern dinner that’s as versatile as it is delicious. Stuff into warm flatbreads, make couscous or rice bowls, or serve with roasted cauliflower for a substantial low-carb salad meal!

Lamb kofta meatballs tray bake

There’s a lot less sheet pan dinner recipes on my website than one would expect for someone who tells “everyone” that she mostly shares dinner recipes. It’s because I’m a little fussy about them. I find that if you toss everything – meat and vegetables – in the same seasonings, everything comes out tasting the same-same.

Which is fine every now and then. But I get bored quickly.

But this meatball tray bake? Anything but boring!! Think – your favourite boldly spiced lamb koftas, in meatball form, with a pile of colourful capsicum and red onion. All baked on the same tray. The smell when this is in the oven is incredible!! It’s the cinnamon. Signature Middle Eastern spice.

Stuff in warm pita breads, make rice or couscous bowls or a big low-carb warm salad!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this tray bake dinner.

Kofta meatballs

These are the same ingredients used in skewered lamb koftas.

• Lamb mince (ground lamb) – While lamb is a favourite in Middle Eastern cuisine and just goes so well with the spice mix, these meatballs are also terrific made with beef. Chicken and turkey would also be good but you’ll need to add a little extra breadcrumbs else the mixture is too loose.

• Onion – Use a box grater to shred it so you don’t need to cook the onion separately before adding into the mixture. Also, the onion juices just make the meatballs tastier!

• Panko breadcrumbs – Adds bulk and absorbs moisture so the mixture isn’t too wet to form meatballs. Panko breadcrumbs are easy to find these days in the Asian and breadcrumb aisle of grocery stores. Ordinary breadcrumbs (smaller and finer, like sand) can also be used but the meatballs will not be quite as tender.

• Garlic – Very rare to find savoury dishes on my website that don’t involve garlic!

• Spices – Classic Middle Eastern spices: cumin, coriander, paprika (I use regular but smoked would be lovely), cinnamon (Middle Eastern secret ingredient!) and cayenne pepper. These meatballs are mildly spicy so feel free to reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.

• Coriander/cilantro – For a hint of freshness and for visual purposes too. Substitute with parsley.

The vegetables

For the vegetables, you could really use any roast-able vegetables you want. I opted for capsicum / bell peppers for a splash of colour and also because I like that they are easy to cut into strips for easy of stuffing into flatbreads.

Sauce options

The meatballs are pictured in post drizzled with Tahini Sauce which is a widely used sauce in Middle Easter cuisine. The nutty flavour and creamy texture goes so well with the spice flavour of the meatballs and just adds that extra touch to take this from tasty to OMG gawd this is soooo gooood!! (Which is the bar to which I aim!)

Being a sauce I use quite regularly in Middle Eastern recipes, I finally got around to writing it up as a separate recipe, so find the Tahini Sauce recipe here. The other sauce option is Lemon Yogurt Sauce which is also on-point for Middle Eastern food – use the sauce in this recipe.

For the simplest option (and we all have those days), just a dollop of plain yogurt will work fine, or even a squeeze of lemon juice.

How to make Lamb Kofta Meatball Tray Bake

The only difference between making normal Moroccan meatballs and this one is that you don’t need to deal with cleaning up the stove splatter. I know which one I’m making tonight!

1. Toss the vegetables with salt, pepper and olive oil.

2. Mix the lamb kofta meatball mixture in a bowl with your hands. Mix well to ensure the spices are dispersed evenly throughout.

3. Roll 16 meatballs. They are slightly on the large side to ensure they don’t dry out when cooked in the oven.

   PRO TIP: I use an ice cream scoop with a lever to portion out the mixture. Then I roll the balls. This is the most efficient way I have come up with to make meatballs – without resorting to $5,000 meatball making machines (oh yes, they exist!)

4. Spray the meatballs generously with oil so they will brown in the oven.

5. Scatter the vegetables around the meatballs.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, then finish with 5 minutes under the grill/broiler to get a bit of colour on the meatballs. 20 minutes is all the cook time we need for meatballs to cook them through without overcooking them which will make them dismally dry on the inside.

   You’ll also get some nice charring on the edges of the capsicum, reminiscent of the flavour we would’ve achieved if we had cooked these over charcoal which does not happen midweek around these parts!

How to serve baked lamb kofta meatballs

I promised you versatile, and here’s proof!

1. Wraps / pita pockets (pictured at top of post) – Stuff the meatballs and vegetables into warm wraps or pita pockets and drizzle with Tahini Sauce or Lemon Yogurt Sauce (use the one in this recipe). Shredded lettuce and tomato slices are great extras to bulk it out and (happily) cram extra vegetables into your meal.

2. Bowls (pictured above) – Make bowls with a mound of steaming basmati rice or couscous (very on-theme!).

3. Warm salad – Make roasted cauliflower (without the parmesan) and pile onto a plate. Top with the meatballs and all the vegetables, finish with a dramatic, generous drizzle of the tahini sauce and a shower of toasted pinenuts or almond flakes and fresh coriander/cilantro. Stand back and admire the glittering pile that is your dinner that happens to be low-carb and nutrition packed!

And as I describe that cauliflower salad to you, I’m kicking myself for not having shot it! It was so, so good. Next time! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Tray bake dinner: lamb kofta meatballs

Recipe video above. This easy sheet pan dinner combines beautifully spiced lamb kofta meatballs with colourful roast vegetables for a Middle Eastern dinner that's as versatile as it is delicious. Stuff into warm flatbreads, serve with couscous or rice bowls, or add a side of roasted cauliflower for a substantial low-carb dinner.

Less messy and healthier than pan frying – less oil! Tip: make meatballs on the large side so they don't dry out in the oven.

Course Mains, One Tray Dinner, sheet pan dinner

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Baked meatballs, kofta meatballs

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Nagi

Ingredients

KOFTAS

• 1/2 onion , grated using a box grater
• 500 g / 1 lb lamb mince (ground lamb), or beef
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (sub regular breadcrumbs)
• 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
• 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro , finely chopped

KOFTA SPICES

• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp paprika (plain, sub smoked)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (a bit spicy, reduce to taste or leave out)
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/2 black pepper

VEGETABLES

• 1 large red capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
• 1 large yellow capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
• 1 red onion , cut into thin wedges
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp each cooking/kosher salt and pepper

SERVING (wraps option)

• Olive oil spray (for the meatballs)
• 4 flatbreads or rice, couscous or cauliflower rice
• 1 quantity Tahini sauce or lemon yogurt sauce (or even just plain yogurt)
• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (or other leafy greens)
• 2 tomatoes , halved, cut into thin slices
• 1 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped, optional (for sprinkling)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
• Kofta meatballs – Place the Kofta ingredients and spices in a bowl. Use your hands to combine thoroughly then roll 16 large-ish meatballs (I scoop all mixture onto a tray, then roll into balls). Spread them out on a large tray.
• Vegetables – Toss the vegetables with the oil, salt and pepper. Scatter around the meatballs.
• Bake – Spray the meatballs with oil. Bake for 15 minutes then switch the oven to the grill/broiler on high. Cook for a further 5 minutes to get some colour on the surface.
• Serve – Sprinkle with the chopped coriander then serve! To make wraps, stuff with lettuce, tomato, meatballs, and the cook capsicum and onion. Drizzle with lots of tahini sauce then tuck in! Other ideas: rice or couscous bowls or big salads – see below.

Notes

SERVING OPTIONS

• Wraps – Stuffed in pita bread or flatbreads with lettuce, tomato, drizzled with tahini or yogurt sauce.
• Bowls – Make bowls with couscous, rice, cauliflower rice or grains/beans (eg lentils – cook using this method).
• Warm salad – a substantial low-carb dinner with a side of roasted cauliflower (bake prior to meatballs).

---

NOTES

1. Meat – Lamb is a natural choice for Middle Eastern food but the spice mix is really good with beef too. Chicken will also work but you’ll need to increase the panko else the mixture is a little loose.

Life of Dozer

Unsurprisingly, after telling you about Dozer’s laryngeal paralysis condition and surgery, I expect the Life of Dozer section will be focussed on his recovery for the next little while. I want to share the facts but I also want to add a sprinkle of fun. Because even in the fog of worry, there have been moments of laughter!

The serious stuff

So, I’m not going to lie. Dozer’s post surgery recovery has been a little slower and more worrying than expected. For 2 days after his operation, he was very wobbly on his feet and needed help to get up, walk and pee. He would collapse after walking a metre or two, and get very agitated when he couldn’t get up himself when he wanted to – which mean breathing heavily and straining his throat.

What did really scare me though was that his hoarse breathing sounded (to me) worse than it was pre-operation. That combined with his lack of mobility prompted a dash to the emergency vet.

Thankfully they gave him the all clear and just reminded me again that his airways are swollen from the surgery so his breathing and panting will sound laboured and painful. I was told it will take about 2 weeks for the swelling to go down to see if the surgery was effective – if it was, he should breath quietly and in time, go back to some level of exercise. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

I had hoped to avoid using the chill-pills the vet prescribed for Dozer but I gave up. Since starting him on those, he is definitely more relaxed. Basically, peaceful sleeping Dozer means no hoarse panting which should help with the speed of recovery. I think when he’s awake, he is conscious of the fact that he’s short of breath which makes him agitated and breath frantically (like right now, at my feet).

I’m worried, but thinking positively. It’s only day 3 after surgery. 11 days to go.

on the lighter side….

The little things we celebrate – so happy when he was able to weight bear himself and pee without assistance!! (Just in case you are conjuring up visions of paper cups – no, it was nothing like that!! I was using a towel sling under his belly to help support his weight. )

Check out his excellent squatting action. Well done Dozer. Well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The post Tray bake dinner: Lamb kofta meatballs appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Take your meat sauce to the next level by using sausages to make an incredible Sausage Ragu! Like Shredded Beef Ragu, cooking this sausage pasta sauce long and slow gives it time to develop deep, complex flavours. Complete your Italian feast with Garlic Bread and a garden salad with Italian Dressing.

Sausage Ragu Sauce

Butchers put a lot of time and effort into packing flavour and juiciness into sausages. So I almost see it as my duty to show you how we can get so much more out of sausages than throwing on the barbie* or the usual Bangers and Mash!

Enter – Sausage Ragu. This meat sauce gets a massive flavour boost by using sausage meat rather than plain beef mince, as well as cooking it long and slow which gives the sauce time to develop flavour as well as making the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Also, starting with the classic soffritto helps. Which might sound fancy but it just refers to sautéing onions, garlic, celery and carrots over low heat to make them beautifully sweet.  It’s a secret tip to create an incredible flavour base in dishes.

* Please do not think I am dissing sausage sandwiches! I am a regular at the weekend Bunnings sausage sizzle fundraisers.

Ingredients in Sausage Ragu

Here’s what you need to make this Sausage Ragu. No fancy ingredients!

The sausages

• Beef + pork – I like to use a combination of both pork and beef sausages for the perfect balance of flavour and soft texture. Beef sausages provide the flavour whereas the pork provides the tenderness. Pork is a much softer meat than beef!

  You can use just either beef or pork. If you use only meat, the meat in the sauce will not be as tender. If you use only pork, the meat flavour is more mild. Both are still rippingly delicious!

• Sausage quality – Whichever you use, make sure you use good sausages made with more meat and less fillers. Either look at the ingredients list (I aim for 85%+ meat) or look at the sausage – fat specks means better meat, uniform pink colour indicates lots of fillers like the sausages used for fundraiser sausage sizzles (“BBQ sausages”). They can be as low as 55% meat (the rest is flour, maize and non meat things), and often a mix of beef and chicken.

  Generally speaking, your friendly local butcher is probably the best source. And he can tell you exactly what goes in his sausages!

• Sausage not in casings – In the US it is common to find sausage meat sold like mince/ground beef, not inside the sausage casings. Lucky you! For the rest of us, just squeeze the meat out. It is not hard.

Other ingredients

Here are the other ingredients for the ragu sauce:

• Onion, garlic, carrot and celery – These are the vegetables for the soffrito which is cooked over low heat to make them soften and sweeten which then forms the flavour base for the sauce. This is a classic cooking technique used in cuisines all over the world, from Italian to Mediterranean to Cajun to South American!

• Fennel seeds *Secret ingredient!* – Sautéed in the soffrito, it adds a little je ne sais quoi into the sauce. Only those with a very, very refined palette can pick that it’s in there!

• Wine – Red wine adds depth of flavour to the sauce and is also what we use to deglaze the pot. this refers to the method of using a liquid to dissolve gold bits stuck on the base of a cooking vessel (in this case, the sausage meat) into a sauce. Those “gold bits” is called “fond” and it’s free flavour! This is a standard cooking technique you’ll see I use regularly for sauces and stews.

  Substitute with 0% alcohol wine or more chicken stock.

• Chicken stock, low sodium – This with canned tomato makes up the bulk of the liquid for the sauce. I use chicken rather than beef stock because it’s a milder flavour so you can taste the meat flavour better. I always used low sodium stock so I don’t have to worry about sauces being too salty.

• Tomato paste – Just a smidge to boost the tomato flavour and help thicken the sauce.

• Thyme and bay leaves – The herbs for this pasta sauce. Fresh is best but dried is fine too.

• Chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) – Optional, for a touch of warmth.

Pappardelle pasta

I like to serve this sausage ragu with pappardelle pasta, the wide thick pasta that is sold coiled up, like pictured. The surface is slightly rough so it’s ideal for tossing with thick hearty sauces like this sausage ragu, shredded beef ragu and chicken ragu which clings to the pasta well.

Having said that though, I’d happily serve sausage ragu with any pasta – short or long!

How to make Sausage Ragu

No different to making your favourite Bolognese – just a little extra time for slow cooking!

1. Soffrito – Cook the onion, garlic, celery and carrot in a large heavy based pot over medium heat for 8 minutes, or until the carrot is soft and sweet. Don’t let the vegetables go golden! This step is key for a really beautiful flavour base for the sauce so don’t rush it.

2. Cook sausage – Remove the sausage meat from the casings (you literally just squeeze it out) then cook it like you would mince (ground meat). Break it up as you go but don’t get caught up in a frenzy on this step because sausage meat is “stickier” so it won’t crumble as well. We will break it up finer later partway through cooking.

3. Ragu sauce – Next, cook the tomato paste for 1 minute to remove the raw sour flavour. Then reduce the wine by half to cook out the winey flavour which only takes a couple of minutes. And finally, add the remaining ingredients: canned tomato, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and chilli flakes if using (I always do).

4. Slow cook #1 (1 hour) – Pop the lid on and put it in the oven for 1 hour at 180°C/350°F (160°C). I always feel like this sounds high for a slow cook but actually, this is the oven equivalent temperature of a very small stove burner on low.

   Why oven instead of stove? Just easier because it’s entirely hands off, just stick it in the oven and leave it. No need to worry about the base catching. This sauce is quite thick so if you do use the stove instead, you’ll need to stir quite regularly.

5. Crush meat – Take the pot out of the oven then use a potato masher to crush the meat into finer pieces. (See step 2 notes about how sausage meat doesn’t crumble as well as mince/ground beef). The meat is tender at this point so it doesn’t take much effort. I usually do about 8 to 10 mashing motions around the pot.

6. Slow cook #2 (45 minutes) – Then return the pot into the oven for a further 45 minutes to finish slow cooking. Once done, the sauce will be quite thick, like pictured above, with quite intense flavour. This is what we want because a) the thickness will be loosened up when tossed with pasta; and b) the sauce gets dispersed through pasta so the flavour gets diluted. So the sauce flavour should be intense in the pot so it’s the right level of flavoursome once tossed through the pasta!

Tossing pasta with sauce – essential step!

1. Pasta cooking water – Cook the pasta per the packet directions in a large pot of salted water. Just before draining, scoop out a big jug of the pasta cooking water which we will use in the next step. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce cling to the pasta.*

2. Tossing pasta with sauce – If you are making a full batch, then just add the pasta into the ragu pot set over medium heat on the stove. If you are making a smaller batch as I do in the video (I am making enough for 2 servings) then return the drained pasta into the same pot you cooked the pasta in.

3. Pasta sauce – Add the pasta sauce into the pasta (obviously this step is not relevant if you put the pasta into the pasta sauce pot!!).

4. Pasta cooking water – Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. This loosens up the thick pasta sauce so it coats the pasta strands. The reason we use the pasta cooking water is because it has starch in it from the pasta. This starch reacts with the fat in the pasta sauce and makes the sauce thicker so it clings to the pasta strands better, rather than remaining pooled at the bottom of your pasta bowl.

5. Toss, toss, toss! Then use two spatulas to toss the pasta for 1 minute, or until the pasta sauce is tangled throughout and clinging to the pasta, and the pasta strands are stained red. Use an extra slosh of pasta cooking water if you need to loosen things up.

6. Warmed bowl – Divide the pasta between bowls. I like to warm the pasta bowls beforehand (30 seconds in the microwave!) to keep the pasta slippery and warm for longer. Cold pasta = dry pasta!

Serve with a shower of freshly grated parmesan. Then, the picture taker in me couldn’t resist finishing with a pinch of parsley, but it’s totally unnecessary in real life and if you came to my house and I made this for you, said pinch of parsley would not be present.

This is one for the weekend. For lazy Sundays. Serve with garlic bread, rocket or baby spinach salad with balsamic dressing and finish with tiramisu. Reserve a seat for me at your table!!  – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Sausage ragu with pappardelle pasta

Recipe video above. Take your meat sauce to the next level by using sausages instead of plain beef to make an incredible Sausage Ragu! Like Shredded Beef Ragu, cooking this sausage pasta sauce long and slow gives it time to develop deep, complex flavours.

Complete your Italian feast with Garlic Bread, a garden salad with Italian Dressing and a beautiful Tiramisu.

Course Mains

Cuisine Italian

Keyword italian sausage ragu, sausage meat sauce, Sausage Pasta

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 5 – 6 people

Calories 818cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Sausage ragu:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion , finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 carrot , peeled and grated using a box grater (Note 1)
• 2 celery stalks , grated using a box grater (Note 1)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 350g / 12 oz pork sausages , meat removed from casings (Note 2)
• 350g / 12 oz beef sausages , meat removed from casings (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup pinot noir red wine (sub 0% alcohol red wine or more chicken stock)
• 1 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 400g/14 oz can crushed tomato
• 3 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 2 bay leaves (fresh better, else dried)
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), optional (for hint of heat)

To serve:

• 500g/ 1 lb pappardelle pasta , or other pasta (80g/2.8oz per serving) (Note 3)
• Parmesan or parmigiano reggiano , finely grated, for serving
• Parsley , finely chopped, optional garnish (just a pinch)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
• Soffrito – Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and fennel seeds. Cook for 8 minutes until the carrot is soft and sweet, but not golden.
• Cook sausage – Turn the heat up to high and add the sausage. Cook, breaking it up as you go, as best you can. It doesn't crumble as well as mince/ground meat but that's ok, we will break it up more later.
• Deglaze – Once the meat is no longer pink (it doesn't really brown), add the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and let it simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until reduced by half, stirring regularly to scrape the base of the pot clean.
• Slow cook #1 (1 hr) – Add the remaining ragu ingredients. Stir, bring to a simmer, put the lid on and place it in the oven for 1 hour.
• Slow cook #2 (45 min) – Remove from the oven and use a potato masher to mash the meat finer. Put the lid back on, and return to the oven for 45 minutes. The sauce will be quite thick, it gets loosened when tossed with the pasta.
• Salt – Taste and add more salt if desired. (Sausages vary in saltiness so I always start with less)

Pasta:

• Cook pasta – Cook the pappardelle according to the packet instructions. Just before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water and set it aside.
• Toss with sauce – Have the ragu pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the pasta into the pot along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cook water. Use two spatulas to toss the pasta until the ragu is tangled in the pasta strands and it is stained red from the sauce. Use extra pasta cooking water if needed to loosen it up.
• Serve in pre-warmed bowls, garnish with parmesan and a pinch of parsley if desired. Eat immediately!

Notes

Servings – Sauce makes enough for 500g/1 lb pasta which, based on a standard serving of 80g/2.8oz dried pasta per person, is enough for 6 normal people or 5 heartier appetites!

1. Grating – Box grater makes the pieces finer so they disappear better into the meat sauce. Try to use short strokes so you don’t end up with long strands.

2. Sausages – Using both pork and beef is my favourite combination because beef gives the meat sauce beefy flavour whereas pork meat is so soft, it makes the sauce melt-in-your-mouth in a way you will never achieve just using beef. You can also use just pork or just beef. Still so, so tasty!

3. Pasta – Thick wide strands of pappardelle is made for hearty meat sauces like ragu though with a sauce this good, it’s going to be great with any pasta! To make pasta for less than 5 people, use just put some sauce in a separate pan or pot on the stove and toss with the desired amount of pasta. In the video you see me make 2 servings.

4. Making ahead – Ragu just gets better overnight! Cool thoroughly then refrigerate. Warm the ragu on a low stove so it’s hot when you add the pasta for tossing. The ragu can be frozen for 3 months or kept in the fridge for 5 days. Once tossed with pasta, it will keep for 3 to 4 days but pastas are always best eaten freshly made!

Nutrition

Calories: 818cal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 1193mg | Potassium: 1050mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2262IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 5mg

Originally published in February 2016. Recipe improved in February 2024 with improved sauce flavour and consistency, writing tidied up, much improved video. And most important, Life of Dozer section added!SaveSave

Life of Dozer

And then I published it.SaveSave

The post Sausage Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Finally cracked the code to Truly Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid!! The fry batter is so crunchy it stays crispy even when it’s gone cold, and it’s not at all greasy. There’s no complicated steps or ingredients. Just a specific ratio of flour to cornflour plus an all-important 30 minute refrigeration for the batter!

Ultra Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid

It only took us 3 years to crack the ultimate, truly crispy Salt and Pepper Squid! Hand on heart, this is crispier than any fried squid I’ve had in a restaurant, ever. And I have tried a lot. Once I had my sights set of creating a great Salt and Pepper Squid recipe, I would never pass up an opportunity if I saw it on a menu.

95% of the time, they just weren’t crispy at all which is so disappointing, and all too often they were really greasy. The 5% of the time that they were crispy, the crispness really only lingered for just enough time to eat the bowl of squid – provided you ate very quickly!

Well, our hunt for crispy squid is finally over. It is here today, and it’s incredible! The fry batter is light, super crunchy and not greasy at all. In fact, it’s so crispy it stays crispy even when it’s stone cold!

** If you’re interested in the recipe development process, see the blue box below the ingredients section for more information where I’ve indulged in some background information!**

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid.

The squid

You can use either squid tubes that are sold already cleaned (right, below) or whole baby squid (left) which needs to be cleaned before use (ask your fish monger or do it yourself). Baby squid is nicer because the squid flesh is thinner and more delicate so it’s softer. Plus, the tentacles are the crunchiest! But by no means are cleaned squid tubes a poor cousin.

• Baby squid is sold whole with the head and tentacles attached, and the skin on, as pictured. They range in size but the ones pictured have a body and head about 20 cm / 8” long and tentacles roughly the same length. 

  The body (the tube part) and the tentacles are the edible parts. You can either ask your fish monger to clean the squid for you or do it yourself, see my separate tutorial here. It involves: removing the skin, cleaning out the guts, removing the cartilage and beak, and removing the head. 

• Squid tubes – Sold pre cleaned, sparkling white tubes ready for use! Handier, but it is less tender than baby squid simply because the meat comes from a larger, older squid so it’s thicker. It’s just like animal meat – younger, smaller animal = softer meat, but meat from older animals is by no means tough and chewy if cooked correctly. (And yes, we cook the squid correctly!!)

The crispy batter for squid

We found that the key to the ultra crispy batter for squid came down to using the right flours (cornflour + regular flour), the perfect ratio and the clincher: refrigerating the batter for 30 minutes. If you’re a food nerd like me who is interested in the logic of the why this batter works, read below for more information!

• Flour and cornflour/cornstarch – Just regular plain flour (all-purpose flour). We use a very specific ratio of each to achieve the right level of crispiness and golden colour. This is because cornflour makes things crispy but won’t fry up golden, and if you use too much, the batter is chewy and gets stuck in your teeth. On the other hand, flour batters fry up beautifully golden but are not as crispy, and they soften so quickly. So I use both!

• Baking powder – This makes the batter puff up a bit to make it lighter rather than dense.

• Regular tap water – I use ice cold soda water in other fry batters as a secret trick for crunch. But for this recipe because we need to refrigerate anyway, there’s no need to use cold water. And there’s no point using fizzy water because the fizziness would not last for the refrigeration time.

• Salt and pepper – for seasoning.

How to make salt and pepper squid

Cutting the squid

If using cleaned squid tubes (pictured above), you can start with these steps immediately. If you have whole baby squid (with the skin, head and tentacles, you will need to clean it first. See the separate post on how to clean and prepare baby squid here.

1. Cut down one side of the tube so you can lay it out flat. Pat both sides dry with paper towels.

2. Score – Lightly score the flesh using a small sharp knife into 1.5cm / 0.6” diamonds. Take care not to cut all the way through. Scoring the flesh creates more ridges so the squid fries up crunchier and allows it to cook faster and more evenly which means more tender squid.

3. Rectangles – Then cut the squid into rectangles about 5 x 2 cm / 2 x 1” in size. Exactness isn’t important here.

4. Wings – If you used baby squid, score the wings too (the flappy bits pulled off the tube) then just use them whole. You don’t need to do anything to prepare the tentacles though you could separate them if you want so you get more tentacle pieces. They are the crunchiest bits after all, everybody wants them!

BATTERING & FRYING

This is actually a good recipe to start with if you are new to oil frying because small pieces of squid are easy to handle and it cooks in just a couple of minutes. Much easier than, say, Southern Fried Chicken!

1. Batter – Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Then whisk in the water until lump free.

2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Do not skip or shortcut this step! It’s important to give the batter time for the gluten to develop which will make the batter cling to the slippery squid better as well as frying up nice and crisp, rather than chewy and greasy.

3. Batter up – Put all the squid into the batter. We will fry them in 3 batches and the remaining squid can stay in the batter while you fry.

   Pick up a piece of squid and let the excess batter drip off for a second.

4. Fry – Carefully put the squid into oil preheated to 160°C/320°F (I use my Thermapen to check the temperature). Fry for 2 minutes (baby squid) or 3 minutes (the squid tubes which are thicker). They should be light golden and a bit crispy, but not super crispy – that comes with the second fry!

   The fry time is short because squid cooks really quickly, and nobody wants chewy squid.

5. Drain – Scoop the squid out with a spider or slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined tray to absorb excess oil. Then continue to cook batches 2 and 3.

6. Fry 2 for crispiness – Now, crank up the oil to 200°C/390°F. Then fry the squid in 2 batches for just 90 seconds until it’s very golden and very crispy. This is the step that locks in the crispiness!

   You can do this step in 2 batches, it’s ok to crowd the pot.

7. Bowl – Scoop out the squid into a paper towel lined bowl. Taste first before sprinkling with salt and pepper (the batter has decent seasoning in it so you do not want to over salt!) and giving it a good toss.

8. Serve – Pour into a bowl (wait until you hear the clatter in the recipe video!) and serve with Garlic Mayonnaise (Aioli) if desired (literally just mayo + grated garlic). Or just some fresh lemon wedges.

   Look how happy I am! It is, of course, because the batter is so incredibly crispy and the squid is so tender!!!

This recipe makes a fairly large batch using 500g/1 lb of squid which, once fried up, will fill a tray. As with most fried foods, I figure if we’re going to make it, let’s make plenty!

It’s a meal for 4 to 5 people or a great appetiser for sharing for 6 to 8 people. And though at its prime freshly cooked, this remarkable fry batter crust will stay crunchy even when the squid is cold and it reheats incredibly well. Just pop the squid in a hot oven for 6 minutes just to reheat the crust and warm the squid inside. Take a bite and marvel at the re-incarnation of the crunch!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

See separate tutorial for how to clean baby squid referenced in the video here.

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Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid

Recipe video above. It only took us 3 years to crack the ultimate, truly crispy Salt and Pepper Squid! Hand on heart, this is crispier than any squid I've had in a restaurant, ever. The fry batter is light, super crunchy and not greasy at all. In fact, it's so crispy it stays crispy even when it's stone cold!

After eliminating rice flour, potato flour and tapioca, we found the perfect ratio of flour to cornflour (cornstarch) that fries up crunchy in mere minutes, before the squid can overcook. But the final key was refrigerating the batter for 30 minutes. This allowed the gluten to develop so the batter clings to the slippery squid better and doesn't fry up chewy or greasy.

Course Appetiser, Finger Food, Mains

Cuisine Western

Keyword crispy salt and pepper squid, crispy squid, fried squid

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3 – 8 people

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Squid – choose (Note 1):

• 700 g / 1.4 lb medium whole baby squid , cleaned (better, more tender)
• 500 g / 1 lb squid tubes , already cleaned

Batter (Note 2):

• 2/3 cup cornflour / cornstarch
• 1/3 cup plain / all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
• 2/3 cup cold tap water

Cooking / seasoning:

• 3 – 4 cups vegetable or canola oil (~4cm / 1.5″ depth in a pot)
• Cooking / kosher salt – just a pinch!
• White pepper powder

Easy aioli (garlic mayonnaise):

• 1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise or kewpie
• 1/2 tsp finely grated garlic

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preparing squid:

• Cut one side of the squid tube to lay it out in one flat piece. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.
• Lightly score the inside with a small sharp knife in 1.5 cm / 0.6" diamonds (don't cut all the way through). (Note 3)
• Cut the squid into pieces 5 x 2cm (2 x 1") rectangles (approximately).

Aioli:

• Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes (up to 24 hours).

Batter:

• Batter – Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Then whisk in water until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Note 4)
• Heat oil – Fill small heavy based pot or large saucepan with 4cm / 1.5" of oil. Heat to 160°C/320°F on medium high heat. (I use a Thermapen to check the temp)
• Give the batter a quick whisk then add all the squid in a toss to coat. (Including tentacles if using baby squid – it's the crunchiest!)

Fry 1:

• Batter – Cook the squid in 3 batches. Pick up some squid and let the excess batter to drip off. Careful place in the oil. Use chopsticks to seperate the pieces that stick together.
• Fry baby squid for 2 minutes or the regular squid tubes for 3 minutes until light golden. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove the squid on a paper towel lined tray.
• Repeat – Fry remaining squid, making sure the oil comes back to temperature before cooking batches 2 and 3.

Fry 2 – crisp it!

• Increase oil temp – Increase the stove to high and bring the the oil up to 200°C/390°F.
• Bowl – Line a large mixing bowl with double layer of paper towels.
• Fry – Place half of the squid in the oil (it's ok to crowd the pot). Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until it becomes deep golden and crispy. Remove into the bowl. Bring the oil back up to 200°C/390°F then fry the remaining squid.
• Season – Remove paper towel. Taste first then sprinkle lightly with as much salt and pepper as you want (the batter has salt in it already). Toss well.

Serve:

• Pour into a serving bowl and serve with aioli! This batter is so good, it will stay crispy even once the squid has gone cold.

Notes

Servings – This will serve 3 to 4 as a main, or 5 to 8 as an appetiser/finger food. See below for reheating.

1. Squid – Whole baby/medium squid (sold with skin, head etc on) is smaller and more tender when cooked than the larger thicker squid tubes sold already cleaned (but is still very good in this recipe and I will happily use!). Plus, you get tentacles which are the crunchiest and best part! See photos in post for comparison. Get whole squid cleaned by your fisher monger or see my separate tutorial here for how to clean it yourself (it’s not hard). 700g (1.4 lb) whole baby squid = 500g (1 lb) once cleaned.

2. Cornflour = crunch but doesn’t fry golden, and too much makes a batter that gets stuck in your teeth. Flour = not as crunchy but stays golden. Using a combination works best!

3. Scoring – Helps with extra crispy edges and even, fast cooking = more tender squid.

4. Refrigeration – Lets gluten develop so batter sticks better to slippery squid and won’t be chewy or greasy when fried.

Leftovers will keep for 3 days. It will still be crispy when it cools. Refrigerate then reheat in a 220°C/425°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

Nutrition – I can’t calculate, sorry! I can’t guess the amount of oil in each piece. Let’s just say it has more calories than a lettuce leaf but with one bite you won’t care.

More crunchy fried goodness

Honey Prawns – stays crispy!

Crispy Beer Battered Fish

Perfect Crispy French fries

Honey Chicken – STAYS CRISPY for hours!

Fried Chicken

Pakora (Indian Vegetable Fritters)

Fried recipes

Life of Dozer

There is no limit to how low I will stoop for him. 😂

The post Truly Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Jalapeño poppers – warm cheese and bacon dip stuffed inside jalapeños baked until oozing, topped with crunchy golden breadcrumbs. Excellent finger food for parties – I’m thinking Super Bowl Sunday game day food!

Jalapeño poppers

I’m told it’s Super Bowl Sunday this weekend and it was therefore suggested to me that sharing some kind of party food would be on point. So here’s an American game day classic – Jalapeño poppers!! Fresh jalapeños stuffed with a creamy cheesy filling then fried or baked, the jalapeño is barely spicy because the spiciness reduces when cooked.

How i make jalapeno poppers

There’s no one way to make Jalapeño poppers. The stuffing can be herby, or bacony, they can be crumbed and fried, or wrapped in bacon.

Mine have a bacon-cheddar-cream cheese filling (essentially cheese and bacon dip), then I top with shredded cheese to act as a glue for crunchy breadcrumbs. I like to pre-toast the breadcrumbs so they are evenly golden. It takes 3 minutes and so worth it – rather than serving them with a white crumb with splotchy brown patches.

Serve at your next gathering (football present or not) and watch them disappear in a flash!

Ingredients in Jalapeño poppers

Here’s what you need to make them.

• Jalapeños – 12 whole, raw jalapeños about 7.5cm / 3″ long. Longer gets difficult to eat with your hands (imagine – floppy hot cheesy thing) and shorter is a pain to stuff (though you can use more smaller ones if you want. Jalapeño Poppers are not very spicy because the spiciness reduces when cooked. Unless you specifically leaves the seeds in because this is where the spiciness is! See the information box below for how to control the spice level.

• Bacon – Use streaky bacon so it can cook in its own fat and becomes nice and crisp. Lean bacon will not become as crisp and also you’ll need to add fat to cook it.

• Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives because the pieces are bigger than regular breadcrumbs. Find it in the Asian aisle at large regular grocery stores, or Asian stores. Substitute with regular breadcrumbs, but they’re not as crunchy.

• Cream cheese – You can use any brand you like but my go-to is Philadelphia. Low-fat will work but the filling won’t be as creamy.

• Cheese – I like to use a sharp cheddar because it’s got a slightly stronger flavour than regular cheddar. However, you can really use any cheese that melts that has flavour. Not mozzarella – it doesn’t have enough flavour.

• Garlic – I prefer fresh over dried garlic powder which most recipes seem to use. It just has better flavour to me.

• Green onion – For freshness.

• Chives – Optional garnish.

How to make Jalapeño Poppers

As with most finger food, the time is in the stuffing and topping of each individual piece. But the actual making part is very straight forward.

1. Breadcrumbs and bacon – I forgot to film and photograph the bacon step!! Oops. I cook the bacon slices first (cool > crisp > finely chop) then use the bacon fat to toast the breadcrumbs until golden.

   Why pre-toast the breadcrumbs? Because the jalapeno poppers are not in the oven long enough to make the breadcrumbs golden. You end up with a pale brown surface then all the breadcrumbs underneath are white. It’s totally worth the 3 minutes it takes to toast the breadcrumbs!

2. Filling – Set aside 1/4 of the bacon which we will use for the topping. Then mix together the cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and the rest of the bacon and cheese. Just mix until combined.

3. Jalapeños – Split the jalapeños in half then scoop out the seeds. I use a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon which has sharp edges and is the perfect size/shape for scooping out the seeds and most of the membrane (the white rib inside) which are the spicy part of the jalapeños.

4. Stuff – Fill the jalapeños with the filling. You can go slightly above the rim because it sinks a tiny bit in the oven. But don’t be too greedy else there will be overflow. Smooth the surface roughly – no need to be meticulous as we are flattening in the next step.

   Rack on tray – The line the jalapeños up on a rack set on a foil lined tray. Step 7 depicts this. The purpose of the rack is to keep the jalapeños stable as they bake so the cheese and panko stays on. The foil just makes your life easier. Golden crusted cheese is never fun to scrape off trays!

5. Cheese – Top with shredded cheese then press down to flatten the surface and make the cheese stick to the cream cheese filling. The cheese will act as a glue so the panko topping sticks. (Yes, we are using cheese glue today 🙌🏻).

6. Spoon the breadcrumb topping on. Obviously try to minimise how much falls onto the tray but it’s inevitable, especially if you aim to pile the breadcrumbs on pretty generously as I do.

7. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C/375°F (180°C fan) or until the cheese is melted and jalapeno is soft but still holding their shape. Don’t bake too long else the jalapeno will get overly soft and collapse, which will make the bacon dip ooze out everywhere leading to tears and sighs of disappointment……

8. ….instead of this. Look how happy I am! (This is before I sprinkled with the optional chives for a little green finish but after I devoured on, piping hot from the oven).

Let them cool for a bit before serving, but be sure to serve while the stuffing is still hot and oozy. It will stay warm for a good 20 minutes. Plenty of time to transfer them to a platter and pass them around. I provide little serviettes because it’s meant to be eaten with your hands. Does anyone eat jalapeño poppers with a knife and fork?? I feel like that would take some of the fun out the eating experience. And far too classy for me. As you will see in today’s video, especially in the charming little blooper at the end. 😂 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Please note: I had a minor shooting hiccup and as a result the bacon cooking step is not in the video, and I had to use oil rather than residual bacon fat to pan fry the breadcrumbs. The hiccup in question might’ve involved me forgetting to press the record button followed by wiping out the pan. I really need to learn to follow my own darn recipes!

Print

Jalapeño poppers

Recipe video above. There's no one way to make Jalapeño poppers. The stuffing can be herby, or bacony, they can be crumbed and fried, or wrapped in bacon and baked (that's a LOT of bacon!).

Mine have a bacon-cheddar-cream cheese filling, then I top with shredded cheese to act as a glue for crunchy breadcrumbs. I like to pre-toast the breadcrumbs so they are evenly golden. It takes 3 minutes and so worth it – rather than serving them with a white crumb with splotchy brown patches.

Serve at your next gathering and watch them disappear in a flash!

Course Appetiser, Finger Food

Cuisine American, Western

Keyword jalapeno poppers

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Jalapeño poppers

Calories 77cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 12 jalapeños , about 7.5cm / 3″ long, cut in half and deseeded

Filling:

• 150g / 5oz streaky bacon (Note 2)
• 250g/ 8 oz cream cheese (I use Philadelphia)
• 1 1/2 cups (150g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or regular cheddar, tasty, Monterey Jack, colby)
• 1/2 cup green onion , finely sliced (2 big stems)
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Crunchy topping:

• 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 3)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil

Topping

• 1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or other cheese listed above)
• 2 tbsp chives , finely sliced (optional garnish)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Crumbled bacon – Place bacon in a single layer in a large unheated non-stick pan (no oil, Note 2). Turn the stove onto medium high. As the pan heats up, the fat will start to melt. Once sizzling, cook each side for 2 minutes or until golden. Remove onto paper towels to drain the fat (leave fat in the pan). Repeat with remaining bacon. Once cool and crisp, finely chop into crumbs.
• Toast breadcrumbs – Top up the bacon fat with the oil so you have 2 tablespoons in total. Cool the pan slightly then return to medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and salt. Toast, stirring regularly, until evenly golden – about 3 minutes. Transfer into a bowl and set aside.
• Filling – Put 3/4 of the bacon in a bowl (reserve the rest for topping). Add remaining ingredients then stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Preheat oven to 200°C/375°F (180°C fan). Line a tray with foil then place a rack on it (to keep jalapeños level).
• Stuff jalapeños with the filling, slightly above the rim (it sinks a bit) but not too high else there will be overflow. Place on the rack so the surface is level. Top with the shredded cheese, press down to flatten. Spoon over panko.
• Bake 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and jalapeño is softened but still holding its shape (not saggy).
• Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with reserved bacon and chives. Serve hot! No dipping sauce needed.

Notes

1. Jalapeños – Spicy when raw, not very spicy at all when cooked! If you want spiciness, leave some of the seeds in.

2. Bacon – It will cook in its own fat which melts as the pan heats up. But if your bacon is not fatty, you’ll need to add a bit of oil.

3. Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives because the pieces are bigger than regular breadcrumbs. Find it in the Asian aisle at large regular grocery stores, or Asian stores. Substitute with regular breadcrumbs, but they’re not as crunchy.

Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the fridge, or freezer 3 months. Assemble ahead then bake on demand – they will keep for 24  hours in the fridge (toasting the panko really helps here).

Nutrition per jalapeño popper. Pleasantly surprised! (For once)

Nutrition

Calories: 77cal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Life of Dozer

I often share real life behind the scenes as-it-happens on Instagram. Every time I show snippets of Dozer with who I call “The Magic Dog Doctor” I get a stack of questions about it, so I shared some information about him. So, here it is for website readers too!

His name is Neil Barnsley and he has a practice called Animal Holistic Therapies that uses natural and alternative therapies to treat dogs, specialising in physical issues (joints, muscles, nerves etc). It takes an hour to drive there (western Sydney in a place called Camden) and there’s a reason I’ve been taking Dozer to him for over a decade – because he truly does work magic. His ability to pinpoint an issue by touch is truly astonishing. Take your pooch once, and you’ll understand.

Also, he has saved me many thousands of dollars over the years in expensive scans that he doesn’t need to do to identify a problem, and natural therapies to fix joint, spine and muscle problems rather than injections etc..

He is also who I consulted to create Dozer’s natural food diet (ie no dog food) which he’s been on for almost 8 years. At age 11, his fur is still shiny and healthy, his eyes are still very clear, his teeth are excellent for a dog of his age, much in part, Neil tells me, due to his food.

He’s a legend. Thank you Neil!

PS He is very, very in demand so I book many weeks out to take Dozer.

The post Jalapeño poppers appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.