Food news with Ray Peake

SPICY lamb meat balls, American wild rice and pesto sauce - this must be one of the longest titles for a recipe ever!

It is a melting pot of ingredients and recipes spanning three continents. Spices from Asia, rice from the USA and pesto sauce of European origin.

Due to the diversity of the recipe, as has become the norm, I have researched on your behalf the ease or difficulty you may encounter when buying the required ingredients.

Good news, there is no difficulty. All ingredients are on the shelves of my three favourite supermarkets. However, several of the ingredients I believe you should let remain on those shelves.

I recommend that you don't buy your spices in those aesthetically pleasing identical small glass jars that fit in the wooden spice rack which decorate your kitchen. Instead visit a real spice shop. We live in an area where there is a wealth of excellent Asian vegetable and spice shops, selling spices in vacuum packs at exceptional value that can be stored in used jam jars in your cupboard.

If you are gifted and inclined in the woodwork department, you could build your own jam jar type spice rack.

Rice is nice. I remember my English teacher at secondary school correcting and teaching me never to use the word "nice" in writing. Apologies, Mrs Marsden, if you are reading this. (My spelling has improved though).

Wild rice is exceptionally better. It can be bought in packets as a blend of long grain rice and wild rice imported from the USA.

It has a unique subtle smokey and nutty flavour. If you are a rice aficionado you will no doubt already have tried it, if you are not and have not, I urge you to try it as soon as you can, it is delicious.

Don't forget my helpline number 01254 872779 between 10am and 11am tomorrow if you have any problems.

STAGES IN COOKING WILD RICE

1. Buy packet from supermarket

2. Read instructions on packet

3. Follow instructions

4. If you encounter problems refer to stage 2

Cooked rice can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in a refrigerator

INGREDIENTS FOR PESTO SAUCE

50g fresh basil leaves

1 large clove crushed garlic

1 tbsp pine kernels

9 tbsps olive oil

1oz parmesan cheese (freshly grated is superior to the powdered stuff)

tsp salt

HOW TO MAKE PESTO SAUCE

1. Resist the temptation to buy a jar of ready made (you can make it better, trust me)

2. Place all ingredients in blender and "whizz" for two minutes

3. Store in refrigerator in an air tight container (keeps for up to 5 days)

This sauce is also delicious with pasta

HOW TO MAKE SPICY LAMB MEAT BALLS

INGREDIENTS

1 onion finely chopped

750g minced lamb (or beef)

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 tsps freshly grated black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp plum sauce (available from supermarkets)

2 tbsp chopped rosemary and basil (fresh mint if you are using lamb)

METHOD

1. This is very much a "hands on" way of making them, literally. With your hands (use of plastic gloves advised and encouraged) mix all ingredients together.

2. Shape into small meat ball (two bite size). This mix should make approximately 40 meat balls (if you are way out on quantity made, they are of course either too big or too small).

3. Heat cooking oil in a large shallow frying pan

4. Fry the meatballs for 5-6 minutes until cooked

5. Drain on kitchen paper

6. Keep warm in moderate oven

Unless your appetite is of huge proportions you may wish to freeze half of them as they do freeze well in freezer bags for up to one month.

PRESENTATION TIPS

Place the rice on the plate and make a well in the centre for the meat balls allowing 7-9 meatballs per portion. Drizzle the pesto sauce on the meat balls. Decorate with freshly, finely chopped basil.

DRINK IDEAS

Well chilled lager served in a frosted glass is my suggested tipple for this highly spiced meal. To frost a glass simply rinse out the glass with cold water and place in freezer for one hour.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.