Lambkins
Regina Murphy
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Everything’s blooming! No blankets on the bed! It must be Spring.
March definitely came in like a lion, and I am very hopeful it will be going out like a lamb.
Generally, the younger the lamb the lighter the color (and taste). Baby lamb will be pale pink, while older lamb is pinkish-red. Lamb can be purchased ground and in steaks, chops and roasts.
Lamb pairs very well with fruit and grills quickly. This recipe is similar to one I used to get at Pauline’s in Memphis called Brochette du Mouton. Fabulous!
PLUM LAMB KABOBS
One can purple plums, drained (save syrup)
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp. basil
2 lbs. lamb cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pit the plums and sieve them to smithereens. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved syrup. Stir in the next five ingredients and mix well. Add the lamb and marinate overnight.
Skewer meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper (discard marinade). Grill over hot coals, turning until done. Heat the remaining plum syrup with a teaspoon each of lemon juice and Worcestershire to use as a sauce. Serve with a creamy risotto or buttery couscous.
Winter has been so stressful and bland; Andy and I have been combating the blahs by really exploring Middle Eastern and Far Eastern foods. We tried this lovely Indian recipe recently and it is just wonderful. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding basmati rice. Basmati has such a nice smell it becomes an integral part of the experience. This recipe serves 10 people, so either invite some friends over or halve it.
KOFTA PULLAO
(Lamb Meat Balls with Basmati Rice Pilaf)
1 lb. ground lamb
2 green chiles, seeded
10 sprigs cilantro, leaves only
2 tsp. garlic, minced
20 mint leaves
1/2 tsp. ea. salt and pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Basmati Rice Pilaf:
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups basmati rice
5 cups boiling water
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. raisins
4 medium onions, chopped
1 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled, minced
2 bay leaves
1 green chile, seeded, diced
3/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds, toasted
Meat Balls: Process all the ingredients except the oil in a food chopper until well mixed. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat balls in batches and remove to paper towels to drain. Set aside.
For the pilaf, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and sauté one minute or until the rice is shiny.
Add the hot water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Stir in raisins. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Check it after 10 minutes to make sure it isn’t sticking; if it is stir in a little more water. Once the rice is done, set it to the side to cool a bit.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onions, ginger root, bay leaves, chiles, turmeric, cayenne, salt and sugar. Sauté for 1 or 2 minutes over low heat. Add the cooled rice (remove bay leaves) and toss to combine.
We’re not done yet! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Now, in a 4-quart casserole dish, layer half of the meatballs and top with half of the rice. Repeat. Dot the rice with butter and bake 10 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with almonds and serve with raita and warmed flat bread.
Just in case you’ve lost your raita recipe, here’s one. It has few more ingredients than the “regular strength” version.
RAITA
1 cup plain yogurt
4 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded, minced
1/8 tsp. ginger root, peeled, grated
1/4 tsp. ea. sugar and salt
1 med. cucumber
Peel, seed and dice the cucumber. Let it drain through a mesh strainer for about 5 minutes or so — I line a sieve with a coffee filter, set it over a bowl for a bit, and then gently squeeze out any excess liquid. This helps keep the raita from being runny.
Whisk the yogurt until smooth in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until needed. This will keep several days in the fridge and is a very nice, light vegetable dip for snacks.
I really like Greek food, but some dishes take a very long time to make. Sometimes I cheat on the béchamel sauce (bad Regina!) by starting with an Alfredo. By the way, “pastitsio” means “hodgepodge.”
LAMB AND EGGPLANT PASTITSIO
For Lamb Sauce:
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground lamb
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
For Béchamel:
1 jar of Alfredo sauce
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 large eggs
3 cups cooked penne pasta
Sauté the onion in oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until soft. Add lamb and cook over moderately high heat, stirring to break up lumps, until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar and pepper and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggplant, tomatoes, salt and pepper bring to a simmer. Put the lid on, stir it every now and then, and keep simmering until the eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes more. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
While the lamb sauce is simmering, cook and drain the pasta, and prepare the faux béchamel. Heat the Alfredo sauce in a saucepan, then whisk in the feta cheese until it all melts. This sauce will be thick, but if it seems too thick add some milk. The consistency should be closer to heavy cream than milk. Beat the eggs in a bowl and gradually add to the sauce, whisking constantly.
To assemble the pastitsio: Toss half of the pasta with lamb sauce and half with the cheese sauce. Pour the lamb sauce and pasta into a wide, shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce over the top, spreading evenly. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling and top is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with some crusty bread. Delicioso!
Next week we’ll have some dishes that use the eggs you don’t dye for Easter. There’s no challenge for you this week, because we are going into storm-preparedness mode. April 11 will be a special column: Apocalypse Chow! Keep and eye on the sky and let’s get cooking!