This goes brilliantly with some plain boiled rice, salad and Strictly Come Dancing.
Makes enough for 3 greedy people. You'll need:
400g lamb mince
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
a good pinch of cinnamon
a good handful of freshly chopped parsley
90g fresh breadcrumbs
a couple of tablespoons of olive oil
Mix all this lot together, and add a good dollop of salt and pepper. Leave for half an hour or so, for everything to stick together and all the flavours to meld.
Heat up a grill pan, and add a little olive oil, so everything doesn't stick. Take about a tablespoon of the mixture, flatten it in the palm of your hand, and sling it into the pan (you can usually fit 4-5 in at a time). Fry for 3-4 minutes (don't even think of moving it), and then flip it over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Tip out onto a hot plate, then make the next batch in between the dancing.
Showing posts with label lamb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lamb. Show all posts
11 December 2009
22 October 2009
Lamb hotpot
We spent the afternoon at the library today, and returned home in desperate need of a cup of tea (me, after an hour of reading aloud), and something warming to eat. Lamb hotpot hit the spot.
Makes enough for 3. You'll need:
4 or 5 medium-sized pieces of lamb (we had a right old rag-bag of pieces on the bone)
an onion, sliced
3-4 sticks of celery, chopped
a large carrot, chopped
the remains of a bottle of red wine that wasn't quite at its best (probably a glass)
dried thyme and lots of black pepper
5 or 6 large potatoes
Stick the oven on at about 160 degrees C.
Brown the pieces of lamb in a casserole dish (you may need to add a little olive oil so that they don't stick). Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add whatever wine you've got left and some boiling water, until everything's completely covered and there's no bits of lamb poking out the top.
Season with thyme and black pepper, bring to the boil, sling a lid on and shove in the oven for 2-3 hours. Check it occasionally, just to make it has enough liquid.
After 2-3 hours, start on the potatoes. Peel them, then boil for 15 minutes. Drain, slice and then place in a pretty pattern on top of your stew. Dot with butter, turn the heat up on the oven to 200 degrees, and sling the casserole dish back in for another 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are crispy.
Eat with something green - you can't beat a few frozen peas. Cooked, obviously.
Makes enough for 3. You'll need:
4 or 5 medium-sized pieces of lamb (we had a right old rag-bag of pieces on the bone)
an onion, sliced
3-4 sticks of celery, chopped
a large carrot, chopped
the remains of a bottle of red wine that wasn't quite at its best (probably a glass)
dried thyme and lots of black pepper
5 or 6 large potatoes
Stick the oven on at about 160 degrees C.
Brown the pieces of lamb in a casserole dish (you may need to add a little olive oil so that they don't stick). Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add whatever wine you've got left and some boiling water, until everything's completely covered and there's no bits of lamb poking out the top.
Season with thyme and black pepper, bring to the boil, sling a lid on and shove in the oven for 2-3 hours. Check it occasionally, just to make it has enough liquid.
After 2-3 hours, start on the potatoes. Peel them, then boil for 15 minutes. Drain, slice and then place in a pretty pattern on top of your stew. Dot with butter, turn the heat up on the oven to 200 degrees, and sling the casserole dish back in for another 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are crispy.
Eat with something green - you can't beat a few frozen peas. Cooked, obviously.
13 October 2009
Lamb and olive stew
It was a proper autumn day today - warmish, but drizzly and grey. There were soggy leaves everywhere on the way back from nursery - which weren't much fun to swish through. So we left the lamb and olive stew to cook in the oven, and went for a swim.
You'll need:
a few lamb pieces, preferably on the bone (we had about 400g of large bits of lamb in some very odd cuts)
one onion, sliced
2 green peppers, sliced
1/2 a jar of green olives
a tin of tomatoes
dried thyme, oregano and black pepper
Stick the oven on at about 160 degrees C.
Brown the pieces of lamb in a large ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish - you may need to add a little olive oil so it doesn't stick. Chuck in the onion and green peppers, and cook for a couple of minutes.
Tip in the green olives, tomatoes, and some water (about a can-ful). Season liberally with thyme, oregano and black pepper. You probably won't need much salt, especially if your olives were packed in brine.
Stick the lid on, and cook in the oven for 2-3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone, and the tomatoes have cooked down to a beautiful red sludge. Check on it every now and again- you may have to add a little more water half an hour before the end.
We ate this with couscous and a spinach salad.
You'll need:
a few lamb pieces, preferably on the bone (we had about 400g of large bits of lamb in some very odd cuts)
one onion, sliced
2 green peppers, sliced
1/2 a jar of green olives
a tin of tomatoes
dried thyme, oregano and black pepper
Stick the oven on at about 160 degrees C.
Brown the pieces of lamb in a large ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish - you may need to add a little olive oil so it doesn't stick. Chuck in the onion and green peppers, and cook for a couple of minutes.
Tip in the green olives, tomatoes, and some water (about a can-ful). Season liberally with thyme, oregano and black pepper. You probably won't need much salt, especially if your olives were packed in brine.
Stick the lid on, and cook in the oven for 2-3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone, and the tomatoes have cooked down to a beautiful red sludge. Check on it every now and again- you may have to add a little more water half an hour before the end.
We ate this with couscous and a spinach salad.
07 September 2009
Aunty Michelle's lamb tagine
We've eaten this in England and France, and it's fab. Today was no exception.
You'll need:
1kg cubed, boneless lamb (I did it today with lamb shoulder on the bone, and just cooked it for longer)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1-2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
3 garlic cloves
4 large onions, finely chopped or grated
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
a handful of dried apricots
50g raisins/sultanas
50g flaked almonds
1 tablespoon honey
300ml tomato juice (I used water and a good squirt of tomato puree today)
1 can chopped tomatoes
300ml lamb stock
Stick the oven on at about 170 degrees C.
Mix the spices in a bowl, add the cubes of lamb, and coat evenly. Brown the lamb in a large frying pan (you'll probably have to add some olive oil to stop it sticking). Sling into your casserole dish. Fry the onions and garlic in the pan, until soft (again, you'll probably need a little olive oil). Tip these into your casserole dish too.
Add the apricots, raisins, flaked almonds, honey, tomato juice, chopped tomatoes and lamb stock, and season with a little salt. Cover your dish, and cook in the oven for at least 2 hours. You could do this on the hob too - just be prepared to add a little extra water if it looks a little dry.
Eat with couscous, and the inevitable courgettes.
You'll need:
1kg cubed, boneless lamb (I did it today with lamb shoulder on the bone, and just cooked it for longer)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1-2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
3 garlic cloves
4 large onions, finely chopped or grated
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
a handful of dried apricots
50g raisins/sultanas
50g flaked almonds
1 tablespoon honey
300ml tomato juice (I used water and a good squirt of tomato puree today)
1 can chopped tomatoes
300ml lamb stock
Stick the oven on at about 170 degrees C.
Mix the spices in a bowl, add the cubes of lamb, and coat evenly. Brown the lamb in a large frying pan (you'll probably have to add some olive oil to stop it sticking). Sling into your casserole dish. Fry the onions and garlic in the pan, until soft (again, you'll probably need a little olive oil). Tip these into your casserole dish too.
Add the apricots, raisins, flaked almonds, honey, tomato juice, chopped tomatoes and lamb stock, and season with a little salt. Cover your dish, and cook in the oven for at least 2 hours. You could do this on the hob too - just be prepared to add a little extra water if it looks a little dry.
Eat with couscous, and the inevitable courgettes.
21 June 2009
Spiced carrot and lamb salad
I can't claim credit for this one - it's pinched from the Sainted Jamie, who I saw extolling the virtues of carrots on his Jamie at Home programme.
Sadly, I didn't have the delightful purple/white/yellow varieties of carrots to play with (the allotment doesn't seem to like carrots very much), so my version didn't look quite so pretty as the original salad.
Makes enough for 3 greedy people. You'll need:
400g lamb mince
1 1/2 heaped teaspoons garam masala
3 or 4 large carrots, peeled
1 large teaspoon sesame seeds
lots of fresh mint leaves, shredded
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large spring onion, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon ginger (freshly grated or powder)
lots of olive oil
Tip the lamb mince into a large pan, and fry until the fat comes out. Add the garam masala, and then cook the mince until crispy.
In the meantime, make your carrot salad and dressing. You'll need to peel the carrots to get rid of the outer skin - then just keep peeling, so you get lots of very thin strips. Shove these in a bowl.
To make the dressing, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for about 30 seconds. Stick in a pestle and mortar, and grind up. Tip into a bowl, add the finely chopped spring onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger and a pinch of salt. Pour in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, mix well, and have a taste. If it's too lemony, add a little more oil.
Toast the sesame seeds in the dry frying pan too, until they go golden (should take a minute or so).
To assemble, tip the dressing over the carrots, and add the shredded mint (Jamie also suggests coriander as well, which I think would make things even better). Mix well. Decant onto plates, add the lamb mince, and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.
This goes well with bread (we only had baguette, but naan bread would be better), and aubergine or lime pickle.
Sadly, I didn't have the delightful purple/white/yellow varieties of carrots to play with (the allotment doesn't seem to like carrots very much), so my version didn't look quite so pretty as the original salad.
Makes enough for 3 greedy people. You'll need:
400g lamb mince
1 1/2 heaped teaspoons garam masala
3 or 4 large carrots, peeled
1 large teaspoon sesame seeds
lots of fresh mint leaves, shredded
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large spring onion, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon ginger (freshly grated or powder)
lots of olive oil
Tip the lamb mince into a large pan, and fry until the fat comes out. Add the garam masala, and then cook the mince until crispy.
In the meantime, make your carrot salad and dressing. You'll need to peel the carrots to get rid of the outer skin - then just keep peeling, so you get lots of very thin strips. Shove these in a bowl.
To make the dressing, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for about 30 seconds. Stick in a pestle and mortar, and grind up. Tip into a bowl, add the finely chopped spring onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger and a pinch of salt. Pour in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, mix well, and have a taste. If it's too lemony, add a little more oil.
Toast the sesame seeds in the dry frying pan too, until they go golden (should take a minute or so).
To assemble, tip the dressing over the carrots, and add the shredded mint (Jamie also suggests coriander as well, which I think would make things even better). Mix well. Decant onto plates, add the lamb mince, and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.
This goes well with bread (we only had baguette, but naan bread would be better), and aubergine or lime pickle.
26 August 2008
Lamb and potato curry
Your Dad really liked this one, but I suspect it was a bit spicy for you. It's those red chillies - they're really unpredictable.
This makes enough for three if you're eating it with some rice and a side dish.
some lamb, diced - I used the leftovers from the lamb with pepper and onion pilaf but you could use lamb shoulder
an onion, sliced
three or four potatoes, peeled and cubed
a large clove of garlic, chopped
a squeeze of tomato puree (probably about a tablespoon)
a teaspoon of ginger (an inch or so of fresh ginger would probably be better)
a red chilli, sliced
a teaspoon of turmeric
a teaspoon of ground cumin
a teaspoon of ground coriander
Fry the onion in some sunflower oil until it starts to brown. Then add the garlic, ginger and chilli, and fry for a minute or two. Add the tomato puree, cook for a minute, and then tip everything into a blender. Add a little water to loosen, and then whizz round for a minute or so. Ta da! You now have curry paste.
In the same frying pan you started off in, add a little sunflower oil, the rest of the spices, and then the lamb. Fry for a couple of minutes (if it's raw meat you've started off with, you'll need to brown it for longer - say5 ). Add the potato, the curry paste and then some water, so that all the potatoes are covered.
Simmer for a long time - an hour or so, until the potato is cooked and the liquid has reduced. You may need to add some more water from time to time, so it doesn't get too dry.
This makes enough for three if you're eating it with some rice and a side dish.
some lamb, diced - I used the leftovers from the lamb with pepper and onion pilaf but you could use lamb shoulder
an onion, sliced
three or four potatoes, peeled and cubed
a large clove of garlic, chopped
a squeeze of tomato puree (probably about a tablespoon)
a teaspoon of ginger (an inch or so of fresh ginger would probably be better)
a red chilli, sliced
a teaspoon of turmeric
a teaspoon of ground cumin
a teaspoon of ground coriander
Fry the onion in some sunflower oil until it starts to brown. Then add the garlic, ginger and chilli, and fry for a minute or two. Add the tomato puree, cook for a minute, and then tip everything into a blender. Add a little water to loosen, and then whizz round for a minute or so. Ta da! You now have curry paste.
In the same frying pan you started off in, add a little sunflower oil, the rest of the spices, and then the lamb. Fry for a couple of minutes (if it's raw meat you've started off with, you'll need to brown it for longer - say5 ). Add the potato, the curry paste and then some water, so that all the potatoes are covered.
Simmer for a long time - an hour or so, until the potato is cooked and the liquid has reduced. You may need to add some more water from time to time, so it doesn't get too dry.
14 August 2008
Lamb with pepper and onion pilaf
I thought this would be enough for three people, but in the end it could have fed nearer six.
You'll need:
leg of lamb (ours was butterflied, which made things a lot easier - it was about 600g)
a lemon
some olive oil
lots of black pepper
Slice up the lemon into chunks, and then sit the lamb on top. Rub a bit of olive oil into the skin, and then season with black pepper. You could bash some mint into the olive oil, and maybe add some toasted cumin seeds if you're in a Moroccan frame of mind (slash the skin, and then push the smashed up mint/oil into the slits). It depends really on whether you intend to eat it all that day or not, and if not, what you're going to reuse the lamb in - I'm not sure a Middle Eastern feel would really suit a Lancashire hotpot...
Stick in the oven on 200 degrees C for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how pink you like your lamb. Give it a prod after 40 minutes or so, and check how it's doing.
In the meantime, you need to make a pepper and onion pilaf. For that, you'll need:
rice - about a mugful is more than enough for three
an onion, chopped up small
a pepper (red or green) chopped up small
slivers of almonds to scatter on top
a little flat leaf parsley
Fry the onion in some olive oil until its translucent. Add the pepper, and cook until its softened. Stick the rice in a pan, and add double the amount of water - cook until it's soft, but not sticky. Mix the onion/pepper into the rice, and serve with some almonds/flat leaf parsley scattered on top.
You'll need:
leg of lamb (ours was butterflied, which made things a lot easier - it was about 600g)
a lemon
some olive oil
lots of black pepper
Slice up the lemon into chunks, and then sit the lamb on top. Rub a bit of olive oil into the skin, and then season with black pepper. You could bash some mint into the olive oil, and maybe add some toasted cumin seeds if you're in a Moroccan frame of mind (slash the skin, and then push the smashed up mint/oil into the slits). It depends really on whether you intend to eat it all that day or not, and if not, what you're going to reuse the lamb in - I'm not sure a Middle Eastern feel would really suit a Lancashire hotpot...
Stick in the oven on 200 degrees C for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how pink you like your lamb. Give it a prod after 40 minutes or so, and check how it's doing.
In the meantime, you need to make a pepper and onion pilaf. For that, you'll need:
rice - about a mugful is more than enough for three
an onion, chopped up small
a pepper (red or green) chopped up small
slivers of almonds to scatter on top
a little flat leaf parsley
Fry the onion in some olive oil until its translucent. Add the pepper, and cook until its softened. Stick the rice in a pan, and add double the amount of water - cook until it's soft, but not sticky. Mix the onion/pepper into the rice, and serve with some almonds/flat leaf parsley scattered on top.
05 August 2008
Spaghetti bolognese
An oldie, but a goodie, to quote my mum. (note - a goodie, not a Goodie. That would be something entirely different.)
I suspect this recipe is nothing like an authentic bolognese, but hey, this is what I remember my mum making in the 1970s, and it was one of the first things I learned to cook, so this is what we have too.
Makes enough for 4-6 (depending on how greedy you are).
500g lamb mince (can be done with beef or pork too, but I like lamb the best)
one large onion, chopped
one clove of garlic, finely chopped
couple of sticks of celery, chopped
diced peppers (we had a bit of red and green pepper in this today, as that's what was left in the fridge - sometimes I also add some courgette, or carrots)
a tin of tomatoes
tomato puree - a tablespoon (I didn't use this today, as I still had some sauce left from the pizza on Sunday, which I bunged in instead)
couple of bay leaves
black pepper
dried mixed herbs (you could use thyme, oregano, basil...you choose)
Fry the mince in a hot pan until it turns brown. Add the garlic and onion, and fry until translucent. Throw in the rest of the celery and peppers, and cook until softened. Add the tomatoes (and a little extra water - rinse out the tomato can), tomato puree, bay leaves, herbs and black pepper, and heat until it bubbles. Turn down, and simmer for a while - an hour or more is perfect. It's edible after 30 minutes (especially if you use passata instead of the tomatoes, as the sauce cooks down quicker).
Eat with lots of spagetti and parmesan cheese. Twirling around the fork optional.
I suspect this recipe is nothing like an authentic bolognese, but hey, this is what I remember my mum making in the 1970s, and it was one of the first things I learned to cook, so this is what we have too.
Makes enough for 4-6 (depending on how greedy you are).
500g lamb mince (can be done with beef or pork too, but I like lamb the best)
one large onion, chopped
one clove of garlic, finely chopped
couple of sticks of celery, chopped
diced peppers (we had a bit of red and green pepper in this today, as that's what was left in the fridge - sometimes I also add some courgette, or carrots)
a tin of tomatoes
tomato puree - a tablespoon (I didn't use this today, as I still had some sauce left from the pizza on Sunday, which I bunged in instead)
couple of bay leaves
black pepper
dried mixed herbs (you could use thyme, oregano, basil...you choose)
Fry the mince in a hot pan until it turns brown. Add the garlic and onion, and fry until translucent. Throw in the rest of the celery and peppers, and cook until softened. Add the tomatoes (and a little extra water - rinse out the tomato can), tomato puree, bay leaves, herbs and black pepper, and heat until it bubbles. Turn down, and simmer for a while - an hour or more is perfect. It's edible after 30 minutes (especially if you use passata instead of the tomatoes, as the sauce cooks down quicker).
Eat with lots of spagetti and parmesan cheese. Twirling around the fork optional.
24 July 2008
Lamb, aubergine and apricot tagine
When you were really tiny, you used to like this (and throw it all over the floor). Today was a rather more sedate affair round the big glass table in the dining room table (it was too cold and windy for the balcony), but the couscous still went everywhere.
This makes enough for six (or four really greedy people).
500g lamb mince
an onion, chopped
about 1/3 of a 250g bag of dried apricots
one small-medium aubergine, diced (cut into pieces about 2cm across)
some water, or a tin of chopped tomatoes
spices - 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground cumin and turmeric, and a good screw of black pepper
Heat the mince in the frying pan until it goes from pink to brown. Add the onion and aubergine, and fry for 5 minutes, until the onion goes translucent, and the aubergine has started to soften.
Add the spices, and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the liquid - today I had 3/4 of a can of chopped tomatoes lurking in the fridge, so I stuck that in, together with some water. I usually add enough to just cover the mixture. Chuck in the apricots - I sliced them up today, but you could halve them, or even add them whole.
Bring to the boil, and then simmer for however long you have. You need at least 20 minutes, I reckon, but an hour would be more like it. The longer you leave it, the more liquid you may need to add - the apricots and aubergines absorb quite a lot, so keep checking to make sure it hasn't boiled dry...
Serve with some couscous, and whatever green salady stuff you've got in the fridge/garden. If you're feeling very fancy, you could shred some mint and scatter it on top. I haven't managed to persuade you that's a good idea yet...
This makes enough for six (or four really greedy people).
500g lamb mince
an onion, chopped
about 1/3 of a 250g bag of dried apricots
one small-medium aubergine, diced (cut into pieces about 2cm across)
some water, or a tin of chopped tomatoes
spices - 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground cumin and turmeric, and a good screw of black pepper
Heat the mince in the frying pan until it goes from pink to brown. Add the onion and aubergine, and fry for 5 minutes, until the onion goes translucent, and the aubergine has started to soften.
Add the spices, and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the liquid - today I had 3/4 of a can of chopped tomatoes lurking in the fridge, so I stuck that in, together with some water. I usually add enough to just cover the mixture. Chuck in the apricots - I sliced them up today, but you could halve them, or even add them whole.
Bring to the boil, and then simmer for however long you have. You need at least 20 minutes, I reckon, but an hour would be more like it. The longer you leave it, the more liquid you may need to add - the apricots and aubergines absorb quite a lot, so keep checking to make sure it hasn't boiled dry...
Serve with some couscous, and whatever green salady stuff you've got in the fridge/garden. If you're feeling very fancy, you could shred some mint and scatter it on top. I haven't managed to persuade you that's a good idea yet...
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