Braised lamb shanks with feta and sweet peppers

Up until a few years ago, my idea of a slow cooker was bland, mushy, overcooked food. I don't know quite where the misconception came from. My mom never had a slow cooker when we were growing up so I had never actually had food made in one. Nevertheless, when it came time to create a wedding registry, I put one on the list: an inexpensive model because I figured I wouldn't use it much. My how the times change. My basic Crock Pot is a true workhorse and has become one of my favorite kitchen tools. I've just added a 4th slow cooker cookbook to my collection and these lamb shanks are the first thing I tried.

The book - The New Slow Cooker: Fresh Recipes for the Modern Cook - recognizes that slow cooked food can be a bit lacking in texture. But it drives home how much flavor it can have if done right. Plus, each recipe has some sort of fresh addition, something added at the end that freshens everything up and adds more texture. In this recipe it's the peppers and feta. Others add a salsa or salad.

As my maternity leave nears an end, I love my slow cooker even more. I can throw a meal into it while my baby sleeps so that I can play with her while she's awake. Once I'm back at work, I'll be able to have meals ready so I can spend every precious minute with her when I get home in the evenings. Few other kitchen tools can give me that! So, please, if you have a favorite slow cooker recipe, share it. I'll need plenty as my daughter grows.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet Peppers and Feta
adapted from The New Slow Cooker: Fresh Recipes for the Modern Cook

4 lamb shanks, about 1 lb. each trimmed of fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. dry oregano
1 tsp. cumin
3/4 cup beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Season the lamb shanks generously all over with salt and pepper. In a large heave frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, working batches if necessary, sear the shanks and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off most of the fat from the pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, oregano and cumin and saute until the vegetables are golden, 6-8 minutes. Pour in the stock and wine and stir to dislodge any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Place the shanks on top. Cover and cook on the low setting for 7 hours, basting once or twice with the braising liquid if possible.

Carefully transfer the shanks to a platter and cover to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid into a small saucepan. Let stand a few minutes then skim away the fat with a large spoon. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the peppers and saute until just beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the shanks among plates and drizzle with the braising liquid. Top with some of the peppers and then sprinkle the feta over the top and serve immediately.

The perfect little "e-Claire" plus Mediterranean lamb burgers

So I've been missing for almost a month now. But I've had a little something in the works that required my full attention. I was perfecting my little "e-Claire". This little cream puff was born on July 20th. I can't really call her little since she weighed a healthy 9 pounds 2 ounces - that's my kind of cream puff. But we named her Claire and she instantly earned the nickname eclair.

But now that we're getting into a routine with her, I'm getting back into the kitchen. I have a feeling it might take a while before I crack open The French Laundry, but there are plenty of great meals that can be made in less time. And more importantly, they can easily be prepped ahead of time so that we can sit down and enjoy a hot meal in between feeding, cuddling and just enjoying our little eclair.



These lamb burgers are packed with fresh mediterranean flavor - I first made them when trying to use up some ingredients I had in the fridge: kalamata olives, Greek yogurt and feta. They make a great weekend lunch or a simple supper. I like to use traditional Greek pocketless pitas, so I shape the burgers to fit in them. But your favorite rolls would work just fine too.

Keep the summer barbecues going with a change from a traditional cheeseburger. Have another favorite burger? Leave a comment and share your ideas with me and other readers!

Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

For the burgers:
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano or mint, chopped
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2-inch piece of cucumber, grated
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher or sea salt, to taste

4 pocketless pita or 4 rolls
a feww lettuce leaves or some baby arugula
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta



Combine all the ingredients for the burgers and mix until combined. Don't overmix or the burgers will be tough. Form into 4 patties (round if you're using buns or ovals if you're using pita). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Combine dressing ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat grill on high. Spray the grill with a little cooking spray then grill the burgers to medium or medium-well, about 5 minutes per side.

To serve, heat the pitas in a pan on the stove then place a urger in each. Top with feta, tomato, dressing, lettuce or arugula.

Makes 4 burgers.

Lamb and Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce

I always feel a certain sense of accomplishment when I make a recipe from one of my magazines. It's most likely because I read through stacks of magazines, tear out countless recipes and then do nothing with the vast majority of them. They end up in all corners of my house: on tables, in the office, folded in cookbooks... But few of them are ever put to the test. This particular recipe caught my eye for a few reasons. First, it was on a little tear-out recipe card in the June issue of Living. Second, it was short and could easily be made on a weeknight. Third, it combined lamb and feta - yum! And perhaps most appealing, it had grilled cucumbers. The idea fascinated me. I love cukes - but they're for salads and such, not for grilling. Or are they?

Very much to our surprise, the cucumbers kept their crunch on the grill. They were juicy and provided a great change from the veggies we usually grill. Dipped in feta sauce and paired with a juicy piece of lamb, they just couldn't be better. I'm convinced. I wonder what I should grill next (I'm skeptical about lettuce on the grill too, so maybe that'll hit the flames sometime soon.)



Bottom line, this recipe is an easy way to get great Greek flavors on your table in almost no time at all. The hardest part was trimming the leg of lamb. I bought a boneless leg that was a little over 3 pounds and I used half for this meal and froze the rest for a future dinner. It was more than enough for two of us - Jeff will have leftovers for lunch on Friday. If the sauce is too thick for your taste, add a little more olive oil.



Lamb and Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce
adapted from Martha Stewart Living, June 2010

For the kebabs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, cut into 4 pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
About 1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 and English cucumber, halved lengthwise then cut into 1-inch thick pieces
Salt and pepper

For the sauce
3 ounces feta, crumbled
4 ounces fat-free Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon



To make the kebabs, combine the oil, zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and lamb in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. (You don't need a lot of salt because the feta adds enough saltiness in the sauce). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.



Heat grill on medium high heat. Alternate lamb and cucumber on skewers and finish each with a piece of lemon. Grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Serve with the sauce.

Butterflied leg of lamb with mint and garlic

Mint is one of those herbs that grows like crazy. When we first moved into our house, I bought a small plant and had it in a window box on my deck along with my other herbs. At the end of the season I planted it in a patch of my yard along with the other perennial herbs. Right now it's competing with the oregano for space - the oregano tends to win since I use the mint more often (see my mojito for the reason why!) I also use mint in a number of Moroccan and Asian dishes.



I typically grill lamb with garlic and rosemary, but I served this with the grilled vegetables with harissa dressing so I thought the mint a better flavor pairing. It's an adaptation of the recipe that appeared in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living. I trimmed the lamb of most of the fat, leaving just enough to keep it juicy. The recipe recommended pounding the meat to a relatively even thickness - this was a first for me with leg of lamb and I'll try it again for sure. I'm not sure if it was the marinade, the meat or the pounding, but this was the tenderest leg of lamb we've ever eaten. (It could also be the way my husband grilled it - perfection!)

Easy to put together and easy to prep ahead, this would make a great party dish.



Butterflied leg of lamb with mint and garlic
adapted from Martha Stewart Living, June 2010

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small bunch fresh mint, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, butterflied

Combine oil, mint, garlic, zest, 3 tablespoons salt, and the red-pepper flakes; season with pepper.



Pound lamb to an even 1-inch thickness. Place lamb in a baking dish, and massage marinade into meat. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4-6 hours.



Let lamb stand at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush grates with oil.  Grill lamb, flipping every 5 minutes for even cooking, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 130 degrees to 135 degrees for medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Let stand for 10 minutes. Slice lamb across the grain. Garnish with fresh mint and lemon wedges if desired.

Back to Morocco: Summer Lamb Tagine with Zucchini, Red Peppers and Mint

Maybe it's the delightfully fun look of the tagine on my stove or maybe it's the bold flavors of Moroccan food, but lately I can't get enough! I tried another tagine from Basan's cookbook. As usual, I made some modifications and we still found it a bit blah so the recipe below is what I would've done or what I will do next time. Basically I've added a couple of things and increased the amount of spices and changed the technique a little... all in the name of flavor - big Moroccan flavor. As with the other tagines I've created, a heavy pot will work just fine, too!


Also, the cooking time for this one makes it challenging for a weeknight. I prepped everything in the morning. I had my tagine out, meat cubed, aromatics chopped and spices all measured. All I had to do was cut some mint while the oil heated. Then while it cooked, I headed out to do some gardening (a short adventure because the mosquitoes got me...).

Tagine of Lamb with Zucchini, Mint and Bell Peppers

• 1 half boneless lamb leg, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped mint, plus 2 Tbsp. for garnish
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 zucchini, cut on a diagonal into thick slices
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into large strips
• juice of half a lemon

Lightly crush the spices with a mortar and pestle.

Combine the lamb, spices, 1 Tbsp. mint, garlic and ginger with 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large bowl. Mix well and refrigerate for a couple hours.

Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a tagine or large heavy pot. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the meat and spices. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the meat to brown a little and then add just enough water to almost cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 90 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the top.

Add the vegetables and cover again. Let cook about 15 minutes longer until vegetables are crisp tender. Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Taste to see if more salt and pepper are needed.

Sprinkle with remaining fresh mint. Serve with couscous.

Serves 4.

Merguez lamb: not your typical weekend lunch

Five days a week, I pack lunches for my husband and myself. Usually. it's some type of sandwich so on the weekends, I like to do a little something different and summer's the perfect time to fire up the grill. Last weekend we tried some Merguez Lamb Sausages. You can find them at some grocery store and specialty markets. I got ours at Barth's Market in New Providence, NJ.


These North African sausages are zippy so I made some tzatziki to balance the spice. I served them on ciabatta rolls that I had cut in half then sliced like a hot dog bun. And we topped them with thin-sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. Served with a cold Sam Adams in a frsty mug and we were well on our way to enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon.






Tzatziki

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 small cucumber, shredded or minced, excess water squeezed out
• sea salt
• lemon juice
• 2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

Combine all the ingredients, adding salt and fresh lemon juice to taste. Best if made a few hours ahead so flavors can meld.

I use fat free Greek yogurt for this. I was a little skeptical the first time but it has the flavor and consistency of regular without all the fat. I like Chobani or Fage brands best, but any Greek yogurt would work. If you can't find Greek, you can use plain yogurt, just strain it over a bowl in several layers of cheesecloth for a few hours first to get the same consistency.

Also great on marinated chicken, lamb or beef kebabs.

Last supper #16: Jonathan Waxman

I know, I know. I've been really bad about my Last Supper posts. But this is a good one. For his last supper, Chef Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto in New York City, listed a number of our favorites: Grilled spring lamb, gnocchi with truffles, and grilled porcini salad, among other things.

I prepared the lamb our favorite way. I marinate the rack for several hours in a mixture of salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, more garlic and lots of fresh rosemary. Then my grill-master husband takes over and grills it until it's charred but still pink and juicy! delish!

I also made the gnocchi from scratch. This was my second attempt at homemade gnocchi and these turned out better than the first. It does help when the potatoes are sufficiently cooked :)

I boiled them and then tossed them into a saute pan with a little butter, olive oil and garlic. (I always cut butter with olive oil to reduce the fat. You still get the nice buttery flavor, but less saturated fat). I added some sea salt and just before serving I sprinkeld with chopped truffled and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. I finished it with a touch of white truffle oil.

The Porcini salad was really a portabello salad. Try though I might I couldn't find porcinis. So I drizzled a little olive oil, salt and pepper on a few portabello caps and then we grilled them. Here's my recipe:

Grilled Portabello Salad with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

• 2 Portabello mushroom caps
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Small bunch of fresh baby arugula
• 2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
  

Gently clean the mushroom caps then rub each with a little Extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until just cooked thru, a couple minutes a side. Remove from grill.

Prepare the dressing. Whisk together 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour just enough dressing on the arugula to gently coat it. Pile the arugula on two plates. Slice the mushrooms and arrange over the arugula. Top each with a good amount of fresh shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Last Supper #8: Vimal Dhar

Indian chef Vimal Dhar listed 7 different dishes for his last supper, of which I selected three to make. All are Indian: Lamb Rogan Josh (chunks of lamb with yogurt, almonds, green chiles, and lots of spices), his recipe for tangy eggplant, and potatoes.

The lamb turned out wonderful. I'm not going to put the recipe here because Lamb Rogan Josh is a farily common dish so recipes aren't hard to come by.

The eggplant recipe appears in the book and I have to say we just didn't like it. The amount of spice paste in it overpowered the eggplant.

I couldn't find the specific potato recipe chef Dhar mentioned, so I chose one for Aloo Timatar (Potato and Tomato Curry with Cilantro) which appears in one of my very favorite cookbooks: From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail. The book was a gift from my sister a few years ago and I don't think I've found a recipe in it I don't like. Here's the recipe for the potatoes:
Aloo Timatar (Potato and Tomato Curry with Cilantro)


Serves 4 to 6

• 1 1/2 pounds wxay boiling potatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 Tbsp. corn, peanut or olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. asefetida (substitute garlic powder)
• 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. whole mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
• 4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Boil the potatoes, drain them and cool. Don't refrigerate. When cool enough to handle, peel them and cut or break into bite-sized pieces. Put them in a bowl and add the salt, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Toss to mix and set aside.

Pour oil in a lidded pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the asefetida (or garlic powder), cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the ginger and stir for a few seconds. Add the grated tomatoes. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until the oil separates from the tomato puree. Add the potatoes and stir to mix. Add 1 1/2 cups water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes. (You can extend this cooking time and remove the cover to reduce the broth a bit if wanted. this will give a slightly thicker sauce)

Put the yogurt in a small bowl and beat lightly. Add about 4 Tbsp. of the sauce from the potatoes and mix it in. Stir in the cilantro then pour this mixture into the pot, stir to blend and check for salt.

Last supper #2: Daniel Boulud

Daniel Boulud's last supper graced our table this weekend. His actual menu would have kept me in the kitchen for a week (and would have fed us for a week). So, I chose a few courses from his choices: we started with a soup - his recipe for Asparagus soup with sweet pepper coulis, then we had a min course of Rack of Lamb with two sauces and crispy salad - another of his recipes. We ended the night with a cheese course. After two weeks Jeff is hooked on Project Last Supper. We've had a couple of great dinners...
Some highlights from Daniel's Last Supper:

Asparagus soup with Sweet Pepper Coulis - Find his recipe on the website for Daniel, his NYC restaurant.

Marinated Lamb chops with two sauces - This recipe is also online - it's on Daniel's section on Starchefs.com. The sauces are a warm tomate ginger sauce and a cool yogurt mint sauce. Both were delicious on the lamb, which I left in a whole rack and grilled.

And last but not least a cheese course. I finally went to the Summit Cheese Shoppe in Summit, NJ. The couple that runs this adorable shop are as nice as can be and they know cheese! I went in and explained that we wanted to do a cheese course for two and that we like firmer cheeses. I wanted 3-4 kinds - and one had to be a goat. The owner let me taste two of the cheeses and of the third, he simply said "Trust me." I did!

He gave us a Rotin Perigord Chevre from France, aged and delicious goat cheese; a Zamorano Sheep's milk cheese from Spain, and a Montasio Extra from northern Italy. I served it with a Pain Rustique from LaBrea bakery and a ripe fig. The perfect ending to the perfect meal!

Last Supper score: That's 2 done and 38 more to go. Next up: either Laurent Tourondel or Jaime Oliver

A Taste of Morocco

Last night I made a new recipe from Fresh Moroccan, a new book I found on sale at Barnes and Noble. The flavor was very good and the lamb was extremely tender, but I'd make a few changes next time around. Here's the recipe the way the book had it and then my notes at the end. Oh and I know this sounds time consuming, but most of the time is hands off while it simmers...















Tagine of Lamb & Artichokes with Rice

1 lb. boneless lamb (leg or shoulder), cut into bite sized pieces
4 1/2 cups water, divided
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 medium onion, sliced
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
good pinch of saffron threads
3/4 tablespoon olive oil
1 can of artichoke hearts (in water), quartered and drained
1/4 tsp. black pepper
good pinch freshly ground ginger
1 oz. finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 cup basmati rice

Put the lamb and 2 1/2 cups water in a medium pan and bring slowly to a boil, skimming as foam forms. Add the salt, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, onion, garlic, saffron, and olive oil. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

After the 40 minutes is up, add the artichoke hearts, return to a boil. Again, reduce heat and simmer another 20 minutes, or until meat is tender. About 5 minutes before cooking time is up, add the ginger, cilantro, pepper and parsley.

While this is cooking, make the rice. The time you have to start will depend on the type of rice. I used brown basmati which takes 50 minutes, but white basmati takes less. Bring the remaining 2 cups water and about 3/4 tsp. salt to a boil. Stir in the rice and turmeric. Reduce heat to low and simmer according to package directions.

To serve, scoop some rice into a shallow bowl and then top with the lamb and artichokes.

Now for my notes: I found it a bit water and a little blah. The saffron tasted great as did the cinnamon, but the flavors would be better if the sauce were more concentrated. I cooked it with the top off for the last 20 minutes, but would cook with the top off even longer next time. I might also try to use some lamb broth or even beef or chicken to add more flavor. I also added about a tablespoon of lemon juice which gave it a little freshness, as well as more than a pinch of ginger. I'd add more next time or even throw a couple slices of lemon in to the pot as it cooked. If you have the time, you might consider browning the meat first. Then add the water - this will keep all the little bits of flavor in. Oh and more garlic goes without saying, but that's the case with most things I make!

All in all, a delicious and healthy dinner. Very low in fat and artichokes are packed with healthy stuff!

MMM Lamb!

Tonight we're having grilled loin lamb chops. This morning, I set them to marinade in our favorite mixture... You can't beat the aroma of fresh-picked rosemary!

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp salt (I used sea salt)
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup EVOO

5 or 6 small loin lamb chops - about 1 inch thick

Mash the first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish with a forsk then stir in the oil. Add the lamb, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to grill. Then cook on a preheated grill according to your taste.

You might wonder why I used fresh and dry rosemary... The fresh adds great flavor to the meat while it marinates, but it doesn't stand up to the heat of the grill. The dried can withstand the heat a bit mroe so you get the flavor from both!