Elk and goat piri piri meatloaf

I've been wanting a meatloaf for some time, and for some reason just never got around to making one.   This came together really well. 

Serves 6 meals with sides.  

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground elk meat
• 1 pound ground goat meat
• 2 small chicken eggs
• 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
• Piri piri spice to taste
• Toasted onion 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric 2 tablespoons
• Medium yellow curry 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 cup shredded or chopped goats milk sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients except cheese in bowl. 
• Form a 'bowl' with roughly 3/4 of the meat
• Full bowl with the cheese
• Cover the cheese with remaining meat and blend top and bowl seamlessly
• Bake in oven at 425 for 1 hour
• Serve and enjoy

Simple arepas

This is a recipe I got from a great Venezuelan lady.  I have modified it slightly to work for my tastes.  If you are in the Raleigh NC area look up bracci's.

Serves:1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup PAN pre-cooked white corn meal (GF).
• 1/2 cup water
• touch of salt

Instructions:

• Add water and salt to a bowl mix quickly
• Add the corn meal and mix with your hands until it approaches a 'playdough' like consistency
• Note that if the consistency is not right add a touch of cornmeal or water.  (Not thick enough cornmeal, too thick water)
• Once mixed completely then let sit 2-5 minutes
• Grab a handful of the mix and roll into a ball.  
• Place ball on some wax/parchment paper and press down softly until a disc is formed.   This disc should not be too thin, possible a little less then a fingers width in depth.
• If the disk is showing 'cracks' on the edge then you did not have enough water in the mix add a couple drops and redo until this resolves.
• This should make two discs.
• Place some parchment paper on a pizza stone (I prefer pizza stones for making bread products)
• Cook for 30 minutes at 350.  
• The arepa then can be cut to produce a pocket.  note that the inside may seem a little gummy this is too taste.   This is a proper Venezuelan style.
• If you prefer crispier arepa's, I cook mine for 45 minutes at 385, this leaves almost no gumminess on inside, and a nice crispy exterior.

Fillings:

• Can be anything.  Note that sweet fillings will not be standard Venezuelan but don't shy away from fun :)
• My favorites so far are:
• Breakfast:   Scrambled eggs, Bacon, sausage, and a spot of cheese
• Lunches and Dinners:   Any ground or diced meat with veggies and cheese.   I typically spice out the meal with south American or middle eastern flavors.

Alternate uses for this recipe:

• The base arepa recipe if pressed much thinner can be made to an empanada or rolled around a sausage or other meats to form something like a taquito.   This recipe can be modified as needed to make hundreds of different meals, making this very flexible and a great base meal.

Peruvian lamb leg stew

This came out of a need to make a stew with a Peruvian flair.   This is a standard lamb stew, but with some pretty standard Peruvian pastes.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium potatoes rough chop
• 1 white onion rough chop
• 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb rough chop
• 3 tablespoons Mirasol paste
• 3 tablespoons homemade garlic scape paste (1-2 tablespoons garlic paste sub)
• 1-2 teaspoons 4 corners salt and pepper blend
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions:

• Sweat onions until translucent in hot oil
• Add the pastes and mix thoroughly 
• Add meat and brown while continue mixing to cover meat
• Add potatoes mix roughly and pat down until one layer
• Add water to cover
• Close lid on pot
• Very low boil for 1 hour
• Serve and enjoy. 

Potato, carrot, and turnip soup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium potato
• 1 large yellow carrot ( didn't want to change color of soup)
• 1 small 'baby' turnip
• 1 small handful of mixed grains of paradise and Szechuan peppers
• Salt
• 1/2 cup shredded goats milk sharp cheddar
• 1 cup cashew milk

Instructions:

• Rough chop potato, turnip, carrot and add in pot and cover with water with salt and pepper
• Low boil 1/2 hour until everything tender
• Immersion blend result should get very thick. 
• Add cashew milk and shredded cheese 
• Simmer 1/2 hour
• Serve and enjoy

Turkey meatball and Bokchoy soup

Having some left over frozen turkey stock from my last turkey I made I wanted to make a riff on a chicken bokchoy soup.  

Ingredients:

• Bag of baby Bokchoy from local farmer (any Bokchoy is great.  I prefer the smaller ones, but even a large one cut up will be great.  )
• 2 lbs ground turkey meat
• Szechuan pepper salt blend
• Turkey stock (prefer home made myself, local farmer sells parts like back/wings great for making stock if you haven't made turkey recently)
• Soy sauce
• 1 chicken egg
• GF breadcrumbs

Instructions:

• Making the meatballs:
• Mix the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, and Szechuan salt blend until balls can be formed.   The mixture if you grab handful will stick together when you try and lift handful from rest of bowl.  
• Bring a tablespoon of coconut oil to heat in a deep soup pot (8 quart usually good)
• Place the turkey meatballs at bottom spaced out so you have room to roll them.  You may need to do multiple batches.  Brown/sear the balls.  
• Add the stock and cook for 20 minutes.  
• Add the Bokchoy and cook for 2-4 minutes and serve with a touch of soy sauce and enjoy.