Lamb and Lentil Stew

Lamb and lentil stew is a staple around my house.  I prefer semi boneless lamb, so I can easily bone the lamb and trim generously, leaving lots of meat on the trimmings.  I then use the bone and trimmings for this stew.  You can use a full bone-in leg of lamb, but you better have a big enough pot to house that bone.  The bone and trimmings really form the flavor base for this rich stew, but you also could do a variation of this stew with a combination of lamb meat and chicken broth, if that's what you've got on hand..
1 lamb bone
¼ lb meaty lamb trimmings
1 carrot, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
6 cups water

2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp powdered cumin
½ tsp powdered coriander
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp rosemary leaves, crushed
1 cup Puy lentils

1 potato, peeled and diced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained, or 3 plum tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Toss the lamb bone and trimmings along with the carrot and onion into a soup pot with a dash of olive oil. Cook over medium high heat for about 10-15 minutes, to allow the meat and veggies to brown up and caramelize very, very well.

This will form the flavor base for the stock. Add the water and bring to a boil. Skim of any foam that might float to the surface, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

Let stock cool and then strain into a bowl. Remove and dice any meat from the bone and trimmings and set aside.

Sauté the next batch of carrot, onion and celery in a dash of olive oil in a soup pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the veggies to caramelize a bit. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking on high heat until the mushrooms release what water they will.

Turn heat to medium and allow the mushrooms to brown up a bit. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes and rosemary, and cook another 2-3 minutes.

 Return the stock to the soup pot and add the lentils. Bring to a gentle boil, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for about 45-60 minutes, depending on the age (hardness) of the lentils (you can soak the lentils the night before, and that can reduce the cooking time).

Meanwhile, heat a dash of olive oil in a small skillet to shimmering hot. Carefully add the tomatoes and allow them to cook for about 5-8 minutes to darken in color and enrich their flavor.

Once the lentils are just becoming soft and toothsome, like slightly undercooked rice, add the potato and tomatoes to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste (better to salt and add tomatoes [acid] later when cooking lentils because salt and acid can slow the cooking process). If you used canned diced tomatoes, you can certainly add the reserved tomato liquid, or save for another use.

Cook stew until potatoes are only just soft, and the lentils are soft enough to eat, but still have body. Stir in the vinegar.

Garnish with fresh parsley. Serves 6.

Cook’s Note: You can use whatever vinegar you have, or lemon or lime. A dash of acid brightens up this very rich dish.

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 Chickpeas

Last weekend on my way to mountain biking, I was listening to Milk Street Radio, a great cooking show on Saturday WHYY radio.  They asked an Indian chef, Vikram Vij what she would cook on a simple weeknight.  She described a nice vegetarian chickpea curry in about 3-4 sentences which seemed so simple, wholesome, delicious and most importantly - fast!  I hopped on my bike and as I rode I worked out how I would make this dish, and it went something like this.
1 sweet onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp Ras el Hanout, Moroccan spice blend
1 tsp ground cumin

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 can coconut cream (I used Trader Joe’s)

Sauté the onion and carrot for about 5-8 minutes in a medium pot.

Add the drained tomatoes and cook another 8-10 minutes.

Add the tomato paste to the veggies and cook about 5 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens up a bit and enriches its flavor.

Remove mixture to a bowl.  Add a dash of oil to the pot and toss in the garlic and ginger.

Cook about 2-3 minutes. Add the Das el Hanout powder and cook another minute, stirring constantly.

Return the tomato mixture to the pot along with the chick peas.

Add the coconut cream and the reserved tomato liquid. Add enough water (only if necessary) to make a nice stew consistency.

Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, stir, and cover. Cook for about 15-20 minutes to develop the flavor - just about enough time to make some rice.

Serve with rice. Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  This is a quick dish directly from the pantry - a real fast weeknight dinner.

If you do not have Das el Hanout, just use whatever curry spices or garam masalas you do have.  You could mix 1/2 Tbsp cumin with 1/2 Tbsp turmeric, 1/2 Tbsp ground coriander and 1/2 Tbsp smokey pimenton paprika, for example.

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.

Mediterranean Grouper with Tapenade Packets

Cooking fish along with aromatics in a foil packet on a grill is an easy way to develop rich flavor with fish, quickly.  It keeps fish cooking smells out of the kitchen, and renders a very flavorful sauce at the same time.  Prepared olive tapenade and canned sliced mushrooms make for a quick prep to combine with tomatoes and spinach for a Mediterranean  flavor (and diet).  Serve will grilled zucchini, if you like.
2 grouper fillets, about 1-1/2 lb, cut in half
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
4 Tbsp black olive tapanade
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 can mushroom slices, drained
2 green onions, sliced

Heat grill to high.

Lay four 16-inch sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface. Distribute the spinach leaves evenly about the center of each sheet. Top each with one of the fish fillet portions and salt and pepper lightly. Top each fish fillet with a tablespoon of tapanade, and spread evenly atop.

Distribute the tomatoes, mushrooms and green onions evenly over each fillet. Wrap foil into leak-free packets.

Grill packets for about 8-10 minutes on grill. Unwrap fish and serve with sauces from the packets.

Serves 4.

Couscous with Pistachio and Golden Raisin

Couscous is an open palate - paint it.
1 cup couscous
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup shelled roasted pistachios
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil

Bring the water, salt and oil to a boil in a small pot. Stir in the couscous, cover and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, saute the pistachios raisins, garlic and ginger in the butter and oil for about 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat.

After the couscous is cooked, fluff with a fork, or your fingers. Tip the couscous into the skillet with the pistachios and mix well. Pour out onto a serving platter or bowl.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Mediterranean Macaroni Primavera

Here is a Mediterranean inspired primavera loaded with veggies. The more you read about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, or cuisine - as the Italian foodies would rather have you say - the more you want more of this.
2 medium zucchini
4 plum tomatoes
2 cups cauliflower
1/3 lb ribbed macaroni
6 fresh sage leaves coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
black toasted sesame seeds

Slice the tomatoes about 1/2 inch. Slice the zucchini in coarse chances, rotating the zucchini 45 degrees after each slice.

Break the cauliflower into bit-sized pieces.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and salt generously for the macaroni. Stir in the macaroni and return to a gentle boil. After about 6 minutes, as the macaroni approaches al-dente, add the cauliflower and cook a final 2 minutes. The cauliflower should be just crisp tender and the macaroni al dente.

Meanwhile, sauté the zucchini in large skillet with a dash of olive oil, allowing the cut sides to brown nicely. Season with black pepper. Watch carefully and cook only until the zucchini browns a bit but remains crisp-tender.

Remove zucchini to a bowl. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook about 2-3 minutes. Then add the stock to skillet and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce volume in half.

Heat another skillet to high and add a dash of olive oil. Add the tomatoes and the sage allow them to sizzle a few minutes per side. The tomatoes should just soften and caramelize a bit, but don’t cook them to a pulp - they should maintain their individual integrity.

When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup cooking water, drain and pour into a large mixing bowl.

Add the stock and the zucchini and gently fold together. Adjust sauce consistency with pasta cooking water if necessary. Tip out onto a serving platter and scatter the tomatoes, along with all their cooking juices, on top. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Spanakopita Roll with Artichoke

1 lb phyllo dough, thawed and unrolled
5 oz baby spinach leaves
1 can artichoke heaters, drained
2 small or 1 large leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
red pepper flakes, to taste
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan or Gryuère cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 375F.

Stir fry the spinach leaves in a larges skillet until wilted.

Set aside. In the same skillet, add the leeks with one tablespoon water and a dash of olive oil. Cook the leeks for about 5 minutes until the water evaporates and the leeks soften. Add the artichokes and let them begin to brown just a bit - about another 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and the red pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the spinach with the artichokes and mix well.

Carefully unroll the pyllo dough.

Spread the cream cheese evenly onto the phyllo dough.  Scatter the veggie mixture on top. Top with the grated cheese.

Then top with the feta cheese.  Whisk together the egg and the water. Roll up the dough and brush with the egg mixture.

Sprinkle roll with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 30-45 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from oven, slice and serve.

Serves 4-6.