North African Lamb Kebabs

Always looking for good lamb dishes for Easter.  Recently we went down to visit family in Charlottesville Virginia for Easter and ate at a North African restaurant.  They had the most fantastic lamb, served in many different dishes.  And their hummus was out of this world.

Here, I reverse-engineer their North African lamb kebabs, and hope I have found at least an essence of their wonder.  These are fantastic, and if you love lamb - try them!
1-1/2 to 2 lbs boneless lamb, cut into 12 ~2-inch cubes
1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 16 ~1/8-inch slices
12 3-inch pieces favorite thick-cut bacon (I used applewood smoked)

Marinade:
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp Sumac Middle Eastern Spice (see note) spice
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp tamarind extract paste
2 Tbsp canola oil

Slather sauce:
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 Tbsp canola oil

crushed red pepper flakes for garnish

Toss the lamb and the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix together well with tongs or your fingers.

Let marinate for at least 2 hours, or ideally, overnight, covered in the refrigerator.

If marinating overnight, return lamb cubes to room temperature when ready to cook. If using wood, soak six 8-inch wooden skewers in water. Heat grill to high. Whisk together the slather sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Half-wrap each skewer with a strip of bacon. Alternate the wraps, left and right. Skewer 3 cubes of lamb on a skewer, capped and separated by a slice of carrot (or other veggie if using).

Grill over medium-high heat, turning often. Cook until lamb reaches 130F for medium-rare (or to your taste), when measured by an instant read thermometer. Remove lamb kebobs from grill and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes on a plate, covered with aluminum foil.

Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes and serve kebabs over couscous or other favorite grain.

Serves 4.

Cook’s Note: You could use many other veggies for the separator between the cubes, like onion, or peppers. Or you could omit this and be just fine.

Sumac (don’t worry - not poison sumac) is a species in the Rhus genus of flowering plants. Their red fruit lead to a dark maroon powdered spice often used in Middle Eastern cooking. Sour and aromatic - much like lime or lemon tend to be, it adds a sharp flavor note, and red tone to dishes. It is certainly not a MUST in this dish, especially as pomegranate is used. But it is a great flavor enhancer.

Moroccan Lamb Stew

Here is a lamb stew rich with Moroccan flavors.  Ras el Hanout spice blend, pomegranate molasses and dates meld together in a warming aromatic stew.
1/2 lb carrots, about 6, peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
2 leeks, cleaned, trimmed and diced
3 to 3-1/2 lb boneless lamb, cut into 2-inch pieces

4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp Ras el Hanout, Moroccan spice mix
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, drained (liquid reserved) and crushed by hand

2 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
2 dozen dried dates, pitted and quartered

Sauté the carrots and the leek in a Dutch oven or large pot, with a dash of olive oil. Add a tablespoon of water, and allow the water to evaporate while the leeks soften.

When the leeks are softened, remove the carrot and leeks to a bowl.

Add a dash more olive oil to the pot and brown the lamb cubes well on each side. Salt and pepper to taste as they brown. Allow enough air space around each cube so they develop flavor from browning well - otherwise they will boil rather than brown. Brown the cubes in several batches and remove to the bowl with the carrots when done.

After the last batch of lamb cubes are browned and removed, add the garlic and ginger to the pot. Cook about a minute. Then add the Ras el Hanout powder to the pot and cook another one or two minutes, until very fragrant.

Now add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and turn up the heat to high. Cook the tomatoes in the spice mix and allow them to darken, caramelizing a bit, to develop bold flavor. Stir often.

After about 5 minutes of cooking, return the lamb and veggies to the pot.

Add the reserved tomato liquid and enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to a gentle boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for an hour.

Then add the pomegranate molasses and the dates. Stir well, cover the pot and simmer another half an hour.

Serve over couscous.

Serves 6-8.

Cook's Note:  Ras el Hanout is a North African spice blend often used in Moroccan cooking.  With high notes of clove, cinnamon and cumin, it is to Moroccan cooking as Garam Masala is to Indian cooking.

Pomegranate molasses is also often used in Moroccan cooking.  It is a flavorful syrup reduced from pomegranate juice and is pleasingly sour and only slightly sweet.

Fanny’s Lamb and Spinach Casserole

Cooking from the family archives

I'm cooking my way through my late mother in law's shoebox of recipes which I inherited, and I'm finding lots of comfort food.  Fanny was very health conscious and a great cook; a great combo to make an interesting recipe shoe box.
1 large onion, sliced
1 4-oz can mushrooms pieces, drained
1 lb ground lamb
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander

2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, lightly chopped
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup Swiss cheese, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown the onions and mushrooms in a skillet with a dash of olive oil.

Salt and pepper to taste. After about 8-10 minutes, add the lamb and brown well - about another 8-10 minutes. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook another minute.

Add the flour to the mixture and cook 2-3 minutes. Then add the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Add the spinach and simmer mixture until the spinach just wilts a bit and the the sauce thickens.

Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Add about 1 cup of the spinach mixture to the eggs, stirring, to temper the eggs. Now fold in the egg mixture into the spinach mixture off the heat.

Oil a medium (13x9-inch) casserole and tip the spinach mixture into the casserole. Top with the cheese.

Bake covered for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes or so to brown.

Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  I took some liberties and switched the beef to lamb.  I also included a bit of roux for thickening.  Having discussed cooking and recipes for so long with Fanny, I'm confident she would approve 😎

Tagine of Lamb and Preserved Lemons

Warm up to a spicy tagine as the first ice storm of the year envelops your world.  Or as family in Florida tells me, you are decorating your Christmas tree in shorts, in the eighties.
5 trimmed lamb loin chops

Spice Mix:
1 Tbsp garam masala seasoning
1 tsp favorite Indian curry powder
1 tsp Pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper

1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1/4 purple Bermuda onion, sliced, about 1/2 cup
2 stalks celery, diced
1 stick cinnamon
2 Tbsp harissa Middle Eastern chili paste (or other favorite)

1 15-ozcan petite diced tomatoes, drained (liquid reserved)
6 slices preserved lemons (see note)

Mix together the spice mix and coat the chops evenly with the spice mix. Heat the base of a tagine and add a dash of olive oil. Brown the chops evenly on one side for about 3-5 minutes. Flip the chops and brown the other side for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove the chops to a plate and keep warm. Add a dash of olive oil to the tagine base and add the leek, onion, celery and cinnamon. Cook the veggie mix down for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the veggies soften and begin to caramelize.

Add the harissa or chili paste and mix well.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Remove the veggies to a bowl. Add one last dash olive oil to the tagine base and raise the heat to high. Add the drained tomatoes and sizzle for about 5-8 minutes.

Allow the tomatoes to darken and caramelize a bit, and to develop great flavor and fragrance.

Return the chops to the tagine and pour in the veggie mix. Nestle in the lemon slices.  Add the reserved tomato liquid and just enough water to cover.

Bring to a slight boil, gently mix the pot and reduce to a simmer. Cover the tagine with its top and cook about 30 minutes, jostling the ingredients once or twice.

Serve with couscous or other favorite side. Serves 2-3.

Cook's Notes:  You can substitute the garam masala for other robust spice mixes such as Montreal seasoning (a favorite of Canada) or Cajun spice mix, for example.

Preserved lemons are a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking.  They are brined in a vinegar and available in jars - I use Trader Joe's.

A tagine is a cone-shaped dish used in the middle east to make stews.

Its shape enhances reflux of cooking liquids - as they vaporize, they condense on the inside of the cone and rain back down on the stew, evenly distributing moisture while cooking.  At least that's the theory.  My tagine does a great job, but you certainly could use a standard Dutch oven or other heavy pot just as well to make a fine tagine.

Our first Mid Atlantic ice storm. Christmas approaches...

Moroccan Lamb Burgers with Harissa Cream

Everyone seems so friendly in southern California.  You walk into the grocery store and get multiple warm smiles and hellos, even from nasty chihuahuas is ladies' purses .  What a lot of sun won't do.

I discovered Gelson's Grocery in Pacific Beach and smiled my way to their meat section.  They were well stocked with ground lamb which was score number two for them (the hellos were number one).  They also ground and mixed their own bulk sausage that looked so good I couldn't resist - score number three.

Now the real test to the store manager: "I'm looking for a rather exotic spice paste from Morocco called Harissa.  I haven't been able to find it anywhere and I realize it is not mainstream.  The last store had no idea what I was asking about, so I won't be surprised if you don't carry it."

His response, "Red or green?"  Score four, I smiled. Game over.
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 lb best sweet bulk Italian sausage, uncased
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp fresh mint
1 green onion
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Harissa Cream:
palmful fresh parsley
1 clove garlic
1 green onion
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1-2 Tbsp Harissa (Moroccan chili paste) or other favorite hot sauce/paste

Fresh baby spinach leaves
4-6 favorite buns
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat grill to high. Mince the garlic, mint, onion and parsley in a small food processor. Transfer to a bowl with the ground meats.

Add the cumin, red chili flakes, smoked paprika and salt. Mix together gently with clean hands only just to mix. Do not mangle the meats together as this can lead to tight dense, dry patties.

Mince the parsley, garlic and onion in a small food processor. Tip into a small bowl.

Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk together well.

Salt to taste if necessary.

Grill the burgers on both sides to taste, about 10 minutes total for medium rare (more or less, depending on your grill). Grill buns if desired.

Dress buns with a dash Harissa cream and lay a light bed of spinach leaves on each. Top with a burger. If desired, dollop more Harissa cream on each burger.

Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  Harissa is an aromatic chili paste from Morocco made from roasted red chills and a variety of spices and herbs.  Hot as anything, usually, and very flavorful, it should be used cautiously. If you don't have a Gelson's-like grocer around, use your favorite hot chili paste like Sriracha, or Asian chili paste with garlic. There are lots of great alternatives.

Minestrone with Lamb and Sausage

Soups are feeling so much better as fall sets in.  Save any leftover of roasted joints of lamb or beef, and make a wonderful soup with the leftovers.
1 lb leftover lamb, cubed 1/2-inch
2 Tbsp minced mint leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and diced1 15-oz can diced tomatoes

1 quart chicken broth
2 cups water

1/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 lb polish kielbasa, diced 1/2-inch
1/2 lb small waxy potatoes, diced 1/2-inch
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups green beans, cut 1-inch
2 cups green cabbage, cut 1-inch
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a dash of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the lamb and brown nicely on all sides. Add the mint leaves and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the celery and carrots to the lamb and cook about another 5 minutes.

Then add the leek and cook another 5 minutes.

Then add the tomatoes.

Add the broth and water and bring to a gentle boil. Add the barley and simmer about 15 minutes.  Add the sausage, potatoes and the green beans and simmer another 5 minutes.

Then add the cabbage, peas and beans, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Simmer another 10 minutes until all the veggies are crisp tender.

Serves 6-8.

Lamb Chops with Sherry Balsamic Glaze

I'm cooking my way through my cookbook collection, catching inspiration page to page.  What first inspired this dish was the beautiful loin lamb chops I found at the market.  Then I saw how chops were prepared with prosciutto in The Williams Sonoma Cookbook, a classic cook's resource.  And I took it from there.
1 cup beef stock
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

8 lamb loin chops

1 shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, minced
1 oz prosciutto, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
2 anchovies, minced
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup cream sherry
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 150F and place a rimmed baking sheet in oven. Heat the stock and vinegar in a small pan, and reduce volume in half.

Meanwhile, brown the lamb chops in a dash of olive oil in a large skillet, about 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare (according to Mark Bittman, 135F registering on an instant read thermometer, not touching bone).

Remove chops from pan and keep warm in the oven.  Add the shallots, garlic, tomatoes prosciutto, anchovies and red pepper flakes to the skillet along with a dash more olive oil.

Sauté the aromatics for about 5-7 minutes, until the shallots are very well softened.

Add the reduced beef stock and vinegar and the sherry.  Bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.  Swirl in the butter.

Plate some sauce on each of four plates. Top sauce with 2 chops. Garnish with fresh rosemary or parsley.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  Ispiration:  Lamb Chops with Balsamic Sauce, The Williams Sonoma Cookbook, 2008, p. 283

I tried their sauce approach but found it far too vinegary, so I cut that back significantly, but added sherry.  I didn't have veal demi-glaze so I used the stock reduction approach.  I also used shallot and sun dried tomatoes, and an anchovy for deep umami flavor.