Spiced lamb, mushroom and pea curry, dhal and rice

Oops - I forgot to take a picture of this dinner before people dived in - but there were some leftovers, so I took a quick snap of them.  The thing which really was a shame to miss were the lovely spiced lamb steaks - but hey ho!

Lamb steaks
Natural yogurt
Curry mix (bassar masala in our case)
Rice
Red lentils
Onion
Garlic
turmeric
mustard seeds
fennel seeds
cumin seeds
Mushrooms
water
potato
peas

1.  Marinade the lamb steaks in spices mixed into yogurt.
2.  Put both the rice and lentils on to boil.
3.  Fry chopped onion, crushed garlic and various spices, fry off for a few minutes, then add chopped mushrooms.  After they have fried for a few minutes add some water and some finely chopped potato (the potato softens and helps form a sauce).
4.  When curry is nearly done add the peas, and fry the lamb steaks.
5.  Finally make a tarka for the dhal by frying spices of your choice in oil, chuck over the dhal as you take it all to the table.
6.  Serve, scoff … you might want to blob on some natural yogurt too.

Glamorgan Sausages, and other St David's Day treats

In honour of St David's Day (I was born in Wales after all) I decided on a Welsh themed dinner.

The lamb is not from Wales, it was born and bred in Todmorden by Bracewell's Butchers in the Market Hall.  The cheese is from Wales, its proper Caerphilly from The Crumbly Cheese.  The mustard is English, but from The Mediterranean Pantry.  The veg are from Kev on the outside market.

Using porridge oats instead of the more traditional breadcrumbs for the sausages makes them gluten free.

Todmorden rocks!

Potatoes
Olive oil
Leeks
Porridge oats
Mustard
Caerphilly cheese
Eggs
Turnips
Carrots
Butter
Lamb leg steaks

1.  Chop the potatoes into chunks, toss in olive oil and roast.
2.  Chop and wash a leek, sweat down gently in olive oil.
3.  Allow the softened leek to cool.
4.  Peel and chop turnips and carrots, boil until mashable.  Steam chopped, washed leek on top of the pan.
5.  Mix oats, cheese and cooled leeks with 2 eggs and a spoonful of mustard.  Form into sausage shapes.
6.  When the potatoes are nearly done pan fry the sausages and lamb in a little olive oil (separately in our case, to conserve the veggie credentials of the sausages).  They both take about 8 minutes, turning so all sides are cooked.
7.  Mash root veg with plenty of butter and black pepper.
8.  Serve, scoff …

The veg dodger loved the sausages!  Result.

Iranian lamb stew

Todmorden market win again - fantastic local lamb from Bracewell's - (it's Hebridean but born and raised in Tod) - garlic, herbs, spices and kidney beans from The Mediterranean Pantry.  Yogurt from The Crumbly Cheese.

I was a little sceptical about lamb and kidney beans, but it works really really well.  I also made a veggie version using mushrooms and courgettes instead of minced lamb, following the rest of the recipe with all the other ingredients.  Both versions were delicious, and very firmly on the "do again" list.

Basmati rice

Onion

Garlic

Turmeric

Sabzi Ghalieh Mahi (Iranian herb mix)

Lamb mince

Turmeric

Chicken stock

Kidney beans

Spinach

Lime

Natural yogurt

1.  Cook rice – put in pan covered + 1 inch with water, boil for 10 minutes, put tight fitting lid on, turn off heat and let sit for a further 10 minutes.
2.   Sautee chopped onion in olive oil, then add crushed garlic.
3.   Add minced lamb and cook until browned (for veggie version at this point add chopped mushrooms and courgettes).
4.   Add about ½ teaspoon of turmeric and about a tablespoon or so of sabzi mix.
5.   Add drained kidney beans and stock, simmer for about 10 minutes.
6.   Add big handfuls of spinach, and stir in until wilted.
7.   Finish with a spritz of lime juice.
8.   Serve with rice and natural yogurt.
9.  Scoff

Roast lamb dinner

Bracewell's butchers - Todmorden Indoor Market - had their own lambs this week - totally irresistible.  So we had the top end of a leg.  Also, if you ask them, they will cut out the bone - and stick it back in so that you can roast it bone in, for full flavour, and then simply remove it to carve into slices ... thanks!

Lamb
olive oil
garlic
rosemary
potatoes
salt
carrots
leeks
white wine
cornflour
chicken stock

1.  Rub the lamb with olive oil, season, chuck plenty of smashed garlic cloves in to roasting pan, with a good sprinkle of rosemary - roast on high for 20 minutes, then turn down a little.
2.  Peel and chop potatoes, toss in olive oil and roast.  The lamb and potatoes can now happily sit in the oven for 30 minutes while you chat etc.
3.  Prep veg for steaming.
4.  Splosh a glass of white wine into the lamb pan, and leave for a further 10 minutes.
5.  Put the veg on to steam, drain the juices from the lamb into a small pan, put the lamb to one side to rest - covered in foil and a teatowel.
6.  Simmer the pan juices, add about a pint of chicken stock, slake cornflour in water and stir it into the grave to thicken it
7.  Serve, scoff

(veggie had halloumi)

Salt marsh lamb, given a Greekish twist

Todmorden is a fantastic town - and has a fantastic market.  I may be a little biased as it is home to my own micro-empire aka The Mediterranean Pantry, but without a doubt you can easily source the best of ingredients for some lovely meals here.  Incredible Edible helps too, as you can pick fresh herbs for FREE right outside the back door of the market ...

So, Salt Marsh lamb from Bracewell's butchers - amazing quality.
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic from me.
Feta from the crumbly cheese.
Veggies from Garry outside.
Herbs from Pollination street, and our garden ...

1.  Marinate the lamb in olive oil, lots of crushed garlic, fresh oregano and a splash of white wine.
2.  Chop veg and roast them in olive oil for about 45 minutes.
3.  Boil potatoes, drain when done, toss in olive oil and add chopped chives - crush slightly and put into the oven to crisp up a little.
4.  Fry lamb on each side for a couple of minutes to brown, put into oven dish with remaining marinade, cover with foil and pop in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
5.  Wash salad leaves and lightly dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
6.  Crumble feta, mix in olive oil and fresh herbs.
7.  Serve, scoff, receive fulsome praise from gathered visitors.

The salt marsh lamb is exceptionally tender and sweet - gorgeous.

Roast lamb dinner

Beautiful leg of lamb from Bracewell's in Todmorden market hall - really good garlic and olive oil from The Mediterranean Pantry - and this is an exceptional Sunday roast dinner.

Home grown broad beans were the star of the vegetable medley, matching the cavolo nero in vegetably gorgeousness.  I LOVE cavolo nero.

Lamb
Garlic
Olive oil
Potatoes
Polenta
Cornflour
Stock
Carrots
Broad beans
Cavolo nero
White cabbage

Cooking takes under 2 hours, start to finish, but much of that time it's quietly getting on with it by itself.

1.  Stab the lamb all over, inserted sliced garlic into each of the holes.  You can go really quite bonkers with the garlic, I keep the slices quite chunky, so that you can see them when you carve the lamb.
2.  Roast the lamb on quite a high heat for the first 20 minutes, then turn it down a bit, or move it to the lower shelf of the oven.
3.  Put olive oil in a roasting tray for the potatoes, put it in the oven to heat up.
4.  Peel the potatoes, and par boil.  Drain well, add a couple of tablespoons of dry polenta and toss about a bit - put into the hot oil, and roast for an hour or so.
5.  Now make a cup of tea and read the paper or do the crossword :)  you are not needed for 40 minutes.
6.  Peel and chop carrot, pod broad beans, slice cabbage.  Steam the lot together (carrots on the bottom, then beans, then cabbage)
7.  Have a look at the roast, it may need basting, or turning.  Drain pan juices to start the gravy.
8.  Make a simple gravy using meat juices and stock, or wine, thickened with cornflour (slaked in water).
9.  Bring the lamb out of the oven to rest for at least 10 minutes.
10.  Serve, scoff, smile.

Morrocan lamb and pine nuts

This weekend has been a roller coaster of good food, big challenges and rubbish pics.  We have had - diabetic, coeliac, lactose intolerant, heart conditions and nut allergies - and also.... - elderly and damaged dogs... antisocial cats and chickens wanting to invade the kitchen.  And ... I left the memory card out of the camera, so most of the triumphs (and I was impressed, though I say it myself) ... are unrecorded. But, for the record of no repeat February .. last night we had - pork, apple, celery and green bean casserole, with rice and red cabbage, followed by gluten free waffles with ice cream and fruit (diabetic ice cream specially sourced) - today we had a big breakfast (again - no card in the camera).  And for dinner - morrocan savoury lamb (?) with rice and carrots in orange juice.  (Morrocan lamb mince - sautee onions and some crushed garlic, celery, mushrooms, butternut squash, lamb mince, courgette and green beans,,, (smidge of chili, bigger smidge of cinnamon, and some herbs) .. fry, add stock, simmer for  a bit... serve with extras (carrots, steam... fry gently in olive oil for seconds and add squirt of orange juice).  Victims are all fed - some appreciative, some less so - you have family - you understand :).

Roast lamb dinner

For a greedy person!  Delish.  Season leg of lamb with salt and pepper and rub on olive oil.  Cut bulb of garlic in half and chuck in roasting tray, lie leg of lamb on rosemary on grill in roasting tray - chuck in a glass of white wine.  Stick into hot oven for 30mins, then turn oven down to about 150 - cover in foil, and roast slowly for 2-3 hours.   Drain juices after about an hour, to make the gravy.  After 1 and a half hours parboil potatoes, then roast, in a hot oven in hot olive oil (for about an hour and 10 minutes).  In a little olive oil, chop red onion and half a red cabbage, 2 chopped apples - add apple juice, splash of cider vinegar, black pepper and dried fennel seeds, simmer for at least 40 minutes - or bring to the boil and then stick in the oven with the lamb.  Peel and chope carrots, swede and turnip.  Boil for about 12 minutes then drain and slash vigorously with a sharp knife, adding a knob of butter and just too much black pepper.  At the same time soften sliced leek in a drop of water (or white wine if there is some left), just before soft add shredded green cabbage.  Finish off gravy ... fat from lamb pan, tablespoon of flour add lamb juices and stock.  Scoff (with or without mint sauce/mustard/ horseradish), have seconds, and scoff that as well.  Victims all finished their plates, and visiting victims took some home for tomorrow.

Lamb and cabbage moussaka

Looks scruffy, tasted better.  Usual start onions and garlic, some celery in olive oil unit a bit soft.  Add lamb mince, thyme, chopped pepper and green beans, stir in 4 chopped tomatoes and some tomato puree with half a glass of wine.  A sprinkle of cinnamon and a good grind of black pepper.  Meanwhile par boil sliced potatoes - and drain.  When meat mixture looks glossy and gloopy add a handful of spinach, a grating of nutmeg, sliced black olives and crumbled feta cheese.  Making sure that the mixture still has some moisture and cover with shredded cabbage.  Layer on top sliced potatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake until browning on top.  A layer of bechamel would be good, but it was very tasty.

Lamb tagine with sharon fruit

What on earth are you supposed to do with a Sharon fruit?  Well, spicy sweet tagine, that's what.  Probably not an authentic tagine, but a slow cooked moroccan inspired stew.  Fry onion, garlic and spices (paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, chili).  Add  lamb, red pepper, courgette and chopped sharon fruit - then chicken srock, tomato puree and a tin of chopped tomatoes.  Tasty - served with couscous, cauliflower, pita bread and greek yogurt.  Gathered victims scoffed it, but didn't comment, so I will have to deduce that it was OK, but not their favourite ... still, it did use up veg box sharon fruit, which was the main aim.  Update:  got compliment from one of the victims - "that tagine was really nice actually, it wasn't just weak curry"... result!

RIP Betty Driver - hotpot

Sad news yesterday that Betty Driver (Turpin) of Corrie has died at 91.  Happened to have lamb for tea so turned it into a sort of hotpot in her memory.  After 10 days of flu this is about the first meal I have managed - and only then by chopping, browning and bunging in the oven and having a sit down.

Lamb steak, crushed new potatoes with humous with spring veg

Greek inspired dinner - inspired also by fresh new potatoes from Sue, and tiny harvest of veg from the garden - infact we had 2 x runner beans and 10 micro tomatoes - with some chives and mint, so supplemented this with organic veg from the box and some stuff from the fridge.  Thanks Sue for the potatoes - fresh from the garden - delicious.

Method - boil new potatoes for 15 ish minutes, meanwhile chop and saute in olive oil spring onion, garlic, 2 yellow courgettes, about 8 runner beans and a big handful of cherry tomatoes.  Add tbsp olive oil, oregano and a cup of water - simmer for about 20 mins.  Marinate lamb rump steaks in olive oil and greek type herbs and spices - cumin, garlic, mint, black pepper, tiny bit of cinamon, oregano.  Pan fry on high heat for about 4 minutes each side until there is a nice caramelised crust and the centre is still slightly pink.  Mix together tbsp olive oil, I heaped tbsp humous with about the same of greek yogurt and a good squeeze of lemon, grind in black pepper, salt and loads of chopped chives.  Crush boiled potatoes and stir in sauce while still warm.

The best lamb I have ever tasted I think - but victim wanted hers cooked a bit longer.  The lovely new potatoes didn't really need dressing, but this garlicky yogurty sauce rang the changes and moistenned the dish.  A success all round I would say.

Moussaka: on a school night!

4 pans - multiple processes - and on a work night.  But yum - tiddly - yum -yum.  Victim approved heartily.  Little does she know that not only did I insist on the consumption of some green beans - but as well as the aubergine and onion I had also snuck in goodly amounts of edame beans, pepper and tomato  :evil grin: That with the courgette and mushroom frittata for lunch and the fresh fruit lolly (banana milkshake today) bring sneaky fruit and veg portions up to 10, or there abouts.  Oh, yes, and the bechamel was made with soya milk - so I think that's at least another half a portion ... snicker.  Chicken news:  I forgot to say Jennifer too did infact turn out to be Jeremy, so he has gone back to the farm.  Egg count today = 3 Sophie, Clarissa and Nigella?).  I'm not 100% sure, but I think we had Nigella's first today.  Sophie and Rosemary lay oval "egg" shaped eggs - Clarissa much more rounded - and today we had an even smaller, lovely little round one, so I think that's Nigella.