Lamb Meatballs

Gerry and I both love lamb in almost any form and when I read the recipe for these meatballs, I knew they would work for us.  Very few ingredients combined with ground lamb, formed into meatballs, pan browned and finished in the oven.  Classic meatball treatment.  These were quite tasty tidbits which I served over shredded zucchini that was quickly sauteed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. 

Lamb Meatballs
Makes 4-6 servings

1/2 cup pine nuts
2 pounds ground lamb
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat shaking pan and stirring often until golden.  Remove from pan and let cool on a plate.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine lamb, garlic, oregano, allspice, salt and cooled pine nuts until well combined.  Form into 1-inch meatballs and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat.  As they are browned, remove to a sheet pan and set aside.  Once  all meatballs are browned, place sheet pan in preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Slightly adapted from Paleo Periodical

Our rating:

1/2

Greek Lamb Saute

This recipe started as the base for a filling for Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves).  Since I don't like grape leaves, I simplified the recipe and used the seasoned cooked lamb to serve over Cauli-Rice.  The dish was quick and easy to make and turned out quite flavorful.  I will definitely make this again.

Greek Lamb Saute
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Greek
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons raisins
1/4 cup sliced green olives
Juice of 1/2 lemon

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil and saute the onion and garlic until translucent.  Add the ground lamb, seasonings, raisins and olives and cook until the lamb is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.  Place in serving bowl and mix in fresh lemon juice.

Recipe adapted from Practical Paleo

Our rating:

Lamb and Olive Stew

This dish is a cross between a stew and a chili...the addition of the tomatoes makes you think chili, but the cubes of lamb meat make you think stew.  I decided to call this a stew.  The lamb cubes were sauteed with onion, garlic and spices.  Zucchini chunks, kalamata olives and canned tomatoes were added and allowed to simmer with salt and pepper until the lamb was tender.  I served this very simply over brown rice.

Lamb and Olive Stew
Makes 4 servings

1 pound lamb stew meat cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 small zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, and then into half-moons
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
Splash of olive juice from jar
28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Saute the lamb cubes in a large skillet over medium-high heat in the olive oil.  When the meat is almost browned on all sides, add the onion and the garlic.

When the meat is nearly done, add spices and stir to combine.  Add the zucchini and olives and a splash of the olive liquid to the skillet.  When zucchini has a touch of color, add the tomatoes.  Allow the stew to come back to the boiling point, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour for the lamb cubes to be tender.  Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as desired.


Slightly adapted from Fast Paleo

Our rating:

1/2

Spice Rubbed Lamb Kabobs

The recipe I wanted to use for these kabobs called for a spice called Za' atar which I couldn't find anywhere.  I did find out that it contained sumac, sesame seeds, thyme and oregano.  I created my own spice rub with toasted sesame seeds, dried thyme, dried oregano, chili powder, and onion powder.  I sprinkled this mixture over the kabob meat and let them marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.  I drizzled the seasoned meat cubes with some olive oil and tossed them around to coat all over with the spices and olive oil before skewering.  They went on a medium-high grill for a couple of minutes on each side for perfectly grilled lamb cubes.

I served these with brown rice and a side of Broccoli Slaw Mix which I sauteed in coconut oil.

Spice Rubbed Lamb Kabobs
Makes 4 servings

1 pound pastured lamb kabob meat (I used boneless lamb sirloin, cut in bite-size pieces)
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Olive Oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh oregano, chopped (optional)

In a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle grind or pulverize the sesame seeds.  In a small bowl, combine the ground sesame seeds, thyme, oregano, chili powder, onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place the lamb cubes in a glass casserole and sprinkle over the lemon juice, zest and dry seasoning mixture.  Toss to evenly coat spices and allow to marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss again to evenly coat with spices and oil and sprinkle with black pepper.

Thread meat cubes on skewers and grill on medium-high for 7-10 minutes until charred on all sides.  Remove from grill and season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Garnish with freshly chopped oregano, if desired.


Adapted from My Living Nutrition

Our rating:

Lamb Lettuce Wraps

I love creating warm things that you can put in a lettuce leaf, roll up and crunch away on.  This one had pieces of lamb that were sauteed in coconut oil, topped with tomatoes and cucumbers and drizzled with a sauce made with avocado as the base for a tzatziki instead of yogurt.  These were delicious and I loved the way all the flavors blended together with the contrast of the warm meat and the cold, crunchy lettuce.

Lamb Lettuce Wraps
Makes 2-3 servings

1 pound lamb stew meat
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4-6 large romaine lettuce leaves, cleaned
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or regular tomato, diced)
1/2 cucumber, finely diced
1 lemon, cut in half

Avo-Ziki Sauce
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup grated cucumber
1 small clove garlic, grated
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped

In a small mixing bowl, season the lamb with sea salt, black pepper and oregano.  In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil and then place the lamb pieces in the pan.  Cook the lamb approximately 2-3 minutes until it is browned on one side and flip to brown the other side for another 2 minutes or so.

Once the meat is cooked, chop it into 1/2-inch pieces.

Place the romaine lettuce leaves onto serving plates and top with the chopped lamb, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber.  Squeeze lemon over each lettuce leaf, then drizzle with the Avo-Ziki Sauce.

For the Avo-Ziki Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor or with a hand blender.

Slightly adapted from Practical Paleo

Our rating:

Lamb Kheema

In looking over my blog posts for the last few days, I noticed a definite oriental flair.  I made Thai Green Curry Coconut Shrimp, Asian Chicken Salad and now Lamb Kheema, a traditional Indian dish.  I really do love all the different spices and flavors of so many different cuisines.  It would be impossible for me to pick just one favorite cuisine.  The beauty of cooking at home is being able to decide which country to visit with the menu.

I served this Kheema over brown rice.

Lamb Kheema
Makes 4 servings

1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, chopped
2 teaspoons butter or ghee
1 pound lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup frozen peas
1 jalapeno minced (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat ghee or butter and onion on medium heat.  Cook about 8 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger; cook another 2 minutes.

Add ground meat to pan and brown.  Season with salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.  Stir well.  Add chili pepper, cilantro, bay leaf, tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of water.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer about 15 minutes.  Add frozen peas and simmer covered another 5 to 10 minutes.

Slightly adapted from Skinny Taste

Our rating:

Dijon-Rosemary Crusted Rack of Lamb

We decided to spend Easter weekend in Austin again this year.  We enjoy the wealth of activities available in Austin at this time of year since the weather is usually wonderful and this has been true for this year as well.   On Friday afternoon, we walked around Zilker Park along Lady Bird Lake which was beautiful and very entertaining for people watching. 

I decided to stay away from ham for Easter this year since I think the meat is a little more processed than we should be eating right now on our healthy eating plan.  I turned to another typical spring meat, lamb.  I rubbed two racks of lamb with a paste of mustard, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and allowed them to marinate in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.  They went into a hot oven for 4 minutes and then the heat was reduced and they were allowed to roast for another 15 minutes.  They came out cooked perfectly. 

Our side dishes were pureed cauliflower and turnips, and roasted asparagus and carrots.  We finished off our meal with a mixed berry medley topped with whipped coconut milk slightly sweetened with Xylitol and flavored with vanilla extract. 

Dijon-Rosemary Crusted Rack of Lamb
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons dried rosemary, crushed in mortar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 racks of lamb
2 teaspoons olive oil

Combine mustard, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper into a paste and smear to cover rack of lamb completely.  Let sit for 4 to 24 hours in refrigerator to let the flavors marry.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Place rack of lamb in a 12" x 8" x 2" baking dish coated with olive oil.  Roast uncovered for 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in rack registers 160 degrees.


Slightly adapted from The Virgin Diet Cookbook

Our rating:

 

Grilled Lamb Chops

Every once in a while I feel like I need to fine-tune our eating habits.  Since I make so much of our food, I always feel like we eat quite healthy...but there's always room for improvement.  Gerry periodically  turns to a fast to relieve some digestive issues.  I have been wanting to try a gluten free diet for a while now and we have found a different approach to testing food intolerances.  We have given up corn, dairy, eggs, gluten, peanuts, soy and sugar/artificial sweeteners.  Even though this list of what we have given up sounds quite lengthy, we both feel that we are eating well and have not had any cravings.  We will continue on this plan for three weeks and then gradually add back one food component to see if there is any intolerance.

Each day starts with a protein shake made with a vegan rice protein powder, coconut milk and some frozen organic berries.  I add some fiber with either chia seeds or ground flax seeds.  We later move on to a cup of regular coffee (no sugar or cream) and this holds us until lunch.

Our lunch today was the Salmon and Blueberry Salad that I made recently minus the feta cheese.  I did add some toasted, slivered almonds for a little crunch.  An apple was the perfect finish.

Our dinner was grilled lamb chops with garlic and rosemary, white beans scented with rosemary and a kale salad, all of which was yummy.

Grilled Lamb Chops
Makes 2 servings

4 organic lamb rib chops
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Drizzle lamb chops with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and press some garlic and chopped rosemary to each side of the ribs.  Grill about 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium.  Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.


Our rating:

Herbed Lamb Chops

I love lamb, but it took years for Gerry to be able to appreciate them.  Since he has discovered the wonderful flavor or lamb, he has been making up for lost time.  I am always sure of a great meal when lamb is the protein of choice.  These lamb loin chops were very simply rubbed with a paste of garlic, parsley and salt and then sauteed in a skillet until done to perfection.  This is the perfect lamb recipe since it does so little to change the flavor of the meat.  Our side dishes were a Greek Couscous Salad and grilled asparagus spears.  I'll share the couscous recipe soon.

Herbed Lamb Chops
Makes 2 servings

1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 lamb loin chops, trimmed of ft
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine garlic, parsley and salt in a small bowl.  Press the mixture into both sides of lamb chops.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the lamb chops and cook to desired doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium.  Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.


Slightly adapted from Jillian Michaels

Our rating:

Leg of Lamb with Roasted Garlic and Mint

Do you remember the meat counter I mentioned at the local grocery store?  Well, in addition to the veal scallopine I purchased they also had boneless leg of lamb in decent sizes for a small dinner.  The recipe called for a boneless leg of lamb of 3 to 3 1/2 pounds and the one I found was just under 3 pounds.  The advantage was that it was also a boneless leg of lamb.  We know from experience, how much easier it is to buy a boneless leg of lamb rather than trying to bone it yourself.

This leg of lamb was simply prepared with a paste of roasted garlic with fresh herbs added and rubbed over the butterflied leg of lamb and the rest of the paste rubbed over the outside  of the leg before being grilled.

The components of the paste penetrated every bite of the lamb packing each mouthful with a punch of flavor.  I served the lamb with sides of buttermilk mashed potatoes and oven roasted carrots.

Leg of Lamb with Roasted Garlic and Mint
Makes 6 servings

Paste:

2 medium heads of garlic
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground blak pepper

1 boneless leg of lamb, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, butterflied

To make the paste: 
Remove the loose, papery outer skin from the heads of garlic.  Using a sharp knife, cut about 1/2 inch off the top to expose the cloves.  Place each garlic head on a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the cloves.  Fold up the foil sides and seal to make a packet, leaving a little room for the expansion of steam.  Grill over Indirect Medium heat until the cloves are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Alternatively, roast the foil wrapped packets of garlic in a 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.  When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the garlic cloves into a medium bowl.  Add the remaining paste ingredients, including the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.  Using the back of a fork, or a mortar and pestle, thoroughly combine the ingredients to create a paste.

Carefully remove any excess fat and sinew from both sides of the lamb and lay it, skin side down on a flat surface.  It should be 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.  Spread half of the paste over one side of the lamb and roll the lamb tightly into a long cylinder.  Usting twine, tie the lamb at 2-inch intervals.  Trim off the loose ends of twine  Spread the remaining half of the paste over the outside of the lamb.  If not grilling immediately, cover and refrigerate.  Allow the lamb to stand at room temperature 30 to 40 minutes before grilling.

Sear the lamb over direct medium heat until brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes, turning as necessary (if flare-ps occur, move the lamb temporarily over indirect medium heat heat).  Move the lamb over indirect medium heat and continue grilling to desired doneness, 1 to 1 1/4 hours more for medium-rare.  Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove the twine.  Cut the lamb crosswise into 1/4-inch slices and serve warm.

Adapted from Weber's Real Grilling

Our rating:

 

 

Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops

I decided on something quick and easy for dinner tonight since we have been watching our 20 month old grandson all weekend. I put the lamb chops in a simple marinade of garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and fresh rosemary last night, so they simply needed a quick sear on a hot grill tonight. I also made red skinned garlic mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. It turned out to be a delicious and quick dinner.

While Ethan was napping, I made Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes which were a fun process that I'll try to blog about in the next couple of days.

I am sad to say that I won't be able to post pictures since my memory card decided to stop working this afternoon. I'll try to get out tomorrow and replace it, but until I do there are no pictures. I hope my words are descriptive enough for you to picture it yourself.


Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops
Adapted from Skinny Taste.com

4 lean lamb chops (I used loin chops)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and cover with the marinade. Marinate at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible. Discard the marinade, then grill over medium high heat to desired liking or broil in the oven. We grilled them over charcoal for 5 minutes on each side.

Our rating:

Dinner Inspiration

Sometimes inspiration for a dinner seems to come from the most unlikely place. I had leftover chickpeas that I had soaked and cooked over the weekend to be used for Monday night's Meatless Monday dinner of Chana Masala. I decided that those leftover chickpeas needed to be processed into a hummus and what goes better with hummus than pita chips? I made homemade pita bread which I started yesterday and then the rest of the menu evolved around hummus and pita breads. I went to Greece for inspiration and made Lamb Kebabs which I served in warm pita breads. I also made a Greek salad to go with the kebabs.

It was absolutely delicious with lots of flavor without a lot of heat. The hummus made with chickpeas that I lovingly soaked and cooked was by far the best I have ever made. The pita bread was a little bit of a disappointment to me...I've made pita breads from scratch years ago but I can't remember which recipe I used since it was pre-MacGourmet days. I used my Bread Bible cookbook for this batch which was rather complicated. I started it yesterday afternoon and finished baking them this afternoon. The dough was really soft and sticky this afternoon and they stuck frequently to my counter as I tried to shape and roll them out and some didn't puff up the way a pita should. They were still good, especially the ones I cut into wedges

and fried for pita chips but I know there is lots of room for improvement. Gerry thought they were fine, but I have had the real thing in Greece and these left much to be desired. I will post a recipe for Pita bread when I have found one that I am happy with.

The rest of the dinner was fine with the Greek Salad being superb. My butcher today gave me some cubed leg of lamb for the kebabs which I think were fine, but there must be a better cut of lamb for this.


Adapted from Gourmet Meals in Minutes Cookbook
Hummus with Pita Chips (Serves 8)

2 cups chickpeas, cooked, (drained and rinsed if using canned)
3 tablespoons tahini
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or as needed
2 cloves garlic, or as needed
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 pieces pita bread, cut into 6 pieces

Puree the chickpeas, tahini, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor, adding water to thin the mixture as necessary.

Adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and garlic, as needed. Refrigerate the hummus until needed.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Saute 6 pita wedges for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown at the edges and crisp.

Repeat with remaining olive oil and pita wedges. Serve warm with the hummus.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa


Marinated Lamb Kebabs (Serves 4-6)
1 pound plain yogurt (regular or lowfat), I used nonfat Greek
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus more for brushing grill
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
5 tablespoons fresh whole rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds lamb
1 red onion

Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.

Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals. Spread the coals in one tight layer on the grill.

Cut the lamb in 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 20 cubes.

Cut the red onion in 8 pieces and separate each piece into 3 or 4 sections. Loosely thread 3 or 4 pieces of lamb onto skewers alternately with sections of onion. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb cubes with salt and pepper. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium-rare.


Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Greek Salad (Serves 6)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.


My rating overall, (except for the pita breads):