Lamb Biryani, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from the NY Times, and it looked like the perfect dish to make for a cozy winter weekend. It did involve prep a day ahead, and was a little laborious, so I would save this for a week when I had the time to cook it. Overall, I liked it but it was a bit drier than I hoped. Some biryani dishes I've had are on the dry side so this wasn't a problem with the recipe I don't think. Another complaint was that the whole spices had to stay in while it cooked so every few bites I'd get a cardamom pod or a piece of cinnamon stick (also not uncommon), but I think next time I'd put these in a little bag and take it out before the oven step. On the plus side, the lamb was super tender and the rice was nice and fluffy, and the heat level with just one green finger chile and the 1 tsp of Kasmiri chili was a perfect mild-medium level. I also added currants to one bowl on whim and really like the pop of sweetness! And, while there was a ton of cilantro and mint in this I couldn't tell at all, all the flavors really blended nicely. 

Ingredients:

For the Lamb:

4 green finger chiles (or serrano chiles), stems removed (I used one)

1 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

8 cloves garlic, peeled

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered

2 roma tomatoes, quartered

1 cup full fat yogurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp Kasmiri chile powder, plus more if desired

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp kosher salt, plus more if desired

2.5 to 3 lbs lamb chops (shoulder bone in or boneless) (I cut this into bite size pieces)

3 Indian cinnamon sticks half inch each, or 1 large cinnamon stick

12 whole black peppercorns

6 cloves

6 green cardamom pods

1 tbsp garam masala

For the Fried Onions:

1 cup neutral oil like canola

2 yellow onions thinly sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the Rice:

kosher salt

water

3 cups basmati rice

For Assembly:

6 tbsp whole milk

1/2 tsp saffron threads

2 cups mixed fresh cilantro and mint leaves

6 tbsp unsalted butter, sliced

Directions:

1. Prep the lamb marinade by adding finger chiles, garlic and ginger to a food processor until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and onions until smooth. Add to a ziplock bag with the lamb, yogurt, mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chile powder, turmeric and salt. Combine well and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prep the fried onions by heating oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook until browned about 25-30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and spread out so they don't clump. Set aside.

3. Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom to the remaining oil and fry over medium heat for one minute until fragrant. Add the meat mixture with the marinade plus one cup of water and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, on a low simmer (adjust heat as needed) until the meat is tender and the sauce is dark (about 2.5 hours). Add in garam masala, then chile powder/salt as needed.

4. Heat the oven to 350 F. Prep the rice by adding it to a large pot of salted boiling water for 3 minutes, stirring well and often, then strain and run cold water over the rice. Set aside.

5. Prep the saffron milk by warming the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming. Remove from heat and add saffron, crumbing it with fingertips as you drop it into the milk. Set aside.

6. In a large dutch oven with a lid, add 1/3 meat mixture to the bottom layer of the pot evenly. Sprinkle the meat with 1/3 herbs and 1/3 rice, assembling lightly without packing the layers down. Drizzle 2 tbsp of saffron milk over the rice and add 1/3 fried onions. Build 2 more layers like this and top with butter pats. Cover the pot with foil and then the lid.

7. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake for one hour until piping hot. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving, digging all the way to the bottom with the spoon to serve. Reheat in a covered dish in the microwave for leftovers.

Classic Shepherd's Pie, by Diane

 

This is, as it turn out, our 6th shepherd's pie on the blog, but just so happens to be the only *normal* version which I find hilarious! I made this for dinners this week, and it turned out pretty well! The only thing I would change is that there was not really a gravy or sauce with this recipe once you drained the fat off, and so it was lacking in flavor and a bit dry. Once I made some gravy to go with it, it worked really well. I omitted the cheese in the potatoes here too, and kept it whole 30 except for the flour which easily could have been arrowroot. This recipe was adapted from NYT. This was also incredibly quick and easy to whip up for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes

1 lb lean ground beef

1 lb ground lamb

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

1 package frozen peas and carrots

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 tbsp flour

3/4 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper 

1/4 tsp dried thyme and rosemary

4 tbsp butter (I used ghee)

1 cup milk (I used almond milk because that's what was on hand)

Directions:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes, boil until fork tender. Drain, mash, then add butter and milk until it becomes a thick consistency. Season as desired.

2. While the potatoes cook, brown the meat in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Drain and return to the pot, reserving 1-2 tbsp of the fat in the pot for cooking.

3. Add garlic, stirring for 2 minutes, then add peas and carrots.

4. Once the mixture heats back up about 5 min, add in tomato paste, herbs, and salt and pepper. 

5. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stirring for 2 min, then add broth and let simmer until sauce thickens (there was no sauce with mine so I would at least double this).

6. Adjust seasonings, then smooth the potato mixture over the top, forming peaks.

7. Bake at 375 for 30 min, until the liquid is bubbling on the sides and the potatoes are nice and golden (I stuck mine under a broiler for a few minutes because my top didn't brown after 35 min of cooking time).

Kjötsúpa (Icelandic Lamb Soup), by Diane

 

When I was in Iceland I was obsessed with kjötsúpa, a comforting and filling lamb and root veggie soup that seemed to be served everywhere along with Icelandic butter and bread. So as part of my cooking through the countries in quarantine, I decided to try this for Iceland! I ordered this mix of Icelandic herbs (Villikrydd- go here to order!) for the soup, and I happened to have some salt I had brought back from my trip (you can buy it online- Nordur is the brand I had). I had never cooked with lamb meat before (only ground lamb), and so I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

HOLY MOLY was this out of this world amazing- and the best part is that it tastes EXACTLY like it did in Iceland! How often can you say that you can accurately recreate your favorite dish that you ate in a country from your own kitchen? This soup was easy to make as well, and I already am looking forward to dinners this week! The best part, aside from the delicious broth, is that the lamb literally melts on your tongue it’s so tender! I modified the recipe a little by adding some bone broth I had to use up (I figured a little extra flavor and nutrition couldn’t hurt) and skipping the cabbage since I didn’t have that in Iceland. I added a cup of barley to thicken it up (some recipes use this and others don’t- but this is how I had it most on the trip), but it just took all the broth away overnight and didn’t thicken it at all so I wouldn’t do this again. This will be on repeat this winter!!!

Ingredients:

2 lb lamb shoulder, bone in, cut into bite size pieces and trimmed of fat (save the bones)

8 cups water

2 cups bone broth

1 large leek, sliced 

2 tbsp Villikrydd

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp salt

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 medium rutabaga, chopped into bitesize pieces 

1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into bitesize pieces (I left the skin on)

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, add lamb, bones, water, and broth and bring to a boil.

2. Skim the scum off the top and add in leeks, salt, pepper, and herbs. Simmer partially covered for 45 min.

3. Add in remaining veggies, stir and cook until veggies are soft.

4. Adjust seasonings, then refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to come together. 

Basic Shepherd's Pie, by Diane

Apparently when it's cold out I innately make shepherd's pie. This is the 4th iteration on the blog, and while I've created Moroccan, Kale/Chorizo/Sweet Potato/Pumpkin, and Brisket shepherd's pies I discovered today that I've never posted a classic version. And today was the perfect day for this dish because it is windy, cloudy, and in the 50's even though it's the start of Labor Day weekend. Since I chose to have a staycation this Labor Day this should last me all through the weekend- already looking forward to leftovers!


Ingredients:

2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes (you can use any but these taste the best IMO!)
1 lb. ground beef (I used grass fed as I can tell a huge taste difference!)
1 lb. ground lamb (I used free range, same thing!)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 bags frozen mixed veggies
1/2 cup red wine
4-6 tbsp worcestershire sauce (I really like the taste of this so I used more)
1 small can beef broth
1 tsp each rosemary, black pepper, sea salt, and dried parsley
Flour
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter
Optional: milk
Fried onions


Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water to cover the potatoes, and cook until soft.

2. While the potatoes cook, add the meat, onion, and garlic to a large saucepan and cook until meat is brown and crumbled. Reserve the liquid in a separate bowl and place the meat mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

3. Add the veggies to the pan with a little bit of the pan drippings from the meat mixture. Cook until softened, then drain and add to the meat mixture in the baking dish.

4. Add the remaining pan drippings, wine, worcestershire sauce, broth, and the 1 tsp worth of spices to the pan. Bring to a boil.

5. Make a rue with the flour by adding some flour (a few tbsp) to a small bowl and whisking in the sauce until completely smooth and liquid. Then add back into the pan, whisking until completely smooth. Bring to a simmer for another 2 minutes until gravy is thickened.

6. Pour the gravy over the meat and vegetable mixtures and stir well.

7. Preheat the oven to 350.

8. In a large bowl, make the mashed potato mixture by adding butter, salt and pepper (and milk if you want) until your desired consistency. Layer the potato mixture over the meat and veggies in the baking dish.

9. Sprinkle fried onions on top of the potato mixture in an even layer.

10. Place the baking dish onto a baking sheet to avoid overflow in the oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes until the mixture is bubbling.

Koobideh, by Diane

A while back, I made an amazing Afghani dish on the blog called Qabuli. It was a big hit and I think about recreating it often. This week, I decided I wanted to make it again but wasn't sure how many koobideh kabobs I would need to buy. Thinking that it might get expensive, I decided to look it up and see how to make them instead. As it turns out, they are shockingly simple to make and way cheaper than getting them at the restaurant! And, they don't have any carbs of any kind in them- my favorite way to cook!

*Note: The onion step (Step 1) will literally make you cry your face off, so especially be careful when removing the lid of the food processor not to get your face too close. :)

Ingredients:


1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
1 small head of parsley, stems removed
1 tsp each turmeric, salt and pepper
1 egg
2 lb. ground lamb


Directions:

1. Using a food processor, mince the onion down to tiny pieces. Strain out all the liquid and return to the processor.

2. Add in the garlic, parsley, spices, and egg and blend well until everything is broken down.

3. Add the lamb in chunks and then process until just mixed through.

4. Remove mixture and refridgerate for a minimum of 3 hours to overnight (I did it overnight).

5. Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a baking sheet and form the mixture into 8 logs. Using a knife, cut bite-sized notches into the logs.

6. Bake for 20 minutes.

Lamb Giouvetsi, by Cheryl and Diane

We made this as our main course for the menu meal, and we thought it was just pretty good! This dish was inspired by a recent meal Cheryl and I had at a new Mediterranean restaurant, and we knew we wanted to recreate it! We found this recipe and converted the pork to lamb. It would have been greatly improved if we had tasted it before putting it into the oven, and had cooked it for less time because ours got a bit dried out (however, we were dealing with two other dishes and two small children and thus forgot to cover it with foil in the oven, so maybe that's why!!). It made the house smell delicious though!


Ingredients:

Olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 big onion
1 lb lamb (stew meat works best here, cut into bite sized pieces)
Salt and pepper
½ bottle red wine
2 bay leaves
1 clove (or one pinch ground cloves)
1 ½ oz canned chopped tomatoes
1 lb Greek pasta (orzo)
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup warm chicken stock

Directions:

1. Over medium high heat, add the olive oil to a pan. Add in the garlic and onion, cook for 4-5 minutes.

2. Add in the lamb, salt and pepper and sear each side about 4-5 minutes.

3. Add in 1/2 of the red wine (1/4 of the bottle), bay leaves, and cloves. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Add in the chopped tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for one hour.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 (we think 350 might have been better here). Check the mixture for taste, and adjust seasonings. The pasta will absorb a lot of flavor so make sure to add in some extra!

6. Add in the cinnamon, chicken stock, and orzo and stir well. Transfer into a baking dish and bake for another hour, covered with foil. You want the end result to be a thick tomato sauce so watch it in the oven!

Mastava (Uzbeki Soup), by Diane

This soup is the first thing I order at a local Uzbeki restaurant. It is hearty and filling but also light and aromatic at the same time. You can use either beef or lamb in this, and the traditional way is to finely chop cooked meat to use in the soup. All the veggies are finely chopped as well. You top this amazing soup off with a sour cream sauce, which at my local restaurant is a mixture of sour cream and cream (its a thick liquid).

I never thought to make it because I thought it must be so complicated since it was so many flavors all together, but as it turns out it could not be easier to make at home. It also uses barely any ingredients! This is so good!!! I did add in turmeric and garlic, for anti-inflammatory purposes, but also because I love the flavor of both. I'm really excited to devour it this week!


Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO
1 lb beef or lamb, finely chopped (I cheated and used lean ground beef)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 sweet pepper, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup white rice, uncooked
6 cups water
1 potato, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds (you can use ground cumin here if needed, 1/2 tsp)
fresh dill, chopped (about 2 tbsp)
1 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
Sour cream (add in heavy cream to make a sauce if desired)

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pan to medium high and add in EVOO. After the oil heats, add in the meat and onions and fry until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened.

2. Add in carrots, pepper, tomatoes, and garlic and cook until carrots and pepper are softened.

3. Add in rice and fry for 30 seconds, then add water.

4. Add potatoes and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from the potatoes.

5. Reduce to a simmer, add in cumin seeds and dill and cook uncovered until rice is done.

6. Serve with sour cream, add in until creamy.

Qabuli, by Diane

I made this dish last night for our Afghani-themed spread at book club. We read The Pearl That Broke It's Shell, by Nadia Hashimi, and it was set in Afghanistan (an excellent read!!). I've had this dish both at Afghani and Uzbeki restaurants (in Uzbekistan it's called Plov), and it's delicious. Traditionally it is served on a bed of rice, but since some of our bookclub members were keeping Passover, I omitted that part. I also used meat from kubideh kabobs that I purchased at a local Afghani restaurant, but traditionally qabuli uses lamb that is cooked in onions and spices (a google search brings up all kinds of recipes for how to cook it this way). I'm posting the recipe as I made it, which was cheap, quick, and surprisingly simple! This was a big hit at the bookclub, and I'll definitely make it again for lunch or dinner during the week.

*Note: traditionally I've seen this dish made with candied orange peels (which you would create by adding orange peels into the carrot step), saffron (also added into the carrot step), pistachios instead of or with almonds, and rose/orange blossom water (added in with the raisin step or to cook the rice in). Afghani food is very fragrant and uses a lot of ingredients that have a variety of good scents! All taste amazing and you can customize how you want! Last night was a busy one so I picked the easiest of all options and it still wound up tasting delicious!*

Ingredients:

2 kubideh kabobs
2 tbsp EVOO
1 lb shredded carrots
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp garam masala
1 cup black raisins (golden raisins are also used in this dish)
1 cup slivered almonds
Rice (basmati works best!)

Directions:

1. Soak the raisins in a bowl with hot water for 10 minutes (you want them to be plump and juicy!).

2. In a large saucepan heat EVOO on medium high. Add in carrots, brown sugar, and garam masala and cook until the carrots are slightly browned and tender. 

3. Drain the raisins and add them into the mix. Cook another 2-3 minutes until raisins are warmed and set aside in a bowl.

4. Add the almonds into the pan and lightly toast. There should be some reminants of the oil and spices left in the pan for the almonds to absorb. Make sure to watch these as they will burn easily! Add to the bowl and mix together.

5. Serve your dish with rice on the bottom, meat, and then the carrot/raisin/almond mixture on top.

Spicy Lamb Meatball and Swiss Chard Soup, by Diane

This recipe is loosely based off something I saw in Real Simple. I recently had spicy lamb sliders at a local Greek restaurant, and this soup reminded me of them. Of course, it has my changes to it, so I'm posting what I made as opposed to the original recipe (link here: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/lamb-meatball-stew-00100000117724/index.html

This was my first time eating/using swiss chard. It came in a rainbow pack (the roots and veins are colored in different varieties of hot pink, yellow, and white), and the taste is somewhere between spinach and kale. I will definitely use this ingredient again, it was delicious!!!


Ingredients:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp each sweet paprika, cumin, chili powder
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Salt and black pepper
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 large carrots, sliced
2 parsnips, sliced
1 large turnip, cubed
1 medium sweet onion
1 large bunch rainbow Swiss chard (about 11 ounces total), stems chopped and leaves sliced, separated
1 small handful fresh dill
8-12 cups low-sodium chicken broth


Directions:

1. Combine ingredients through lamb in a bowl, mix well and form into 18 small meatballs. Cook 4-6 minutes until browned, they do not have to be cooked through.

2. In a large soup pot, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add in carrots, parsnips, turnip, and onion and cook covered until tender, stirring often.

3. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add meatballs and boil for 3-5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for 10 more minutes.

Moroccan Stuffed Acorn Squash, by Diane

 

 

So I have been on a big Moroccan kick lately! This is my last one for a while :)

 

In the spirit of eating lots of fall treats, I have been looking for new ways to incorporate acorn squash into my diet. I found this recipe online, and it just happened to be Moroccan, and that was it! This recipe was very good, and very filling. My only adjustments would be that it needed more seasoning, and that I would drain the liquid with the exception of 1-2 tablespoons for cooking the onion and garlic. I also switched the meat to lamb to make it more authentic and because I don't know a lot about it (the point of this blog is to learn, right?), so using ground lamb was a great introduction and the flavor was amazing in the dish. This was a massive hit and I will definitely be making it again!

 

Recipe from: http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2009/10/moroccanstyle-stuffed-acorn-squash.html

 

 

Ingredients:

2 medium acorn squashes (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 lb. ground chuck (95 percent lean)

ground cinnamon

ground nutmeg

2 tsp. course salt

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup bulgur wheat

2 cups water

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Place squashes, cut sides down in a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add ground beef, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl or plate using a slotted spoon, keeping as much of the cooking liquid in the pot as possible.
3. Add onion, and cook until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine.  Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.  Take pot off the stove and let sit covered for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork, and add reserved beef, the raisins, parsley and pine nuts.
4. Scrape out baked squashes, forming 1/4 inch thick bowls, and fold flesh into bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return to the oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned. 12 to 14 minutes.