02-09-10
Lamb and Feta Pita Pizzas
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
8 oz lean ground lamb
1 small onion, chopped
4 medium plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 whole-wheat pitas (6 inches each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1 tablespoon pine nuts
Directions:
Heat oven to 400°. Place lamb and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat and onion to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain fat. Blot with another paper towel. Wipe pan, then return meat and onion to pan. Stir in tomatoes; cook over medium-high heat until they soften slightly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, cinnamon, salt and pepper. (The lamb mixture may be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.) Place pitas on a baking sheet; brush top of each pita with oil. Divide lamb mixture among pitas. Sprinkle with feta and pine nuts. Cook until cheese is warm and pita is toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 416 calories; 22 g fat; 6 g fiber; 38 g carbohydrates
02-01-10
Lamb Burgers with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 medium yellow onion, peeled
1 teaspoons allspice, 1/3 palmful
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palmful
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, eyeball it in your palm
1 small red chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
A handful plain bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup mint leaves, minced
4 large soft pitas
1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 small red cabbage, shredded
Directions:
Put the lamb in bowl. Using a box grater, grate the onion over the bowl so that the pulp of the onion and juices fall into the meat. Add the spices, chile pepper, egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, to taste, and mix to combine. Form the meat mixture into 4 patties, thinner at the middle and thicker at the edges for even cooking.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with oil, or coat the burgers in oil and grill on outdoor grill. Cook the patties about 10 minutes, turning once.
While the patties cook, add the yogurt to a small bowl. Grate the garlic into the yogurt using a fine grater or zester. Add the mint and stir to combine.
Char the pitas over an open gas burner or outdoor grill.
Eat the burgers in or on the pita bread topped with garlic-mint yogurt, sliced red onion, and some shredded cabbage.
01-10-10
Moroccan Lamb Kebabs with Pistachio Couscous
Makes 18 Kebabs
Ingredients:
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1-1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
18 small, pitted dates
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups instant couscous
1/2 cup pistachios—lightly toasted, cooled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
1. Soak 18 wood skewers in water. In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, the lemon peel, lemon juice, garlic, salt, ginger, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon; add cayenne to taste. Add the lamb and marinate, refrigerated, for 1/2 hour or up to 4 hours.
2. Thread 2 lamb cubes and 1 date onto each skewer; reserve the marinade. In a lightly oiled grill pan over medium-high heat, grill the meat until slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes on each side, brushing with the marinade.
3. In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the couscous, remove from the heat and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in 1/4 cup olive oil, the pistachios, mint and parsley. Serve with the kebabs.
11-24-09
Greek-Style Penne with Lamb, Parsnips, Tomatoes and Cinnamon
Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 very large onion, halved through root end, cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices (about 4 cups)
- 12 ounces medium parsnips (about 4), peeled, cut on slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces ground lamb
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
- 12 ounces penne
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Crumbled feta cheese
Directions:
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 459 calories; 13g fat; 7g fiber; 63g carbohydrates
06-21-09
Roast Leg of Lamb with Tarragon-Mint Butter
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients:
Herb butter:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
For lamb:
1 6 1/2-pound leg of lamb with bone, well trimmed
1 tablespoon 1-inch-long very thin strips orange peel (orange part only)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
2 cups dry red wine
1 1/3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
Fresh tarragon and mint sprigs (for garnish)
Directions:
For herb butter:
Stir butter, tarragon, mint, tarragon vinegar, and 2 teaspoons coarse salt in medium bowl until well blended. Transfer 1/4 cup herb butter to small bowl and reserve for vegetables. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover both bowls and chill. Bring medium bowl of herb butter to room temperature before using.
For lamb:
Using small sharp knife, make 1-inch-deep slits all over lamb. Insert 3 or 4 orange peel strips into each slit. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Enclose lamb in plastic wrap and chill.
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Heat oil in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb with coarse salt and pepper. Add lamb to skillet; cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to roasting pan. Brush with 2 tablespoons herb butter. Roast lamb 15 minutes. Brush again with 2 tablespoons herb butter.
Reduce temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast lamb until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 135°F to 140°F for medium-rare, about 55 minutes. Transfer lamb to platter; reserve pan. Tent lamb loosely with foil; let rest 30 minutes.
Spoon fat off any juices in roasting pan. Place pan over 2 burners on high heat. Add wine and broth and bring to boil, whisking to scrape up browned bits. Boil until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining herb butter and grated orange peel. Season sauce to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
Spoon vegetables around lamb on platter; garnish with fresh herb sprigs. Serve with sauce.
05-20-09
Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd’s Pie
Makes 8 to 10 Servings
Ingredients:
Filling
1 1 1/2-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 3/4-to 1-inch cubes
Coarse kosher salt
7 tablespoons (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 pounds well-trimmed boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
All purpose flour
3 cups chopped onions
1 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
3 cups beef broth (preferably organic)
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Topping
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated kasseri cheese* (5 to 6 ounces)
Directions:
Filling
Scatter eggplant on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Rinse eggplant and pat very dry.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl.
Sprinkle lamb generously with coarse salt and pepper, then dust with flour to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to large bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining lamb.
Add 1 additional tablespoon oil to same pot, if needed. Add onions. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until very tender, about 10 minutes (bottom of pot will be very dark). Add wine to pot. Increase heat and boil until wine evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, garlic, and oregano and bring to boil. Add lamb with any accumulated juices. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until lamb is very tender and gravy thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Stir in eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to 13×9x2-inch glass baking dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill.
Topping
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add milk and bring to simmer.
Drain potatoes. Return to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates. Add milk mixture and mash potatoes until just smooth. Stir in cheese. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Drop potatoes over filling by heaping tablespoonfuls, covering completely.
Bake pie until filling is heated through and topping is golden, about 45 minutes.
03-28-09
Lamb and Chickpea Falafel Sandwich
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 red onion, half finely chopped, half thinly sliced
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
Salt and pepper
1/4 pound ground lamb
4 tablespoons flour
1 zucchini (about 12 ounces), halved crosswise and quartered lengthwise
Four 8-inch flatbreads, such as pita
Directions:
1. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe out the skillet and reserve.
2. Using a food processor, puree 1 cup chickpeas with 1/4 cup of the reserved chickpea liquid, the lemon peel, lemon juice and half of the parsley; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and cover. Add the lamb, the cooked onions, 1 1/2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining chickpeas and parsley to the food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely chopped. Divide the mixture evenly into 8 patties.
3. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the zucchini with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini, turning once, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the flatbreads to the grill and heat on both sides; wrap in foil to keep warm.
4. Add the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons flour in a shallow bowl. In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons oil over high heat. Coat the patties with flour; add to the skillet and fry until crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
5. Spread the chickpea sauce on the inside of each flatbread. Divide the zucchini and lamb patties among the flatbreads and add the sliced onions. Lay each sandwich on a piece of foil, wrap each into a cone shape and serve immediately.
03-11-09
Herb-Roasted Lamb Chops
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
4 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, lightly crushed
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 1-1/4-inch-thick lamb loin chops
Directions:
Mix first 4 ingredients and 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl. Add lamb; turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add lamb; cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast lamb chops to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to platter, cover, and let rest 5 minutes.
12-28-08
Lamb, Fig and Olive Stew
Makes 2 servings, 1 1/2 cups each
Ingredients:
8 ounces lean ground lamb, preferably leg (see Tips)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (see Tips)
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped dried figs
2 tablespoons finely chopped, pitted green olives (see Tips)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
Directions:
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add lamb and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a sieve set over a bowl to drain; discard the fat.
2. Wipe out the pan; add oil and heat over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons garlic and herbes de Provence and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
3. Stir together broth and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pan, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, figs, olives and pepper and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
4. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl. Serve the stew topped with the parsley mixture.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 313 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 73 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 3 g fiber; 725 mg sodium; 701 mg potassium.
12-28-08
Pomegranate-Marinated Lamb with Spices and Couscous
4 Servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pomegranate molasses*
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds lamb shoulder blade chops, cut into 3/4-inch square pieces, bones reserved
1 1/4 cups water, divided
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 10-ounce box plain couscous
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
3 tablespoons torn basil leaves
Directions:
Whisk pomegranate molasses, coarsely chopped garlic, olive oil, ground ginger, cinnamon, 1 3/4 teaspoons cumin, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat. Cover and marinate 2 hours at room temperature, or up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Drain, reserving marinade. Pat lamb dry.
Heat heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add meat and bones, if using, and cook until browned, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes total per batch. Return all lamb and bones to skillet. Add reserved marinade and 1/4 cup water. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer over medium-low heat until meat is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring remaining 1 cup water and chicken broth to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Remove saucepan from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork, then stir in butter until melted. Divide couscous among plates and top with lamb, pomegranate seeds, and basil leaves, spooning remaining sauce over lamb.