Category Archives: Lamb

Cookbook reviews, Lamb

Crispy Lamb and Mint Rolls

My sushi-eating, blue cheese-loving kids have become picky eaters and my son smothers everything in ketchup. Over the summer, my heart sank a little further every night at dinnertime, when no matter what I put in front of the kids, it seemed to always be met with a yuck or eww (though at least I’ve trained the seven-year-old well enough to say I don’t care for this). So after months of despairing about what to feed them, I’ve decided to make life easier on myself and do what their daycare does — I make the same things every week. I still play around with new recipes on the weekends, but now Fridays are roast chicken, taco night Tuesdays and Mondays are some kind of mince, that fail-safe reliable. So far that’s meant Spaghetti Bolognese, meatballs, turkey burgers or shepherd’s pie, but things have got a little more interesting with the reissued Marvellous Meals with Mince by Josceline Dimbleby. Originally published in 1982 for the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain, where it became a bestseller, the book has been completely rewritten and brought up to date with fresh new photography.

Finger food still seems to be a safe bet, so I made the crispy lamb and mint rolls first — which the kids wolfed down with a simple yoghurt dip and asked for seconds. On my list of recipes still to try are meatloaf with blue cheese, a picnic loaf, fish sausages and potato croquettes stuffed with pork. I may have given in to the picky eaters — for now — but at least Mince Mondays are looking up.

Crispy Lamb and Mint Rolls
adapted from Marvellous Meals with Mince by Josceline Dimbleby

Serves 4 as a light dinner

The original recipe calls for deep-frying the rolls, but I’ve modified it slightly to bake them in the oven instead as a healthier and easier option.

12 oz (350 g) lean lamb mince
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch (3 cm) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mild chilli powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
a handful of mint or cilantro (a.k.a. coriander) leaves, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly whisked (but only crack one at a time into the bowl for two separate uses)
2 ready-rolled puff pastry sheets
cucumber raita or seasoned Greek yoghurt, for dipping
couscous studded with apricots, preserved lemons, almonds and mint, to serve

In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, garlic, ginger, cumin, chilli powder and salt and pepper. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the meat just until it has browned. Transfer the lamb to a bowl with a slotted spoon to leave behind any excess fat and allow to cool slightly, then stir in the chopped mint or cilantro (coriander) and one of the beaten eggs.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll out the pastry sheets to stretch them a bit. Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the remaining beaten egg to help it stick together when you roll it up, then spoon half of the meat mixture onto one of the sheets, leaving a small gap clear at the top long edge. Starting with the long edge closest to you, carefully roll up the pastry sheet, pressing down gently as you go to enclose the meat inside it, so that the lamb rolls resemble a Swiss roll. When you’ve finished, press down firmly to seal the edges together. Cut at 3 inch (7 cm) intervals to make small pastry swirls and place on the lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry and the remaining lamb.

Brush the tops of the rolls with the last of the beaten egg and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and a crack of black pepper. Cook in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown. Serve with cucumber raita or seasoned Greek yoghurt for dipping and a mound of couscous on the side.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of Marvellous Meals with Mince from Quadrille Publishing.

 

 

Cookbook reviews, Lamb, Middle Eastern food

Moroccan Meatballs with Couscous

The first time I met Shelia Kiely at a food blogging event in Ireland and she let it slip that she has six kids, I’m sure I had the same reaction she gets from just about everyone: “Six kids?” What’s more, that number includes not one, but two sets of twins. And as if being a mother to six children and running her own food safety management consultancy wasn’t enough, she somehow found the time to write a cookbook, Gimme the Recipe, in addition to writing her blog of the same name. So to ask the question I’m sure everyone is wondering: Shelia, where do you get the energy? Or at the very least, what brand of coffee are you drinking?

I think it’s fair to say that Shelia takes the whole working mom thing and raises it to the nth degree. Not surprisingly, her book focuses on good, wholesome, no-nonsense food. There are lots of family-friendly and comfort food classics, from soups to stews, meat pies to pasta bakes, and every working mom’s favorite, one-pot casseroles. But Shelia caters to grown-ups too with dinner party and girls’ night in suggestions as well as helpful meal planners for special occasions like birthday parties, coffee mornings and the holidays. She covers all the bases.

As for me, I made these easy, tasty, moreish Moroccan meatballs from her book and we all enjoyed them so much that I promptly made them again the next week. With two young kids as judges, it’s as ringing an endorsement as you can get for a family cookbook.

If you like this, you might also like Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Mint Couscous, or see this post for a round-up of our other meatball recipes.

Moroccan Meatballs
adapted from Gimme the Recipe by Shelia Kiely

Because I was feeling lazy and didn’t fancy lugging out my food processor to make a paste, like Shelia’s original recipe calls for, I adapted it by adding the onion and garlic to the sauce instead of to the meatballs. I also used garam masala instead of the cumin and cinnamon called for (you can see the original recipe here). I serve this with couscous studded with chopped apricots, raisins, a finely chopped sliver of preserved lemon and chopped fresh coriander (aka cilantro).

Serves 4 to 6

2 lb (1 kg) minced lamb
2 tablespoons garam masala
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 x 1 inch (3 cm) thumb-width piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 x 14 oz (400 g) cans of chopped tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
chopped fresh cilantro (a.k.a. coriander), to garnish
couscous (see intro above) or rice, to serve

Place the minced lamb in a large bowl along with 1 tablespoon of the garam masala and some salt and pepper, mixing well to combine. Form the mixture into small meatballs about the size of golf balls.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat (don’t add any oil because the lamb will throw off a lot of fat). Add the meatballs to the pan in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) and cook for about 5 minutes, until browned all over. Remove the browned meatballs from the pan and set aside and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy-based pot or casserole, heat the oil over a medium-low heat. Add in the onion and a pinch of salt to stop it from browning and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add in the garlic, chilli (if using), ginger and the remaining 1 tablespoon garam masala and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the chicken stock and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and add in the browned meatballs. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with couscous or rice and a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro (coriander).

 

30-minute meals, Grains and pulses, Lamb, Middle Eastern food, Rice, Salads

Spiced Lamb and Lentils with Cucumber-Tahini Salad

Sometimes I love being on the “mommy track” but recently juggling kids and a career seems like the craziest idea I ever had. The last few months have been terribly stressful at work. I’ve barely had time or energy to cook. You might have noticed this downward culinary slide due to my lack of recent posts (sorry, Kristin). Luckily, I have a handful of make ahead recipes to help me through these rough patches. This is my newest — and favorite.

Lamb might seem pretty rich for a weeknight springtime meal, but the lentils lighten up this dish and the cucumber salad lends just the right amount of tangy freshness. I like to cook the lentil and lamb stew the night before, after I put the kids to bed and pour a generous glass of wine. You can cool and refrigerate the stew right in the pan you cooked it in. A programmable rice cooker can take care of the rice for you the next day while you work. All you have to do when you arrive home is throw together the salad and reheat the stew. And that is how I managed (at least for one night) to put a healthy, incredibly tasty dinner on the table in 10 minutes.

Spiced Lamb with Lentils

Spiced Lamb and Lentils with Cucumber-Tahini Salad
adapted from Whole Foods Market

Serves 6

3 cups (700 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
1 3/4 teaspoons dried dill, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (175 g) green lentils
1 tablespoon sesame tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
cooked brown rice, to serve

Bring 1/2 cup (125 ml) broth to a simmer in a large pot or high-sided skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the lamb, dill, oregano and cinnamon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to break up the lamb. Stir in the lentils and remaining 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If serving the next day, cool the stew then refrigerate it.

To make the salad, in a small bowl, combine the tahini, salt and lemon juice, then stir in the cucumber and tomato. If the lamb and lentils have been chilled, rewarm over a medium heat. Spoon the warm lamb and lentils over rice and top with the cucumber tomato salad.

Entertaining, Lamb, Potatoes

Marinated Lamb Fillets with Chive Mash and Buttered Leeks

About six years ago, my husband and I treated ourselves to a weekend away in Temple House, a fabulous Georgian mansion on a 1,000-acre estate in County Sligo on the site of a 13th-century Knights Templar castle. Dinner is served at one huge mahogany dining table, where everyone sits together. Ingredients are grown on the estate, sourced locally or from specialist producers, and where possible are organic. We had meant to leave on Sunday, but the meal we had there on the Saturday night was so good that we decided to stay an extra night and leave at the crack of dawn on Monday to make the three-hour drive back east in time for work just so we could have another dinner there.

At one of the dinners, they served a side dish of delicate, delicious leeks that I’ve been trying to recreate ever since. I’ve tried roasting them and braising them, but it was never the dish I remembered. But when I came across this recipe for buttered leeks, I had a feeling I might be on to something. Much like this sauteed cabbage or these sauteed carrots, the secret is in the recipe’s simplicity — just leeks, butter, salt and pepper and a touch of cream at the end for a little luxury. I’m kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner.

This menu is uncomplicated enough to make on a weekday — the lamb cooks in less than 10 minutes, you can saute the leeks while the lamb is resting, and mashed potatoes are never difficult — but is also impressive enough for company. These lemon roast potatoes would be perfect to serve with the lamb instead of the chive mash.

Marinated Lamb Fillets
adapted from Real Food by Nigel Slater

Serves 4

Nigel Slater’s recipe calls for lamb fillets, but the marinade works well with just about any cut, even an entire leg of lamb. The original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence, but I like the combination of fennel and rosemary, inspired by Catherine Fulvio.

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
freshly ground black pepper
2 x 9 oz (250 g) lamb fillets
3 rosemary sprigs

Put the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, fennel seeds and some freshly ground black pepper in a large measuring jug and whisk together well, until thick (or shake to combine in a screw-top jar). Place the lamb fillets in a casserole dish and tuck the rosemary sprigs around the lamb. Pour the marinade over the lamb, over with cling film and leave in a cool place for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

To cook the lamb, get a ridged grill pan really hot (or if you don’t have one, use the oven broiler) and open the windows or turn your extractor fan on, as this will smoke a lot. Also, you might have to cook the lamb in 2 batches, depending on the size of your pan. Place the lamb on the grill pan and press it down onto the pan with a palette knife or the back of a spatula. Leave for 3 or 4 minutes, until the underneath is golden and crusted. Turn the lamb over and continue cooking for a further 3 to 4 minutes. The inside should still be pink. Remove to a plate or chopping board, cover with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.

***

Chive Mash

2 lb (900 g) floury potatoes, such as Kerr’s Pink, Maris Piper or Yukon Gold
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
4 oz (110 g) butter
1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Put them in a large pot of generously salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer just until the potatoes are tender, then drain. Return the potatoes to the pot off the heat, cover with a clean tea towel and allow to sit for 5 minutes (this helps to dry out the potatoes, resulting in a fluffier mash). Meanwhile, while the potatoes are cooking, place the milk and butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, until the butter has melted. Mash the potatoes, then pour in the hot milk and butter mixture and the chopped chives and beat with a wooden spoon until the mash is fluffy and light. Taste for seasoning and serve piping hot.

***

Buttered Leeks
adapted from Greatfood.ie

Serves 4 to 6

4 tablespoons (60 g) butter
5 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, washed very well and sliced thinly on the diagonal
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cream

Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the leeks, stir and season generously. Cover and cook over a gentle heat for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the leeks are tender. Add the cream just before serving.

Grains and pulses, Italian food, Lamb

Sicilian Lamb Patties Braised with Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes with Polenta

Though this blog project is a tad more work than I expected, it’s worth it for many reasons, one being the new recipes I get to try out. And I like that Kristin keeps me on my toes in the kitchen. After reading through her meals each week, I’m too embarrassed to cook/post some of my old standby recipes. After all, how many times can you type up an adaptation of the same stir-fry? So often I end up in food ruts because my old standby recipes are standby recipes for a reason — they’re good, they’re easy. But food ruts are dangerous, an easy way to forget how amazing food can taste or the thrill of finding that perfect new recipe or pulling off a multi-course dinner for a party of 10.

For those of us that love cooking, it’s not about filling our stomachs as much as creating a meal, an experience, a taste. These days I don’t have the energy to wax poetic about why I love cooking. Luckily, Jonah Lehrer has written a brilliant essay that explains the attraction quite well. All of this is a long way of saying that I’m happy this blog forces me to try new things, like making polenta for the first time. The polenta was easy to make, comforting, and the perfect base for the lovely braised lamb dish.

braised lamb paaties

Sicilian Lamb Patties Braised with Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes
adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2008

Serves 6

In place of polenta, you could serve this over penne, ziti or rigatoni.

for the lamb patties:
1/2 cup (25 g) fresh breadcrumbs (from crustless French bread ground in a food processor)
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1 1/4 lb (570 g) ground lamb
1/2 cup (30 g) finely grated Pecorino cheese
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

for the eggplant mixture:
2 small or 1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g), unpeeled, cut into 1‑inch cubes
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
coarse kosher salt
1 large red bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2‑inch-wide strips
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/3 cups (320 ml) dry white wine
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups (450 g) chopped, seeded, peeled tomatoes

for the polenta:
4 cups (1 liter) water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (150 g) polenta (coarse cornmeal)
grated Pecorino cheese

To make the lamb patties, combine the breadcrumbs and water in a small bowl. Soak for 5 minutes, then squeeze all the water from the crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large bowl. Add the lamb and remaining ingredients and mix gently to combine. Shape into 12 oval patties, each about 2 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch thick.

To make the eggplant mixture, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine the cubed eggplant and 5 tablespoons of oil in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread the eggplant out on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the eggplant over and bake until soft, about 12 minutes longer.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb patties and saute until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb patties to a plate. Add the bell pepper strips to the drippings in the skillet and saute until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pepper to the plate with the lamb.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chopped onion to the same skillet. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and garlic. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the wine is reduced to a glaze, about 7 minutes. Return the lamb and peppers to the skillet, then add the eggplant, tomatoes, and marjoram. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the lamb is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. If the sauce is thin, simmer, uncovered until it has thickened to the desired consistency. Season the sauce to taste with coarse salt and pepper.

To make the polenta, bring the water and salt to boil in a heavy, large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in the polenta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the polenta is very thick, whisking often, about 20 minutes.

Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls. Top with the lamb and vegetables, sprinkle with Pecorino cheese and serve.