Balsamic Lamb Chops with Pea Puree

(Not the best photos to do the meal justice!)

Once I would have screwed up my nose at 'mushy peas', or 'puree peas' but after many trips to the UK and it now becoming very trendy in restaurants across the world,  I spotted this recipe and thought I'd give them a go myself.  Ooo they were yummy and will be making them again.

Taken from GoodFood's "101 Quick Fix Dishes", pg 96, published 2007

Ingredients

6 lamb chops
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
5 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Mint leaves, small bunch, chopped
300g frozen peas
2 tbs Parmesan, grated

Method
Marinate the chops in 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, half the mint and some seasoning. Meanwhile, cook the peas in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain, then tip into a food processor and puree with the remaining mint, vinegar, olive oil, Parmesan and some salt. Pour into a saucepan to reheat.  Grill the chops for 2-3 minutes (I used a griddle pan), each side, then rest for 5 minutes in foil.  Serve with the pea puree.

Serves 2.

Must Be The Arab Coming Out In Me

I have decided that I *heart* Za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice. Ooo it is yummoh and when I spied this recipe in one of my Chunky Cookbooks I just had to make it. And I thought I'd share it with you. It is called;

Za'atar-spiced Veal Loin Chops With Fattoush

Now to begin with I have always been interested in knowing what Fattoush was, as it is widely eaten around these parts and I never knew what it consisted of.  This recipe was a win-win, but when I went to the supermarket, no Aussie/NZ Veal on hand, or even Aussie/NZ Lamb Loin chops (wasn't keen on the Indian Veal or the local goat while I'm at it), so I ended up with a pack of NZ Lamb Cutlets.  Noice.

So here is the recipe, taken from page 369 of The Australian Women's Weekly 'Fast' chunky book. =)

4 x 200g veal loin chops

za'atar

1 tablespoon sumac

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

(or you could be like me and buy all that already made and in a herb container! *cheat cheat*)

fattoush

2 large pitta breads

4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 lebanese cucumbers, seeded, sliced thinly

1 medium green capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces

3 green/spring onions, sliced thinly

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil

1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1. Preheat grill.

2. Make za'atar. 

3. Make fattoush.

4. Cook veal on heated oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) until browned both sides and cooked.  Sprinkle about a tablespoon of the za'atar equally over the veal; serve with fattoush.

za'atar Combine ingredients in a small bowl.

fattoush Grill bread until crisp; break into small pieces.  Combine tomato, cucumber, capsicum, onion and herbs in a large bowl.  Just before serving, toss bread and combined oil, juice and garlic into salad.

Serves 4. 

Here's a pic - not the best lighting but I can tell you - it was delicious and I will be making it again!

Irish Stew

This is my recipe - I think I used to have a basic recipe taken from who-knows-where and over the years I have added and omitted ingredients.  This is a recipe I must make each St Patrick's Day...

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 kilo diced leg lamb

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes

10 baby onions, peeled and cut in half

1 sprig of rosemary

1 sprig thyme

2 tbsp HP Sauce

1 tbsp Worcester sauce

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

220ml can of Guinness (1/2 can)

1/2 litre water

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Cornflour to thicken

Method

In a hot cast iron saucepan, add oil and brown the lamb pieces before adding the rest of the ingredients, bar the parsley and cornflour.  Cover and cook very slowly for about 90 minutes.  Taking a little of the stock from the pot mix in some cornflour then add to the rest of the pan to thicken the stock.  Cook until all ingredients are tender and cooked through.

Serve with crusty bread (or traditional soda bread)

Curried Lamb Casserole

My blog friend, Kikimiss, passed on this recipe for me which we did enjoy.  Next time I would opt for four-quarter lamb chops instead of the neck chops.  I served mine with simple steamed rice.

*Taken from Family Circle's 'Casseroles and Pies, Step-By-Step', page 34*

Ingredients

1 kg lamb neck chops

1/4 cup oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground chilli powder

2 tbs Madras curry powder

2 cups chicken or lamb stock

1 tbs soft brown sugar

1 tbs tomato paste

3 whole cloves

1 large apples, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup sultanas

Method

Heat 2 tbs oil in heavy based pan.  Cook meat quickly in small batches over medium heat until well browned.  Drain on paper towels.

heat remaining oil in pan.  Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir over medium heat for 3 minutes or until soft.  Add garam masala, chilli and curry powder.  Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Return meat to pan, add stock, sugar, tomato paste, and cloves.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer.  Cook covered for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add sultanas and apple.  Cook covered for a further 30 minutes.  Serve with pilaf rice.

(Can add 400ml coconut cream to make a rich creamy curry.) 

Serves 4

Warm Mediterranean Lamb Salad

Oh my. Now, this salad was delicious! Very restaurant quality indeed. Nice, fresh ingredients and the use of the BBQ helped make this dish into Lyndon's Top 10 Melody-cooked dishes. Loads of flavour, very lovely. Mmmm...

*Taken from Murdoch Books publication 'Australian Family Favourites'*

Ingredients

500g lamb backstraps or loin fillets

125ml olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp thyme leaves

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 small red capsicums

5 slender eggplants, thickly sliced on the diagonal

2 tbs olive tapanade

100g semi-dried (sun-blushed) tomatoes, sliced

1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded and chopped

150g green beans, trimmed and blanched

150g Nicoise or Ligurian olives

100g baby rocket leaves

dressing ingredients

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs lemon juice

Method

Put the lamb in a non-metallic bowl. Combine half the oil with the garlic, thyme and pepper, then pour over the lamb and toss to coat. Set aside

Heat the grill to high. Cut the capsicums into large flat pieces, discarding the seeds and membrane. Arrange skin side up on the grill tray and grill until the skin blackens and blisters. Leave to cool in a plastic bag, then peel away the skin and cut the flesh into thirds/

Meanwhile, preheat a barbecue chargrill to high. Toss the eggplant in the remaining oil to coat, then grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden.

Cook the lamb on the hot chargrill plate for about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until done to your liking. Remove from the heat, cover with foil and leave for 5 minutes.

Thinly slice the lamb across the grain and toss in a bowl with the capsicum, eggplant, tapanade, tomato, cucumber, beans and olives. Add the rocket. Put the dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well. Pour over the lamb salad, season and toss to combine.

Serves 4

Irish Stew

I love a good Irish stew. If we ever go to an Irish Pub for some food, I always order the 'Irish Stew'. Always. Goes lovely with fresh bread or soda bread. This recipe is pretty hearty and can warm your 'tootsies!'

I made half this recipe and instead of lamb chops, I used diced lamb (only because the supermarket didn't have any chops out) and I also added a big, big splosh of Worcestershire Sauce, which I think is the key to any good Irish Stew recipe...

*Taken from the website 'Taste'*

Ingredients
1.25g lamb neck chops
1/2 cup plain flour
3 brown onions, sliced
1kg sebago potatoes, peeled, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 tbs tomato paste
3 cups boiling water
3 beef stock cubes, crumbled
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped to serve

Method
Cut chops in half. Place flour in a plastic bag and season with salt and pepper. Place chops in bag and shake well to coat. Transfer chops to a plate. Reserve flour.

Preheat oven to 130C. Place onions, potatoes and carrots in an ovenproof dish. Top with half the chops. Repeat layers with remaining onions, potatoes, carrots and chops.

Whisk reserved flour, tomato paste and 2 tbs cold water in a large jug until well combined. Slowly add boiling water, whisking constantly. Add stock cubes and parsley. Stir to dissolve stock cubes.

Pour flour mixture over chops. Cover and cook for 4 hours or until meat tender and sauce thickened. Sprinkle with mint and serve.

Serves 6

Incredible Baked Lamb Shanks

Incredible alright! I made these ages ago and hadn't posted the recipe so here it is. They were simply delicious and very easy to make, though they take a while to bake... I served mine with creamy mashed potato. What lovely comfort food!

*Taken from Jamie Oliver's 'Cook with Jamie'*

Ingredients

6 sprigs of fresh rosemary

150g cold butter

15 fresh sage leaves

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 lamb shanks, crown or French-trimmed

12 cloves of garlic, unpeeled

2 large carrots, peeled and finely sliced

1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

1 leek, washed, halved and finely sliced

olive oil

2 wineglasses of white wine

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. Pick the leaves off 2 sprigs of rosemary, whiz them with the butter, most of the sage and the thyme in a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Using a small knife, take one of the lamb shanks and cut between the meat and the bone from the base of the shank upwards. You want to create a hole big enough to put your finger in, making a sort of pocket, Do this to all the shanks and divide the flavoured butter between them, pushing it into the pockets. This will give a wonderful flavour to the heart of the shanks.

Tear off four arm-lengths pieces of tinfoil and fold each in half to give you four A3-sized pieces of foil. Divide the garlic and veg between them, making a pile in the middle of each square. Rub the lamb shanks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then put one on top of each pile of veg and a sprig of rosemary and a few sage leaves on top of that. Carefully pull up the sides of the foil around the shank and pour a swig of wine into each. Gather the foil around the bone, pinching it together tightly. Any excess foil can be torn or cut off with scissors. Repeat for all 4 shanks, then place the foil parcels on a baking tray with the bones facing up. Put in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is as tender as can be.

Serves 4

Mediterranean Burgers

Simple to make and nice to eat...

*Taken from Murdoch Book's 'Fast Food'*

Ingredients

1 large red capsicum

500g lamb mince

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 small onion, grated

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbs pine nuts, chopped

1 tbs finely chopped fresh mint

1 tbs finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp chilli sauce (I used sweet chilli)

1 tbs olive oil

4 Turkish or pide bread rolls

1 cup (220g) ready-made hummus

100g baby rocket

1 small Lebanese cucumber, cut into ribbons

chilli sauce, to serve (optional) (I used sweet chilli)

Method

Cut the capsicum into large pieces, removing the seeds and membrane. Place, skin-side-up, under a hot grill until the skin blackens and blisters. Cool in a plastic bag, then peel and cut into thick strips.

Combine the mince, egg, onion, garlic, pine nuts, fresh herbs, cumin and chilli sauce in a large bowl. Mix with your hands and roll into four even-sized balls. Press the balls into large patties about 9cm in diameter.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the patties over medium heat for 6 minutes each side, or until well browned and cooked through, then drain on paper towels.

Halve the rolls and toast both sides. Spread the cut sides of the rolls with hummus, then lay rocket leaves, roasted capsicum and cucumber ribbons over the base. Place a patty on the salad and top with the other half of the roll. Serve with chilli sauce.

Serves 4

Melody's Gourmet Lamb Burgers

Unfortunately there is no photo to go along with this recipe as I actually forgot. I was too busy thinking about actually eating it than taking a photo of the finished cooked product! Uh-oh.

I made this recipe up a few years ago and they always go down well. You can add other ingredients that you like (maybe olives, capers) or delete ones that you don't like. I usually serve them in a bun (tonight's was Turkish Bread Rolls), along with fresh baby spinach leaves, cheese and either tomato relish or tomato sauce.

I don't record exact weights and measures in this particular recipe. Just add as much (or as little) as you like, or what you've got floating around in the fridge. They'll turn out fine.

Ingredients
Lamb mince (to make about 5 patties, use 500gms)
Red onion, chopped
Semi-Sun dried Tomatoes, chopped
Marinated fetta, crumbled
Pine nuts, toasted
Baby spinach leaves, shredded
Fresh basil, chopped
Garlic clove, finely chopped
Fresh Bread crumbs
Dash of extra-virgin Olive Oil

Method
Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix by hand. Divide the mixture into hand-size patties and flatten out.

Cook. (Either on the BBQ or in a frying pan with a dash of olive oil on the hot plate.)

Yes, they are that easy!! Hehe...