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Sunday Dinner: Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom and Orange

YumSugar — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 02:19:48 -0700

As a kid I was exposed to a lot of interesting foods, but for some reason I never had lamb until I was in college. These days it's one of my favorite meats, I absolutely love the sweet yet gamey taste it has. So whenever I think of slow roasted meats, my mind immediately leaps to lamb, especially since it really holds up nicely against a variety of spices, such as saffron, cardamom and curry. For tonight's Sunday Dinner I thought I'd present a recipe for Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom. I am super excited to give this recipe a try - if it sounds like a good idea to you, read more

Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom and Orange
From Williams-Sonoma

4 lamb shanks, external fat trimmed
Salt, to taste, plus 1 Tbs. salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
for serving
1 lb. yellow onions, diced
1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
2 cardamom seeds, skins removed
Pinch of saffron
1 tsp. chili flakes
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 Tbs. curry powder
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 cans (10 oz. each) diced plum tomatoes
1 bottle white wine
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 lb. carrots, peeled and coarsely diced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and
coarsely diced

Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil until nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the shanks, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Add the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté, stirring, until the onions are tender and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, cardamom, saffron, chili flakes, cloves, caraway, fennel seeds, cinnamon, curry, the 1 Tbs. salt, almonds and raisins. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, wine, orange zest and orange juice and stir to mix well. Submerge the shanks in the liquid and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the meat nearly falls off the bone, about 2 hours.
Stir the carrots and fennel bulb into the stew, cover and bake until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more. Drizzle each serving with olive oil. Serves 4.

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Must Read: The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

partysugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:45:08 -0800

Due to the difficult economic climate, in the past couple of months, the casserole - a one-pot dish that feeds a crowd and often consists of budget-friendly ingredients - has made a strong comeback. To fully embrace the trend, I recently obtained a copy of The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever ($24.95) by Beatrice Ojakangas. It's filled with over 500 casserole recipes, and to find out what I thought of this cookbook, read more.

Pros:

The book takes a healthy approach to casseroles by encouraging home cooks to make their own sauces to replace the "cream of" soups.
There's a loose interpretation of the word "casserole." According to the author, casserole can "refer either to the dish that the food is cooked in or to the food itself." So, while there are plenty of classic casserole recipes, there are also tons of recipes for one-pot, baked dishes.
The book covers every type of cuisine and cooking procedure, from classic breakfast dishes to Moroccan-influenced dinners to casseroles for two.

Cons:

Some of the recipes lack important details. For example, step two in the chili con queso recipe says to "melt butter in a small skillet and add the green onions and poblano peppers. Saute for 5 minutes." The recipe fails to mention the temperature of the stove.
The ingredient lists have too many options, leaving it up to the home cook to decide what to include in the casserole. A recipe will say "heavy cream or sour cream" "4 slices of bacon or 1/2 cup cooked ham." Surely the casserole tastes different depending on which ingredient is used. I prefer for the cookbook author to tell me which one tastes better.
There are virtually no color photographs. In fact, there are almost no photos at all.

Recipes: The focus of this book is clearly the recipes and there is definitely something for everyone. Here are the casserole recipes I would like to make:

All of the hot cheese slather spreads in the appetizer section
Cheese and sausage breakfast pie
Chicken Marengo
Chicken, polenta, and morel casserole
Beer-baked Irish beef
Fiesta casserole
Casserole-braised lamb shanks
Crab melt casserole
Corn and chive pudding
Peaches and cream dessert casserole

Imagery: There are about 16 color photographs in the entire book. Although these images are mouthwatering and professional, some seem a little too stylized.

Overall Rating: If you love casseroles or use the oven to do most of your cooking, you will love this book. The insane quantity of recipes guarantees that you'll be using it in the years to come.

Monday's Leftovers: Lamb Pot Pie

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:58:58 -0700

When I was putting together my English pie the other week, it seemed pretty clear that I should use the technique on other meats/stews. So when I found the recipe for yesterday's Sunday dinner, I immediately ended up thinking of turning the leftovers in to a lovely pot pie.

I didn't actually have time to make yesterday's delicious looking lamb shank, but if you did, i have a simple suggestion to turn yesterday's dish into today's treat. All you need to do is turn on the oven, place the lamb mixture into a pie plate (or smaller ramekins, depending on how much you have leftover) and cover with puff pastry. Bake and voila! Easy lamb pot pie! Just be sure to remove all the bones from the mixture before you create your pie. To learn more about the puff pastry technique, see my step by step instructions for a steak & ale pie.

Monday's Leftovers: Lamb Pot Pie

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:37:05 -0700

Come Party With Me: Passover - Part 1

partysugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:13:15 -0700

Next Monday night marks the first night of the eight day Jewish celebration, Passover (or Pesach as it is referred to in Hebrew). The traditional dinner known as the Seder usually takes place the first two evenings. DearSugar's lovely mom gave me a crash course in the strictly followed rules of the feast which celebrates the Exodus and freedom of the Israelite Jews from ancient Egypt. The Seder is similar to Thanksgiving with its importance of family custom and generations of tradition and one is supposed to walk away feeling as if they've been brought out of bondage and into freedom. Eating leavened foods (those that contain yeast or baking soda) is severely forbidden while foods that represent the bounty of spring (lamb, herbs, wine, egg, fruit, nuts, honey) are considered sacred. The meal begins with a reading from the Haggadah which is the narration of the Exodus and continues with the Seder plate. To see my invitation suggestions and the significance of each portion of the Seder, read more

When I think of Passover I picture the clean color combination of royal blue and white. I would make stark invites on either white or blue cardstock with a simple text along the following lines:

Miss PartySugar requests your presence at a traditional dinner to observe the Seder and the first night of Passover
Monday, April 2
7 o'clock pm
PartySugar's House, San Francisco
RSVP 415.555.5555

Send the invites in a dark blue envelope with the guests names written in metallic silver handwriting. I know it may be a little late to send a formal invitation through the mail and I would call each of your guests to personally request their attendance at your Seder. As the event falls on a Monday night, last minute invites are okay because rarely do people make important Monday evening plans. Make the conversation short and sweet by saying: Hi! This is PartySugar and I'm calling to see if you have dinner plans for next Monday night, April 2. I would love for you to join me in my celebration of Passover at 7 o'clock.

Understanding the Seder plate and the order in which the various dishes are consumed is essential to a successful and customary meal. Here is what each of the items signify:

Zeroa: The shank bone of a lamb. In ancient times lambs were sacrificed; the bone is a symbol of struggle and liberation -- that sacrifice is frequently the price of freedom.

Beitzah: The roasted egg, an additional temple sacrifice but it also symbolizes renewal and the cycle of life.

Matzo: The bread of haste at the beginning of the journey. Because there was no time to let it rise, it remains inert -- the essence of bread in its purest form.

Maror: Bitter herbs -- the sorrow of slavery. When one bites into horseradish or the more authentic rue, wormwood or chicory, tears spring to one's eyes. Piercy recommends a Passover salad of bitter greens such as arugula, chicory and endive.

Karpas: A vegetable, usually parsley, which represents spring and the seasons of the year and of life.

Charoset: Not originally part of the Passover plate, this chunky mixture of fruit, nuts and sweet wine was added later by rabbis who wanted something sweet to offset bitter herbs and also as a symbol of freedom.

How do you celebrate the Seder? Please share your family's traditions below. Tomorrow I'll be talking about the quintessential Passover meal so be sure to check back for the recipes.

Source: Pesach for the Rest of Us by Marge Piercy

Sunday Dinner: Roast Lamb for One

YumSugar — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 01:27:18 -0800

If you've always wanted to participate in a fantastic Sunday Dinner roast, but have never wanted to cook all that food for just one person, then you're in luck. Today I've found a recipe for a Roast Lamb for One. This delectable lamb shank is a perfect blend of rosemary, lemon, olive oil and pepper and is paired with a slight red currant gravy. Grab a glass of vino and indulge in a feast for one, read more

Roast Lamb for One
From Nigella Lawson via Food Network

1 lamb shank
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, bruised
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons red port
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red currant jelly

Put everything, other than jelly, together into a freezer bag, tie securely, and leave in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Take the lamb in its package out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
Put the lamb shank along with its marinade into a roasting tin and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the shank. Turn the shank over halfway through cooking. By the time it is done it should look bursting with bronze color; remove from the pan and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
While it is resting, put the roasting tin on the stove and stir in a little water and 1/2 teaspoon red currant jelly to make a light gravy. Slice lamb and drizzle with gravy.

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Come Party With Me: Passover - Menu (2nd Course)

partysugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 09:59:13 -0700

Today I'm planning you a perfect Passover meal complete with matzo, haroset, and all of the traditional fixings. During the first 2 nights of the 8 day celebration, the religious Seder dinner is typically practiced by the Jews to commemorate the Israelites escape from Egypt. Usually the dinner begins with a telling of this story, a reading from the Haggadah that is long and allows the guests to build up an appetite for the main course. When the narration is finished reward guests for their patience with hearty braised lamb shanks and a mixed lettuce salad with hard boiled eggs (to represent the symbol of mourning for the destroyed Temple). For these succulent recipes, read more

Braised Lamb Shanks With Green Olives And Apricots
From Tyler Florence

4 lamb shanks, about 8 ounces each
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 sprigs
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon, zested in big strips
2 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, plus 2 sticks
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bottle full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1/4 cup crushed matzo (ground in a food processor)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups lamb or chicken stock
1 cup pearl onions, peeled
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
12 large green Spanish olives
12 dried apricots

First off, you want to marinate the lamb shanks for a few hours to really penetrate the deep flavor; the wine also tenderizes the meat. Put the shanks in a large glass bowl and season with salt and pepper. Break up the thyme and rosemary with your hands to release the oils and toss them on top of the lamb. Add the lemon peel, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sugar. Pour in the bottle of wine, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
Line a few layers of paper towels on the counter. Pull the lamb shanks out of the wine marinade (reserving it for later), and lay them out on the paper towels, cover with more paper towels and pat the meat dry really well.
Put the crushed matzo in a large shallow platter and season it with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the lamb shanks in the seasoned matzo; tapping off the excess.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sear the lamb shanks, turning carefully with tongs, so all sides are a brown caramel color. Drizzle with a little more oil if needed. Do this in batches if the shanks are big and look crowded in the pot.
Strain marinade reserving the wine. Add the wine, remaining 2 sticks of cinnamon, remaining 2 sprigs of thyme and the stuff from the marinade. Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the stock and add the onions, carrots, olives, and apricots; bring to a boil. Cover the pot. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Transfer the lamb shanks to a large platter. Spoon the onions, olives, and apricots over them. Strain the braising juices and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the platter and serve.

Serves 4.

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Mixed Lettuces with Orange Vinaigrette and Candied Pecans
From Food & Wine magazine

1 1/2 cups pecan halves (6 ounces)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
1 head each of butter and red leaf lettuces, torn into bite-size pieces
Seeds from 1 large pomegranate
3 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

In a nonstick skillet, toast the pecans over moderately low heat, stirring, until golden, 8 minutes. Add the sugar, maple syrup, cayenne and a pinch of salt and stir until coated, 2 minutes; let cool.
In a large bowl, toss the lettuces with the pomegranate seeds.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and orange zest. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the salad with the dressing, add the pecans and serve.

Serves 8.

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Wondering what's for dessert? Stay tuned because the final chapter of this Passover dinner is sure to put a show-stopping finish to your night.