A Maltese Mouthful

Food inspiration from the Maltese Islands - Shared by an Australian Maltese home cook and food writer living in London

Steamed Meat – Laham fuq il-fwar

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The smell of steaming meat on top of a pot of soup in my house brings back memories from when I lived at home on the farm in Sydney and also of my grandparents homes, both in Sydney and Malta. 

This is a dish which shows off how simple Maltese cooking can be but how amazing our food can taste using only a few ingredients. Steamed meat has been a way of cooking either beef or pork (I used beef in this instance) by simply putting it on a plate with a few ingredients, wrapping it in some foil and placing it on top of a simmering pot of soup or simmering water. In one hour you have incredibly tender meat which has been infused with the added flavour of garlic and parsley. You can also add some bread crumbs, chopped bacon rashers or even olives if you wish. I didn’t this time and to be honest I really don’t think it is necessary.

I used minute steak which I bought from the shops but I was lucky enough to have fresh meat growing up. My family in Malta and Australia would get by through the winter months with using this method to cook a big pot of vegetable soup and placing a plate of covered sliced beef or pork on top.

You need to leave the meat steaming for about an hour. It is much longer than quickly frying your meat but honestly it is so worth the wait.

Steamed Meat - Laham fuq il-fwar
 
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Steaming meat is a wonderful way of making sliced meat taste wonderful. You only need a few added ingredients (garlic and parsley) too. Add on top of a simmering pot of vegetable soup and let simmer for approximately an hour to an hour an a half (depending on how much meat you have). Add a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs, chopped bacon rashers and chopped olives as an option.
Author:
Cuisine: Maltese
Ingredients
  • 600 grams of sliced meat
  • 3 cloves of garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 small punch of parsley finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Foil
Instructions
  1. Place your sliced meat onto a large place which will fit on top of a pot of simmering soup of water.
  2. Add the parsley and garlic between and on top of your meat.
  3. Season with some salt and pepper.
  4. Add water on top of the meat.
  5. Cover and seal with foil.
  6. Place the plate on top of your simmering pot and let simmer for approximately one hour.
  7. Add some more chopped parsley as garnish if you wish.

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