Monday 21 July 2014

Deboned goats leg with feta cheese and prunes


Healthy food does not need to be boring, just make the right choices.

Nutritional details - 6 Servings
(1 serving 446 calories, 38g protein, 30g carbohydrate and 16g fat) (Excluding the cream)

Goats leg providing 900 gram of deboned meat
5 Tbsp Rice bran oil (1 for stuffing, 1 for pouring on top of meat, 3 for the vegetables)
1 bunch of fresh rosemary (save some for vegetables and garnish)
50 gram of low fat feta cheese
6 prunes
3 garlic cloves
Pepper (either black or tri-color)
Salt
(Pre-shrunk cotton twine to tie the roast)

600g      Potato
300g      Pumpkin
300g      Beetroot
300g      Carrots
50 ml     Balsamic vinagre
Rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper

Gravy
500 ml stock (option of 50 ml cream)
1-2 Tbsp wheat flour
Salt and pepper to taste
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This is a meal to do on the days when you got a bit more time on your hands as preparation is the key to this dish. You could also prepare all the food, the day before and then just throw the pan in the owen to have a delicious roast dinner about an hour and a half later.

This is s goats leg. You can find them in the supermarket/butcher or substitute for a lamb leg. Even better if you got a mate who hunt or farm them.

Start with trimming off any excess fat and facia of the leg, then located and cut along the bone. You are trying to cut as close to the bone as possible not to waste any meat.

Once the bone is removed you may need to butterfly the biggest muscles until you got a flat piece of meat. Take care not to break the outer layers as this will make the stuffing harder at a later stage.

Mix feta cheese, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a blender as well as a dash of olive oil. Spread on the deboned goats leg and add the roughly chopped prunes.














Depending on how big your leg was from the start you can either roll it up, ending up with something looking like a large sausage or a roll of deli meat. In this particular case the goats leg I used was rather small and I used another technique. You fold the end pieces up, then roll it all up to a ball shape. The trick is to use the technique which seals the outside the best to keep the stuffing inside as it cooks. Use cooking twine (or pre-shrunk cotton twine) and wrap the same way you would with a christmas gift.

You end up with a roast looking like an orange with only 4 wedges/sections. Repeat and you will have an orange with 8 sections. This is what you see on this image. I rolled the roast in some black pepper and placed in a roasting dish on top of a quartered onion to keep the meat off the tray.






Now prepare the chosen vegetables. I normally use what is in season or what I feel like. I choose a mix of beetroot, pumpkin, carrots and some potato. Throw everything together in a disposable plastic bag (shopping bag works fine) together with some oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.




Give to a shake in the bag and pour into the roasting dish. (This far you could prepare the day before)


Before putting the roasting dish in the oven put a thermometer in the roast to make sure a perfect cooked roast. At 60 degrees Celsius you will have a medium rare roast. Count about 20 min per 500 gram of roast on 150-160 degrees low in the oven. Something to keep in mind, if the roast is rather large you may need to pre-roast the meat before adding the vegetable to avoid these to be over cooked. Vegetables cooking time depends on type and size. In this example 45-50 minutes was enough.

Once the roast have reached the preferred core temperature take it out and let it rest wrapped in some tin foil. Place the vegetables on a baking paper lined dish and put back in the owen on 200-225 degrees to make them crisp.

Use the juices from the meat/veggies to make a delicious gravy. If you use goat you will have a leaner meat hence a leaner gravy. Lamb generally got a bit more fat hence you might want to take it easy on the sauce if you are watching your calories.

Put the messy roasting dish onto of the stove and add 1-2 Tbsp of wheat flour. Mix together with the leftover oil, spices, soggy onions and spice mix (full of flavour). Once all the four has been mixed in add your stock. (beef, veal or beef/veg mix) Whisk briskly to avoid lumps. Once the gravy has thickened (5 minuter or so) taste. Add more stock, salt, pepper as needed. If you want to make this sauce a bit more velvety add a couple Tbsp of cream.

If you open the foil wrapped meat you will have lovely meat juices there. Add this to the gravy as well. Once happy with the flavour and thickness pour the gravy through a pointed French sieve (or normally sieve if that is what you got ) and keep warm.

Serve the sliced roasted goats leg with a couple of pieces of potato, plenty of vegetable and a drizzle of gravy. Enjoy.



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You are what you eat? In that case the are way too many chickens around!

If you ask most serious gym goers what they had for lunch or dinner all too often you hear chicken, brown rice and broccoli. I am not saying that it is anything wrong with this meal however I have never understood the fascination with either chicken, brown rice or broccoli. Sure I eat all of them but rarely together and even more seldom multiple meal in a row.

I am not sure if this is due to the fact that many people struggle with cooking itself or if it's purely miseducation that these food are the ONLY once to eat if you want to reach your goals. Ask any nutritionist and you will find out that the bigger variety of food you eat the more likely you are to receive all the nutrients your body need. After all, your body needs more than just protein, carbs and fat.

My personal goal is to not eat the same meat or fish more than once or twice in a week. Chicken is fine, but so is beef, pork, fish, prawns, squid, quail, venison or goat.

I am shortly about to add another recipe to my collection which I made the other week. I deboned and stuffed a goats leg which not only turned out nutritious but also delicious.
Tuesday 15 April 2014

54 park street does a good job once again!

Only way to tan safely. The girls at 54 Park street sorted out my tan for tomorrow's shoot.

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Tuesday 9 July 2013

Nutrition seminar poster


Saturday 6 July 2013

Online coaching has started

 I have just sent out my first lot of instructions for my new online coaching clients. I am looking forward to smashing some goals in the near future. If you have considered a personal trainer or fitness coach before drop me an email and I will send over some information on what services are available.

Get lean, stay lean and live a healthy life.