Lamb Burger with Green Harissa

Here's a great summer lunch or dinner for those of us that don't have a ton of time to cook.... from Food & Wine, of course!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
4 hot green chiles, such as serranos or jalapeños, thinly sliced
2 mild green chiles, such as Anaheim or yellow wax chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
Warm naan, chopped tomatoes and feta, for serving

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a medium bowl, combine the ground lamb with the cooked rice, egg and 1/4 cup of the cilantro. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and gently knead the meat to blend. Using lightly moistened hands, form the meat into 12 patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Brush the patties with olive oil.

Grill the patties over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the hot and mild chiles with the scallions, garlic and the remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro and pulse until chopped. Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil and process to a chunky puree. Season the harissa with salt. Wrap the lamb in the warm naan with tomatoes and feta. Spoon some of the green harissa on top and serve.

(MAKE AHEAD The green harissa can be refrigerated overnight.)

HEATH UPDATE!

We are enjoying late spring and summer with our little guy!  Maternity leave is coming to an end and our little man is charming us more and more everyday.  Here he is the last couple weeks...

Can't get enough of those little toes!!!

Here's Heath's first rugby function at the Australian Embassy - isn't that an intimidating face???  (Honestly, it's probably just gas but he looks like such a tough guy with his rugby shirt on!)

And last but not least, here's my favorite bath time photo of Heath in his tiger hooded towel.  Look at that GQ pose - such a cutie!

It's hard to believe that his 2 month birthday is Tuesday!  Time flies...

First Mother's Day feat. Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Gremolata Pesto & Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens

Everyday is Mother's Day when you get to wake up to this face in the morning!

My appreciation for my own mother and for mothers everywhere has grown to a new level the last three weeks.  It's an amazing, rewarding, and sometimes frustrating experience that continues to enrich our lives every minute of everyday.

But even with the decreased free time with our little bundle of joy, Michael still managed to cook me a delicious Mother's Day dinner.  I'm a lucky girl! (Note: The Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens can totally be a mid-week meal! This was a great Pinterest find!)

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Gremolata Pesto
INGREDIENTS
LAMB AND SAUCE
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Three 8-bone racks of lamb (1 1/2 pounds each), bones frenched and trimmings reserved (see Note)
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 quart low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, stems reserved
2 tablespoons chopped thyme, stems reserved
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

GREMOLATA PESTO
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARE THE LAMB AND SAUCE In a large saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the reserved lamb trimmings along with the chopped carrot, celery and onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped garlic and the chopped tomato and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine and bring to a boil. Add the low-sodium beef broth and the reserved parsley and thyme stems and simmer over moderate heat until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 1 hour. Strain the lamb sauce into a small saucepan and spoon off the fat. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, combine the chopped parsley, chopped thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons of garlic. Season the lamb racks with salt and freshly ground black pepper and coat with the herb mixture. Drizzle the lamb with olive oil and oil the grill or the grill pan. Grill the lamb over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the racks to a sturdy baking sheet.

Roast the racks of lamb for about 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 130° to 135° for medium-rare. Let the racks rest for 15 minutes.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE GREMOLATA PESTO In a medium skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat, stirring, until they are golden, about 5 minutes. Let the toasted pine nuts cool slightly. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a blender. Add the parsley leaves, garlic and grated lemon zest and pulse to combine. Add the olive oil and process until smooth. Season the gremolata pesto with salt and pepper.

Reheat the sauce. Carve the racks of lamb into chops and serve the chops with the sauce and pesto.

MAKE AHEAD
The sauce and gremolata pesto can be refrigerated overnight.

NOTE
Ask your butcher to french the racks of lamb (meaning scrape the fat and gristle from the bones); also be sure to ask the butcher to reserve all trimmings.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens
INGREDIENTS
4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups (or 1 can) cooked and drained white beans
6 cups kale, trimmed and sliced into ribbons
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them in a few places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Start the beans and greens about 15 to 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done.

In a wide, deep saucepan with a cover, heat the olive oil over low-moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary sprig, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the kale is soft. Remove the rosemary sprig, stir in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice each sweet potato lengthwise and push on the ends to open up the middle. Spoon the beans and greens into the center.

Curried Lamb Potpie

Autumn has arrived... and we could think of no better dish to celebrate the crisp weather and early setting sun.  It was in this month's Food & Wine and Michael wasted no time trying out this delicious recipe.

It doesn't look like a traditional Marie Calendar pot pie, but believe me... it's better!  The crust and the filling are just as delicious as they look!

We hope your first weekend of Autumn is off to a good start!

INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/4 cup ice water

Curry
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds trimmed boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1-inch dice (10 ounces)
2 cups chopped Tuscan kale
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

MAKE THE PASTRY
In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Add the butter; pulse to the size of peas. Sprinkle the ice water over and pulse until the pastry starts to come together. On a work surface, gently knead the pastry a few times. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 1/2 hours.

MAKE THE CURRY
In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and add half to the casserole. Cook over high heat until browned on 2 sides, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a bowl; repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil and the remaining lamb. Pour off the oil in the casserole.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the lamb to the casserole. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, then slowly stir in the wine until smooth. Add the stock and bring to a boil, stirring, until thickened, 1 minute. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lamb is very tender, 1 hour. Add the squash, kale, carrot and coconut milk to the casserole and simmer over moderately low heat until the vegetables are tender, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spoon the curry into a buttered 8-by-11-inch baking dish. Brush the dish rim with beaten egg. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 14-by-12-inch rectangle. Fold the pastry in half, unfold it over the curry, and gently press onto the edge of the dish. Brush with beaten egg; cut 4 small steam vents in the top.

Bake the potpie for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 450°; bake for 20 minutes longer, until the pastry is browned and cooked through. Let rest for 20 minutes, then serve.

Lamb Stew with Dried Plums

Last night, I hosted this month's book club meeting for The Hunger Games and was lucky enough to have a multitude of food inspiration from the text.  Probably the most memorable dish in the book was Lamb Stew with Dried Plums.

The stew's made with tender chunks of lamb and dried plums today.  Perfect on the bed of wild rice.  (p. 113)

Honestly, this dish took a good 4+ hours to make but it turned out so delicious, we will make it again soon!  Perfect meal for the crisp autumn weather just around the corner.

Here's The Hunger Games' twist to the classic Julia Child's lamb stew recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 1.  The lamb stew was served piled high over rice and eaten by the "bucketful." (p. 127)

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds lamb stew meat
2 to 4 Tbs. cooking oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
2 to 3 cups brown lamb or beef stock, or beef bouillon cubes
3 Tbs. tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/4 teaspoon thyme or rosemary
1 bay leaf
6 to 12 peeled "boiling" potatoes
6 peeled carrots
6 peeled turnips
12 to 18 peeled white onions about 1" diameter
10 pitted dried plums (prunes) sliced in half
1 cup shelled green peas or frozen peas
1/4 pound fresh green beans (about 1 cup), cut into 1/2" pieces
3 quarts boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons salt

Preheat oven to 450 F degrees.

1. Cut the lamb into 2-inch cubes and dry with paper towels. The meat will not brown if it is damp. Brown a few pieces at a time in hot fat or oil in the skillet. As they are browned, place them in a fire proof casserole with cover, large enough to accommodate meat and all vegetables.

2. Sprinkle the lamb in the casserole with sugar and toss over moderately high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the sugar has caramelized. This will give a fine amber color to the sauce.

3. Toss the meat with the salt and pepper, then with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle level of preheated oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Toss the meat and return it to the oven for 4 to 5 minutes more. This browns the flour evenly and coats the lamb with a light crust. Remove the casserole from oven and turn oven down to 350 F degrees.

4. Pour out the fat; add 2 cups of stock or bouillon to the saute skillet. Bring to the boil and scrape up coagulated saute juices. Then pour the liquid into the casserole. Bring to the simmer for a few seconds shaking and stirring to mix liquid and flour. Add the tomatoes and the other ingredients EXCEPT vegetables. Bring to the simmer for 1 minute, then add more stock if necessary; meat should be almost covered by liquid.

5. Put the lid on the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven; regulate heat so casserole simmers slowly and regularly for 1 hour. While casserole simmers, prepare vegetables as follows.

6. Vegetables preparation:
-Trim the potatoes into ovals 1 1/2-inches long, and cover with cold water until ready to use.
-Quarter the carrots and turnips, cut them into 1 1/2 inch lengths, and, if you have the patience, trim the edges to round them slightly.
- Pierce a cross in the root ends of the onions so they will cook evenly.

7. Then pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a bowl. Rinse out the casserole. Remove any loose bones and return the lamb to the casserole. Skim the fat off the sauce in the bowl, correct seasoning, and pour sauce back into casserole.

8. Press the vegetables into the casserole around and between the pieces of lamb. Baste with the sauce. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove, cover and return to the oven. Simmers slowly and steadily for 30 minutes and add dried plums, then continue simmering for another 30 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, tilt casserole, and skim off fat. Taste sauce again, and correct seasoning.

9. While the casserole is in the oven, drop the peas (if fresh) and beans into the boiling water and boil rapidly, uncovered for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender. Immediately drain in a colander. Run cold water over them for 2 to 3 minutes to stop the cooking and to set the color. Put aside until ready to use.

10. May prepare dish ahead to this point. Set casserole aside, cover askew. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove before proceeding with recipe.

11. Shortly before serving, place the peas and beans in the casserole on top of the other ingredients and baste with the bubbling sauce. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until the green vegetables are tender.

Slow-Cooked Leg of Lamb (or Bison) with Spiced Yogurt and Herbs

The original recipe in Food & Wine is Slow-Cooked Leg of Lamb with Spiced Yogurt and Herbs but we used a dakota cut of bison instead (because it almost thawed on our drive back up from Asheville and we just HAD to eat it right away).  I know, it's a rough life for us.

Michael had spotted the recipe in this month's Food & Wine and it was AMAZING!  We put it in the crock pot from 8 am (when we left for work) and ate it around 8:30 pm (about an hour after we got home from work).  It literally fell off the bone.

We had more herb salad, couscous and yogurt left over so we made chicken korma the next night and finished it all up.  We're definitely making this again... I'm still licking my lips as I write this post.  So good.

INGREDIENTS
Lamb
1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 onions, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
15 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
3 jalapeños, seeded and quartered
One 5-pound semi-boneless leg of lamb (aitchbone removed), tied
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Spiced Yogurt
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup packed cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Herb Salad
3/4 cup packed parsley leaves
3/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup packed tarragon leaves
1/2 cup snipped chives
1 jalapeño—halved, seeded and very thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cooked couscous, for serving

MAKE THE LAMB In a large crock pot, whisk the chicken stock with the wine, lemon juice, honey, allspice, cloves, coriander, paprika, oregano, thyme and peppercorns. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños in an even layer. Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper and place it in the crock pot, fat side up.

Cook on low for at least 5 hours (the longer, the better).  Take the lamb out and pull out bones.

Strain the braising liquid into a medium saucepan and skim off the fat. Boil the liquid until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Season the jus with salt and pepper; keep warm.

MAKE THE SPICED YOGURT Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.

MAKE THE HERB SALAD Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut up meat into bite-size pieces. Arrange the lamb on a bed of couscous on a large, deep platter. Drizzle the jus and spiced yogurt over the lamb, top with the herb salad and serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The lamb can be refrigerated with its reduced jus overnight. Reheat and slice before serving.

Easy Garlic-Crusted Roast Rack of Lamb

We had a wonderful Easter weekend with Dad and Mom Merschat in DC!  In addition to church at the National Cathedral and Easter brunch, we had dinner at Elizabeth's on Saturday and Michael made the most delicious rack of lamb.  (Forgot my camera so we didn't get any photos but it looked pretty similar to the magazine photo above... without the twigs under the plate!)

Of course it's from the most recent Food & Wine and a relatively simple recipe.  We served it with a salad and the Wild Rice and Brown Rice Salad with Walnuts and Asparagus.  So good.

INGREDIENTS
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 racks of lamb, frenched (2 pounds each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a mini food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary and olive oil and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper and rub the garlic-rosemary oil all over them. Set the racks fat side up on a large rimmed baking sheet and let stand for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450°. Roast the lamb in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the racks and roast for 10 minutes longer for medium-rare meat. Transfer the racks to a carving board, stand them upright and let rest for 10 minutes.

Carve the racks in between the rib bones and transfer to plates. Serve right away.