Rice with Merguez Sausages & Veggies

People always ask me how I decide what to make. And to be honest, it really depends.

Sometimes I get inspired in the grocery store or market, buy a whole bunch of stuff and then make up combinations on the fly depending on what I bought and what's left in my kitchen as the week goes on.

Other times, I read a book or see a recipe and that inspires me to go shop for specific ingredients (and of course, during that trip, I usually pick up lots of other stuff which I will find ways to use throughout the week).

There are times when I might just start to crave a specific taste or texture, often some form of comfort food, and try to replicate that nostalgic feeling.

And there are times when I just get stuck in a rut and keep making the same thing over and over and over.

But the other day, I asked my husband what he would like to eat. He often lets me know what he feels like or makes mention of a favorite dish, and I try to accommodate it into my crazy "to make" cooking/baking list" but it is very rare that I come right out and ask him point blank. But and did. And one of the things he mentioned was sausages with rice and tomato cooked together like his mom makes. Of course. It has to be like his mom's. And of course, I know that I can never come close to replicating his mom's cooking.  But, I thought I would give it a shot from my memory of this dish.

Flavorful, Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks

I wasn’t feeling great today. The temperature has dropped, it’s raining outside, and I feel just miserable. My feet and head have been cold all day. So, when I got home from work, I needed food. And not just any food, but warming, stick to my gut food. Food that would fill my kitchen with comforting aromas without causing too much stress. And here it is. The dish that saved me. Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks. Need I say more?



Flavorful, Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks
Serves 4

1 1/2 kg Lamb Shanks, cut into about 8 pieces
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
3 tbsp + 1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, cut into large dice
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
5 cloves Garlic, peeled whole
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 liter Stock (I used Veggie Stock)
1 cup Water
1 cup Dried White Beans, soaked in cool water for 1 hour then drained

Place the lamb In a large resealable plastic bag. Add the flour, salt, and pepper, close the bag, and toss around until lamb pieces are coated.

In a large oven proof dish, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil. Brown the lamb on all sides and set aside. In the same dish that you browned the lamb, add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sautee the onions, rosemary, garlic cloves and lemon zest for a few minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Dijon mustard. Stir to coat.

Add the stock and water. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the beans. Place the lamb back into the dish so that each piece is about halfway covered with the bean and broth mixture, cover, and roast in a 180 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours, until the lamb is tender. Enjoy!

Easy Lamb Osso Buco

When you think of Ossobuco, you usually think of veal, but in this case, lamb is what the butcher had, so lamb is what I made. And it tasted good. So good that I think you should try it!




I guess it really depends what you have around. Since I am living in the Middle East at the moment, there is an abundance of lamb at a decent price. But try this recipe with whatever you have and let me know what you think!

I served my lamb with creamy polenta and the braising vegetables. Yep, you heard what I said. I served the braising vegetables. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it seems to be a habit when ossobucco is made to discard of the braising vegetables. I for one believe that these are the best tasting veggies around. They are tender, flavorful, and hey, it means you don’t need to make vegetables!



Lamb Osso Buco
Adapted from a recipe at http://kitchenmusings.com/2006/12/a_savory_braise.html
Serves 4

8 lamb shanks, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Flour
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 cups Carrots, coarsely chopped
3 cups Onions, coarsely chopped
4 Bay Leaves
1 stem Fresh Rosemary
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
1 1/2 cups Dry White Wine
4 cups Chicken Stock
2 Whole Cloves
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Place 1/4 flour in a dish. Pat the lamb shanks dry with a kitchen towel. Season each piece generously with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour.

Heat olive oil on stove in an oven proof dish. Place the lamb in the dish and sear on all sides until golden brown. Remove the lamb from the dish and set aside. In the same pan over high heat sauté carrots and onions and a large pinch of salt, until the vegetables start to soften (about 5 minutes). Add bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and tomato paste and let cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the white wine and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cloves, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp of flour. Bring to a boil. Add the lamb shanks back into the dish, and set inside preheated oven.

Braise for about 2 hours, turning once during cooking, until lamb is tender.

When cooked, strain liquids and reserve vegetables. Place liquids in sauce pan and reduce for about 20-30 minutes until it thick and creamy. Place Osso Buco on a platter. Garnish with sauce and sprinkle with gremolata

For the Gremolata
1/2 cup Flat Leaf Parsley
2 tbsp Lemon Zest
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 Clove Garlic

Blend all ingredients together.

Lamb and Vegetable Casserole with Herb Polenta Crust

Shepherd’s Pie.

Like myself, most of you have probably heard of it, eaten it, or made it. But do any of us know how it began or what it was traditionally made of?

I certainly don’t. I grew up believing that Shepherd’s Pie was ground meat (usually beef) mixed with peas, carrots, and corn that was put in a casserole dish, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked in the oven.



While there does seem to be some agreement that Shepherd’s Pie is a meat casserole with mashed potatoes, that is really where the agreement ends. What kind of meat and the addition (or omission) of vegetables seems to be under debate. And of course, the million dollar question… it’s a pie so where is the pie crust?

Well, I can’t answer all of these questions, but I have learned that Shepherd’s Pie originated as a sort of “poor man’s pie.” It was made using leftover meat between two layers of mashed potato “crust,” since potatoes were the affordable starch of those times. And it’s still a very affordable, easy to make dish that has become a staple in many households.



But today, we are going to do something a little different. We are going to turn this “poor man’s pie” into a gourmet feast by tweaking just a few ingredients in this dish. Will it add extra work or extra expense? Not at all. The steps are the same and if anything, I might have made this dish tastier and healthier that the way it’s usually made. I have loaded this recipe with vegetables and topped it with herb polenta instead of the classic mashed potatoes. Give it a try!



Lamb and Vegetable Casserole with Herb Polenta Crust
(a.k.a "Gourmet Shepherd’s Pie" )
Serves 4 people (either as 1 casserole or 4 individual servings)

For the Meat Layer
1/2 cup Carrot, diced
1/2 cup Onion, diced
1/2 cup Zucchini, diced
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
250 grams Lamb Mince
2 tbsp Flour
1/2 can Corn Kernels
1 Large Tomato, diced
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Frozen Peas
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Oil for cooking

In a pan over medium-high heat, heat about 2 tbsp oil. Sweat the carrots, onions, zucchini and garlic for about 5 minutes until just starting to soften. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, crumble in the lamb mince and sprinkle with the flour. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes until the lamb starts to brown. Add the vegetable mixture back into the pot with the lamb. Add the corn, tomato, tomato paste, peas, water and a good pinch of both salt and pepper. Stir well so that all the ingredients are mixed. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. While it is simmering, you can make the polenta.

For the Herb Polenta Layer
2 cup Milk
2 cup Water
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Corn Meal
1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp Butter

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat milk, water and salt until it just starts to bubble. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cornmeal, stirring constantly, for about 5-8 minutes (depending on the type of cornmeal—check the package for timing). Be very careful that the heat is low as the polenta will sputter. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the butter and parsley.

Making the “pie”
Whether you choose to make one family style casserole or four individual ones, the method is the same. Place a layer of the meat mixture at the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a layer of the herb polenta. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes, until it’s bubbling around the edges and the polenta is golden on top.