Mary P. Lamb Chops

Mary P. Lamb Chops

Me? A recipe? Stop laughing...I can hear you...

8 thick loin chops

For marinade:
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Mix marinade in a tupperware or ziploc, throw in chops. Mush around. Marinade for a couple of hours or overnight.

Throw on grill.

Eat with hands like Caveman.

Thanks Mary! You and Bob are doing a splendid job producing tasty lamb.

Claudia LB
(5/31/04)

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Beef, Lamb, or Pork Roast with Dijon-based Crusty Coating

Beef, Lamb, or Pork Roast with Dijon-based Crusty Coating

One more recipe I tried this weekend and fell in love with.

Crust
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp crumbled dried rosemary (for pork or lamb) or thyme (for beef)

Salt the roast all over and rub with dry mustard. Mix the crust ingredients and cover the roast with it.

Let it stand for 2 hours to develop flavors. Cook the roast on a rack in a roasting pan. For a 3-4 pound roast, cook the first 15 minutes at 500° F. Lower to 350° F and cook for about 45 more minutes, or to internal temp of 130° F for medium. Let meat rest on serving platter for 20 minutes under tented foil before carving.

We had a 2-pound roast. I was out of dried thyme, so used rubbed thyme instead. I don't know whether it was because of that that it wasn't as crusty as I expected or whether it was because I forgot to set the clocks up and didn't let it set for 2 hours (oops). Regardless, it was absolutely delicious. I thought of Lea's DH making mustard sauce for her as I was doing this.

Jola Gayle
(4/5/04)

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Carolyn's Everyday Tomato Sauce with Meatballs

Everyday Tomato Sauce with Meatballs
(another of Carolyn's crockpot specials)

When I make sauce in the slowcooker, I put the raw meatballs directly in the sauce. The best way would be to fry them up in olive oil, but its a compromise I am willing to make, because it is so much easier.

My basic meatball recipe is (please remember I have two teenaged sons and reduce accordingly):

3 lbs ground beef, very lean (since you won't be frying it, you need to get the very leanest meat), an egg, a generous handful of breadcrumbs, some Penzey's Italian seasoning, another handful of romano cheese, an onion grated, salt, pepper and some fresh parsely. Add a bit of milk to moisten it a bit. Mix -- it will be soft and rather sticky to work with. Roll into golf ball sized meatballs. Put in the bottom of the cooker, add three cans whole tomatoes (which you have mushed up a bit with your hands), one can crushed tomatoes, several chopped onions (at least three large) and about a ball of garlic, chopped. I like to sautee the garlic briefly in olive oil and throw it all in. Raw garlic in the slow cooker takes on a funny taste. I also add a bay leaf, some more Penzey's Italian, salt, pepper, and, if my tomatoes are bitter, I will grate a carrot for sweetness.

This is my everyday sauce. A sauce for an occasion, would have red wine, lamb (pref. the neck or shank)and perhaps some rendered sausage, in addition to the meatballs, which I would fry on the stove.

Carolyn
(2/17/03)

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Harira (from Joy)

Harira (from Joy)
Yield: 4 servings

Here is a recipe for my favorite soup of all time. It's a Moroccan dish and is just so full of flavor. Over there they sometimes make it with donkey's feet. Traditional is mutton but you can use beef if mutton is too strong for you. Or goat. I sometimes make this with goat meat. The combination of sweet spices, cilantro, lemon juice, chick peas and tomatoes is just perfect. I get cravings for this stuff sometimes and just have to make it even though I'm mildly allergic to the tomatoes.

I usually use about a quarter again as much of the spices as this recipe calls for. Don't try to adjust at the end - this mixture needs the spices to be sauteed and then the long simmering to bring out and meld the flavors properly so decide early on if you like it strongly seasoned or not.

1/2 cup dried chick peas (or one (15 oz) can - see below)
2 tbsp butter
1-1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 pinch saffron
3/4 lb boneless lamb shoulder
1 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tbsp cilantro
1-1/2 cup fresh peeled and chopped or canned tomatoes
5-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup lentils
2 tbsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp salt

Soak chick peas overnight, drain (or use 1 can of canned chickpeas and add at the same time as the lentils).

In dutch oven, melt butter over low heat, stir in cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, paprika, pepper and saffron and cook 2 minutes.

Stir in the lamb, onions, parsley and coriander and cook, stirring occasionally or until the onions are soft.

Stir in tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes.

Add the water and chick peas. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered 1 hour.

Stir in the lentils and simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Stir in the lemon juice and salt and cook 5 minutes longer.

Joy
(1/3/03)

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Charlene's Eggplant Ideas

Charlene's Eggplant Ideas

Remember: eggplant can be horribly bitter, so usually you need to cut it up (I slice thickly), put LOTS of salt on each slice (I stack 'em in a colander) and let them sit and draw out the bitter juices for a while (15-30 minutes).

I NEVER fry eggplant, because they will always absorb MORE oil, no matter how much you give them. After they've released the juice, rinse them very well, lay them on a well-oiled (olive) cookie sheet, brush the tops with a bit more oil and bake at 350°-400° until they're done. Umm, half an hour? I never time it, but they should be soft to the touch.

At this point, they can be added to already-cooked pasta sauces, or chinesey-type dishes (mmm, eggplant in garlic sauce), and so on. I like to marinate them in a tasty vinaigrette for a few days and eat them on dense multigrain bread with sprouts as a tasty sandwich. Or toss them into a salad.

A couple of days ago I put a whole, washed eggplant into an extremely hot oven, turning it every 10 minutes or so until the skin was completely charred. Using two forks, I removed all the skin and cut off the stem/cap part (umm, I used a knife for that part). I mashed the flesh with garlic, finely chopped onion, lemon juice, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, crushed red peppers and salt.

Fabulous dip/sandwich spread. If you add tahini (sesame paste) to it (just a few tablespoons), it magically becomes babagnoush, which is scooped up and eaten via torn-off bits of fresh pita.

Eggplant (sliced and baked as above) is also an integral layer of moussaka, very loosely the Greek version of shepherd's pie: ground meat (usually lamb) flavoured with tomato and some "sweet" spices: cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, topped with eggplant and bechamel sauce, and baked. Yummy.

Eggplant also belongs in ratatouille and tourlou, approximately the same things, one from Italy, the other from Turkey/Armenia/Greece, more or less: tomatoes, onions, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and various herbs. Good as a side dish or rice/pasta topper.

Big eggplant fan here.
Charlene in St Louis
(5/23/02)

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Braised Spring Lamb Shoulder with Rosemary

Braised Spring Lamb Shoulder with Rosemary

Serve with fresh peas, fava beans or roasted fingerling potatoes.

Whole bone-in shoulder of spring lamb, about 4 pounds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

Season the lamb well with salt and pepper. Select a heavy pot with a tight- fitting lid that the lamb will fit in comfortably. Heat the pot over moderately high heat. Add the olive oil, and when hot, add the lamb and brown well on all sides. This should take 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate and pour off the fat in the pot.

Place the pot over high heat and add the wine. Boil for about 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon to release any stuck-on bits. Return the lamb to the pot and sprinkle the surface with rosemary. Scatter the garlic around the lamb, cover and reduce heat to low.

Cook for about 3 hours, until the lamb begins to fall off the bone. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest briefly while you reduce the cooking juices over high heat to a sauce-like consistency. Keep the sauce warm.

Remove the bones and any cartilage and cut the lamb into serving-size portions. Divide among warm plates, topping each portion with some of the sauce.

Serves 6.
PER SERVING: 625 calories, 50 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 42 g fat (20 g saturated), 200 mg cholesterol, 131 mg sodium, 0 fiber.

posted by Spinbear
(4/14/02)

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Aziza's Lamb Shanks with Honey Kumquat Sauce

Aziza's Lamb Shanks with Honey Kumquat Sauce
Serves 4.

At the San Francisco restaurant Aziza, chef Mourad Lahlou uses lavender honey in this dish.

4 lamb shanks
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cups veal stock or chicken broth
2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground coriander
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp saffron threads
3 tbsp honey
16 kumquats, halved or quartered, seeds removed

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Trim the lamb shanks of excess fat and skin. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a skillet large enough to hold all the shanks. Add the shanks and brown on all sides, this should take 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a plate and pour off any fat in the skillet.

Return the skillet to high heat and add 2 cups of the veal stock. Reduce the stock by half, scraping up any stuck-on bits with a wooden spoon. Add the onions, reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and the skillet is almost dry, about 10 minutes.

Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger and saffron. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, adding a little stock to moisten. Return the shanks to the skillet and cook them with the onions and spices for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally and adding a little stock to moisten if needed.

Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for about 1-1/2 hours, until the lamb is tender but not falling off the bone. Turn the lamb in the sauce halfway through. Transfer the shanks to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Return the skillet to the stovetop over high heat and add the honey and kumquats. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened to your taste.

Return the shanks to the skillet and cook them in the sauce for another 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve, put some of the sauce on each plate, then top with a shank. Serve with Moroccan bread or couscous.

PER SERVING: 630 calories, 71 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat (7 g saturated), 202 mg cholesterol, 201 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.

posted by Spinbear
(4/14/02)

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Khoresht Chagaleh Badam (Fresh Green Almond Stew)

From a site that no longer is up. (I didn't buy enough for this though, plus it has meat and it has saffron, which stains braces.)

Khoresht Chagaleh Badam (Fresh Green Almond Stew)
Etrat Elahi

This savory sauce from Lorestan and Broujerd is made with fresh green almonds while the outside shell is still crunchy and edible (available at Middle Eastern specialty stores from March through May).

1 lb lean ground beef or lamb
2 cups vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh green almonds (halved & seeded)
1 cup chopped fresh mint
2 cups chopped fresh parsley
1?4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups beef broth
3 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp saffron powder

Bring to a boil broth, lemon juice, 2 tsp salt, saffron and turmeric.

In a bowl, combine beef, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. Mix well using both hands. Roll into small, marble-sized meatballs and add to the boiling broth.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and fry for 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove onions, add almonds and chopped herbs, and fry for 10-15 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated and herbs have darkened in color. Drain oil and then add herbs to meatballs. Cook for 20-25 minutes, covered over medium heat, until liquid has reduced to half.

Serve over white rice.

Lani
(4/3/02)

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Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Lentils

Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Lentils

SO there was this recipe in the NYT about Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Lentils. So I had a different lamb shank crock-shapped recipe, so I knew it was possible. Here is what I did:

two lamb shanks one large onion, chopped up. If you do dice, it will look less gross than my strips did.
about a cup and a half of mung dal (how could I be out of lentils?
a cup and a half of red wine (Bittman wanted a BOTTLE of red wine, but jeeze, I only had decent stuff)
garlic, rosemary, salt

Brown the lamb with some oil on the stove (Bittman roasted his). Keep turning onto different sides (I used a dutch oven). While it is browning, bring the beans, lentils, whathave you, to a boil and cook for ten minutes or so. Cut up the onion, and put it in the CP with the herbs and some salt. Drain and rinse the legumes, and put them in the CP. Put the lamb and wine in. Look at it critically and add about as much water as wine so you feel secure about the lentils.

Cook the living daylights out of it (high for 8 hours?).

It was very very good. Probably would serve 4.
LauraJ
(3/11/02)

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Lentil Soup with Kale and Chorizo Sausage

Lentil Soup with Kale and Chorizo Sausage

This came out quite delicious. Its not my MIL's recipe (couldn't find it) but I improvised:

1 ball garlic (that's ball, baby, not clove!)
3 or 4 yellow onions chopped
olive oil
4 carrots sliced into rounds
3 ribs celery plus some leaves if you have them, chopped
about a pound of chorizo, or spicy Italian sausage
   (I used Mary Pratt's Lamb Chorizo, which was marvelous)
10 cups stock (I used 6 cups canned and 4 cups water, because I find the
   canned stock too salty and tinny tasting if used straight)
1 cup tomato sauce (I had it laying around)
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp Penzey's Italian Herb blend
   (this stuff is awesome -- how in hell did I cook this long without Penzey's???)
one large bunch kale, washed and leaves chopped into chiffonade
one pound dried lentils

In a large soup pot, sauté chopped garlic in olive oil until brown but not burnt, add onions, carrots and celery. Sweat over medium heat for 20 minutes. While veggies are sweating, in a separate pan, fry sausages until completely cooked. Drain fat, and slice into thin rings. Add chopped kale to the sweating veggies. Cover and cook some more until kale is wilted, about 7 minutes. Add stock, sauce, tomato paste (stir it in to blend), and the Penzey's seasoning. Add lentils and sausage. Cook until lentils are soft, about 1 hour, medium heat. Correct for salt and pepper.

On Penzey's spices: I have never tasted an Italian herb blend quite like this. In fact, I generally do not buy the generic "Italian seasonings" in the grocery store. If you don't have the Penzey's, I'd go for a mix of thyme, rosemary, a bit of oregano and basil. But the quality and freshness of these spices is amazing. My chili is the best I've ever made, and I rubbed the Chicago Steak Seasoning blend all over the pork before I threw it in the slow cooker, (at the beginning of cooking, prior to shredding) and it came out awesome.

Carolyn
(2/10/02)

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Oogie's Mutton Shank Stoup

Oogie's Mutton Shank Stoup

I don't have a crockpot but do lots of slow cooked things in the oven, here's one for mutton shanks, also works with lamb shanks, elk or venison shanks and one for a curry stew that works with just about any meat as well.

4-6 Mutton Shanks
1-2 Diced Onions
8-10 Peeled Garlic Cloves
8-10 Tomatoes peeled and stems cut off
1 to 1-1/2 cups Dried Garbanzo Beans
3-4 Bay Leaves
Oregano
Parsley

(spices below are approximates)
1/4 cup ground Cardamon
1 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper
1-3 tbsp ground Cumin
1-3 tbsp ground Paprika
1 tsp ground Allspice

In a cast iron dutch oven brown mutton shanks and diced onion in a small amount of oil. Once the onions are soft add the garlic cloves and brown lightly. Add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans and bay leaves with enough water or water and some beer to fill pot and fully cover everything. Bake covered in a 250°F-275°F oven for 4-6 hours (or more) until tender stirring occasionally. You may have to add additional water as it cooks.

1 Hour before serving add chopped Oregano, Parsley, fresh if you have it, and the ground spices. Amounts will vary according to amount of meat and your tastes. Go lightly on the Cayenne and Cumin until you are sure you like it. Serve with a hearty homemade bread for a stew/soup that can't be beat.

Oogie McGuire
(11/4/01)

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Oogie's Curry Mutton Stew

Oogie's Curry Mutton Stew

Mutton Stew Meat
Whole Wheat Flour
1-2 Diced Onions
8-10 Peeled Garlic Cloves
1 to 1-1/2 cups Dried Garbanzo Beans
Curry Powder (recipe below)
Garam Masala

Mix a teaspoon or so of curry powder in with about a quarter cup of flour. Lightly coat all the stew meat with the flour spice mixture. In a cast iron dutch oven brown the mutton and diced onion in a small amount of oil. Once the onions are soft add the garlic cloves and brown lightly.

Add the garbanzo beans with enough water to fill pot and fully cover everything. Bake covered in a 250°F to 275°F oven for 4-6 hours (or more) until tender stirring occasionally. You may have to add additional water as it cooks.

1 Hour before serving add several more spoonfuls of curry powder and some garam masala.

Amounts will vary according to amount of meat and your tastes. Serve over basmati rice with a nice India Pale Ale for a hearty treat.

Curry Powder
I make my own curry powder. I find I like to vary the spice mixture often. If you find a particularly good curry that you like there is no reason not to continue to use it. Here's a typical recipe:

(all measurements are approximations)

1-3 tbsp ground Cumin
1-2 tbsp ground Coriander
2 tbsp ground Turmeric
1 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp ground Paprika
1 tsp ground White Pepper
1 tsp whole Anise Seed
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Allspice

Mix all the spices and toast in a small dry skillet over a hot fire just until they start to turn brown and toast. Don't burn them so stir often. Store tightly covered and spoon out as needed.

Oogie McGuire
(11/4/01)

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Sopa de Apio (Pumpkin, Apio, Potato, Garlic Soup)

Sopa de Apio (Pumpkin, Apio, Potato, Garlic Soup)

My MIL taught me to make this....

It's a thick, rib-sticking soup. You won't ever forget the great smell and taste. Great served alongside roast lamb or cabrito (goat), too. They call it *Sopa de Apio* (Pumpkin, Apio, Potato, Garlic Soup).

chicken broth (I've used vegetable broth, too)

olive oil

1 head of fresh garlic-peeled and roughly chopped

     (got to be fresh so it'll be sweet-elephant garlic works well,too)

1 large sweet white onion-chopped

2 cups peeled and large cubed potatoes

2 cups peeled and large cubed calabasa or winter squash (any kind)--I like butter squash.

1 large celeriac bulb or apio--peeled and cubed

     (if you can't find either, I've used the bottom 3" or so of a couple of stalks of celery.

     You get the hint of that aroma that apio has from it.)

1 cup carrots- chopped into 1" pieces.

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

oregano--just a sprinkle of dried or about 2 tbsp. fresh chopped finely

opt. 1/2 envelope Sazon seasoning (w/ culantro, achiote, y caribbean oregano)

1/2-1 cup Parmesan or Romano or mix of both cheese (best with fresh grated, but other kind works)

Serve with sourdough/french garlic bread, toast or croutons.

In a large soup pot:

• Heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and oregano. Sauté until onion is soft and translucent.
• Add all the chopped veggies and stir around for a few minutes to start the camelization/cooking process.
• Add chicken broth + 1" over.
• Add other seasonings.
• Bring to boil.
• Turn down heat.
• Cover and simmer until all the veggies are very soft (usually about 40 minutes to an hour).
• Take a potato masher and break up any large pieces of veggies.
• (Some run the mix thru a blender, food mill or processor. I like mine more rustic with bits of the veggies still in it)
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the coconut milk or heavy cream--stir.
• Add the Parmesan/Romano...saving a bit to sprinkle on top--stir.

Serve immediately.

Sheri
(9/23/01)

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Lamb Shanks with Orzo and Feta

Lamb Shanks with Orzo and Feta
For four servings, may be doubled

Sure -- its very easy:

Olive Oil
4 to 5 meaty lamb shanks
1 (35 oz) can tomatoes (or equivalent amount of smaller cans), pref. imported
2/3 cup to one wineglass full of red wine
a LOT of garlic, chopped. A whole ball is a good start.
2 to 2-1/2 lbs onions, coarsely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1/2 to 1 tsp cumin, (preferably toasted whole in a dry skillet and then ground in a
mortar and pestle, but I am very fussy)
1 tsp rosemary
1 bay leaf  (added the first time posted)
a pinch of cinnamon, JUST a pinch, do not go overboard (not added the first time posted)
salt and pepper to taste
handful of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
1/2 lb feta, pref. sheep's milk feta, if you can get it
1 lb orzo pasta

In large dutch oven, sear lamb shanks in olive oil over med-high heat until well browned. Remove to a plate. Sauté onions and garlic with oregano, cumin, rosemary and cinnamon, in remaining oil in the pan until golden brown. Pour in wine, and heat, scraping up bits. Add tomatoes, return lamb to pot. Cover and simmer on low for 3 hours. (Alternatively, you can sear meat and saute onions, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low all day).

When 3 hours have passed, remove shanks, and take the meat off the bones. Return meat to stew pot.  If it seems to thin, bring to a fast simmer with lid off to reduce a bit, about 30 minutes or so, until sauce thickens up a bit (not essential if you are getting sick of waiting).. Gnaw on bones when no one is looking, taking care to eat all of the lovely marrow.

Boil water for pasta. Cook orzo until al dente. Just before serving, correct for salt and pepper, add a handful of fresh parsley. Serve stew over pasta, crumble feta on top.

Done. YUM!

Carolyn, noting that this is her very favorite dish in the whole wide world.
(12/5/00) and reposted (8/31/01) with slight changes, noted in the recipe above.

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Haggis, Tatties and Neeps

Haggis, Tatties and Neeps
Yield: 6 servings
Recipes for Clootie Dumpling and Scotch Broth at the very bottom. Recipes for traditional Haggis and a "calmer" version included below.

2 lb haggis (recipes at the bottom)
2 lb potatoes, peeled & cut into eighths
1-1/2 lb yellow turnips (rutabagas), peeled & cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk, warmed
fresh lavender, rosemary, & sage for garnish (opt)
scotch whiskey

In a 6 quart sauce pot, bring 3 quarts water to boiling. Pierce casing of the haggis once with a fork. Carefully place the haggis into the pot of boiling water and boil 45 to 60 minutes or until haggis feels firm and is cooked through.

One-half hour before haggis had finished cooking, prepare Tatties (mashed potatoes) and Neeps (turnips). In a 3 quart saucepan, combine potatoes and water to cover. Heat to boiling over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender- about 20 minutes.

In a 2 quart saucepan, combine turnips, 1/2 tsp salt, and water to cover. Heat to boiling over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until turnips are tender- about 25 to 30 minutes.

When potatoes are tender, drain well and return to saucepan. With electric mixer, beat potatoes on low speed until all pieces are broken up. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp butter, and half of the milk. Beat until mixture is smooth. Add remaining milk and beat at high speed until smooth and fluffy. Keep warm until ready to serve. If desired, place some of potatoes in large pastry bag with large star tip.
When turnips are tender, drain well and return to saucepan. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter and keep warm until ready to serve.

To Serve: place haggis on serving platter. Spoon, or, if desired, pipe several mounds of mashed potatoes around haggis leaving space between mounds. Spoon some of turnips between potato mounds. Garnish with lavender, rosemary, and sage, if desired. Pass remaining potatoes and turnips. Give each guest a glass of Scotch to pour over the haggis or to enjoy with it. If haggis has collagen casing, guests may want to remove it from slices before eating.

Homemade Haggis
Yield: 6 servings

1 lb boneless lamb shoulder or breast, cut into pieces, or use ground lamb
1/2 lb lamb liver, cut into pieces
1/2 cup water
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 lg egg
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper, black
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ginger, ground
1/8 tsp cloves, ground
1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground
1 cup oats, rolled, old fashioned

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8-1/2" by 4-1/2" loaf pan.

In food processor with chopping blade, process together half of the lamb, the liver, water, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. Add the remaining half of the lamb and the oats, process until well combined.

Spoon lamb mixture into the greased pan, pat surface to level. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center feels firm when gently pressed. Cool 5 minutes in pan, unmold onto platter, slice and serve.

Notes: This skinless haggis is planned for American tastes, yet contains many of the ingredients found in the real thing. You can unmold the loaf and serve it in place of the purchased haggis recipes.

The Dreaded Haggis

1 sheep's stomach
1 sheep heart
1 sheep liver
1/2 lb suet, fresh (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
3/4 cup oatmeal
3 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup stock

Wash stomach well, rub with salt and rinse. Remove membranes and excess fat. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Turn stomach inside out for stuffing.

Cover heart and liver with cold water, Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Chop heart and coarsely grate liver. Toast oatmeal in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Loosely pack mixture into stomach, about two-thirds full. Remember, oatmeal expands in cooking.

Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Put into boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell, this keeps the bag from bursting. Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Serve with a spoon. Ceremoniously served with "neeps and nips", mashed turnips, nips of whiskey and mashed potatoes.

Clootie Dumpling

6 oz flour
3 oz suet, shredded
3 oz currants
1 oz sultanas
2 oz caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup sour milk

Mix flour with suet, fruit, sugar, cinnamon and soda. Stir in enough milk to make a soft batter. Dip a pudding cloth (cheesecloth) into boiling water, sink it in a basin large enough to hold the batter. Dredge it lightly with flour and spoon in the batter. Draw the fullness of the cloth together evenly, then tie it tightly with string, but leave enough room for the dumpling to swell. Place a saucer or plate in the bottom of a large saucepan. Lift the dumpling into the pan. Pour in enough boiling water to cover. Simmer for a full 2 hours, then untie. Turn out carefully onto a hot serving dish. Dredge with castor sugar. Serve with hot custard sauce. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

For the hot custard sauce, we usually use Byrd's Custard. If you have the availability of British goods in your area, they should have Byrd's custard. It comes in a large tin, like a container of powdered chocolate for chocolate milk. Just follow the directions to make a custard, only dilute it a little more to make it sauce-like.

Traditional Scotch Broth

1 lb neck of mutton
2 qt water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp pearl barley
2 tbsp yellow split peas
2 tbsp dried green peas
2 carrots
2 leeks
3 tbsp rutabaga, diced
1 med. onion
1/2 sm. cabbage
1 tsp parsley, finely chopped
salt
pepper

Put the meat, water, salt and washed pearl barley into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil very slowly and skim. Dice the vegetables and wash and shred the cabbage and add to the pan. Bring the soup back to a boil again and simmer very gently until the meat is cooked and the peas are tender - about two hours. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

http://www.recipecottage.com/ethnic/burns-supper02.html
Bright Blessings
Spiral Crone
(8/7/01)

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Lamb Kofteh

Lamb Kofteh

1lb ground lamb
couple of oz minced onion
2 -3 tbsp plain yogourt
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne

Throw the whole lot in a blender until it reaches a coarse pate-like consistency (smoother or coarser depending on your preference, I like mine moderately coase).

Shape into ovals about 3" long and refrigerate for an hour or so (helps them stay together during cooking).

Grill until very slightly pink inside -- they should still be moist.

Serve with salad and flat bread of some kind. Roll up a couple of kofteh in a piece of bread with some salad and if you fancy it a drop of hot sauce.

Alternatively: serve with rice and roasted/grilled veggies.

Also good with egg instead of yogourt (but 1 egg is a bit much for 1lb of meat) and fresh mint and cilantro instead of the garam masala. This version's good with yogourt slightly spiced and beaten with minced cucumber and cilantro as a sauce.

The quanitities given makes about 12 kofteh and serves 3 (or 2 if you're hungry).

They can also be simmered in tomato sauce instead of regular meatballs.

Enjoy.
Jen
(6/25/01)

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Couscous

Couscous

I love couscous. Most are the same basic idea (there are dessert couscouses, btw, but those are less well known).

Saute the onions and garlic in plenty of olive oil.

Brown the meat (in this case, cubes of lamb).

Add the veggies (peppers, carrots, zucchini, chickpeas if you want, tomatoes) and any fruit (prunes or dates are very good with beef). For seasonings, plenty of chopped fresh parsley, fresh coriander, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, pepper.

Simmer for a long time. When the stew is done, take out a small amount of the liquid and stir in a good spoonful of harissa (fiery hot sauce made from red chilis and garlic--I can give you a recipe for that if you can't find it in your local stores) and serve on the side as a condiment.

As for the couscous, if you buy the quick-cooking kind, you just prepare it according to the directions (add hot water, butter or oil, salt, and fluff with a fork to get out the lumps). If you're preparing the more traditional long-cooking couscous, you pour cold water over it, then drain immediately. Then you line the top of your couscousier (yes, I actually own one) with cheesecloth. (A couscousier is a double pot. The bottom holds the stew and the top has holes in it and holds the couscous.) You steam the couscous over the stew for half an hour, then transfer the couscous to a large flat platter, sprinkle with a little salt, separate the lumps, and mix in a little clarified butter or oil.

If you're going back even further in the process, with a bag of coarsely ground semolina, you put a few cups in a bowl, then add water and mix it quickly with your fingertips in a "scouring" motion so that it forms little balls (grains). Put through a coarse strainer so that the balls are not too big. Then cook like traditional couscous.

Dessert couscous, fwiw, is regular cooked couscous served in a huge mound with trails of cinnamon, melted butter and fine sugar poured over the top. Can be garnished with raisins, dates, and almonds sauteed in butter.

Avital
(5/17/01)

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Easter Lamb Wrapped in Buttermilk Crust

Easter Lamb Wrapped in Buttermilk Crust

Lamb:
2 tbsp oil
1 boneless shoulder of lamb, rolled and tied
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 celery stalk, slicked
1.-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups lamb stock or chicken broth
2 tbsp Irish whiskey
10 slices bacon, preferably Irish bacon

Dough:
2 cups sifted flour
1/5 tsp salt
1/2 pkg (1 tsp) active dried yeast
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk
egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1-1/2 tsp water)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Salt, freshly ground pepper.

To prepare lamb, heat oil in dutch oven or flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add lamb and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add carrot, onion and celery to pan to make a bed for the lamb. Return meat to casserole and add enough stock to come about 2/3 of way up the meat (I had to add much more stock than called for). Add whiskey, now drink some whiskey. reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Transfer lamb to plate (use same plate, why make more dirty dishes?) and let cool. Set aside.

Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes, then skim off fat. Strain and set aside. When lamb has cooled, remove string and wrap meat in bacon. Lightly grease baking sheet large enough to hold meat. (I'm not going to use bacon the next time....made the bread too gooey)

To prepare dough, combine flour, salt and yeast in large bowl. Mix oil, water and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. On lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Roll dough out to a size big enough to wrap around meat. Place meat in center and roll dough around it.

Place wrapped meat on prepared baking sheet and set aside until dough has puffed up twice its size, 10-15 minutes. Brush egg wash over dough and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (I didn't do this)

Bake at 400° 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325° and bake until dough is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

Boil cooking liquid over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, cut 1 thick slice per serving and spoon reduced cooking liquid over top.
Serves 4.....so make two if you're piggy like we are.

That's today's dinner!
The Princess
(4/15/01)

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Carolyn's Leg of Lamb

Carolyn's Leg of Lamb

I made a boneless leg of lamb last year. The recipe does not exist, but I essentially did the following:

Pounded it flat with a large heavy mallet.

Put a mixture of fresh herbs, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs and a little parmesan (and the obligatory salt and pepper).

Rolled and tied it. See Julia Child or Joy of Cooking for instructions as to how to do this.

Seared it on all sides, briefly.

Roasted it at 350° until it was about 140°F in the center -- can't remember how long that took.

Served it with fettucine primavera. It was oh so good.

Carolyn
(4/5/01)

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Mad Dawg's Leg of Lamb

Mad Dawg's Leg of Lamb

How big a leg?

DO you have a meat thermometer?

Preheat oven to 500°F (yes 500°)

Trim fat. Stab the leg with a paring knife and stick sliced cloves of garlic in the incisions. Rubbing with salt and pepper would not be amiss. (wouldn't be a mister, either.)

We're going for a meat temp of around 165°F.

For whole leg with bone in 6 to 7-3/4 lbs blast that sucker at 500° degrees for an hour.

For boned whole leg - more like 70 minutes since bone conducts heat into the middle of the meat

For small leg, bone in, say 5.5 lbs, do 500° for 10 minutes then lower to 425° for 35 more minutes

For small leg boned and tied, do 500° for 10 minutes the reduce heat to 425° for 40 minutes.

This is from Barbara Kafka's _Roasting_ and it works for us, YUM!

Mad Dawg
(4/5/01)

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Notes from others:

Also, a splash of dry vermouth over the lamb helps cut the fat and adds to the taste of the gravy.
Shoshana - salivating at the thought of fresh roast leg of lamb.

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For bone in, I dredge it with flour, minced rosemary and garlic, then bake it at 325° with some quartered onions in the pan.

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For butterfly leg of lamb, I mince fresh rosemary, crush garlic, grind black pepper, and use a big fork to work it into the meat. Spritz or rub the meat with olive oil, then grill on the BBQ.
Sylvia, not a lamb-eater, but I married an Aussie...

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