Grilled Butterflied Spicy Lamb

These are a perfect main dish to make any time  It is spicy and juicy and who doesn't love grilled lamb? Anyone? I thought so...

Enjoy!

Grilled Butterflied Spicy Lamb Fillets                  serves 4

2 lamb necks

1/4 c oil

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbl chili power

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic salt

2 tbl honey

1. Make a paste from the oil, honey and spices. Cut your lamb necks into two pieces and then slice lengthwise almost all the way through (like a hot dog). Coat meat on both sides with spicy paste. Cover and let marinate 2 hours to overnight. 

2. Heat up your grill to medium heat. Oil the rack and grill lamb 22-27 mins, turning halfway through. Get a nice char on these bad boys spicy rub, it tastes delicious.

3. Serve hot and enjoy with a big side of veggies like grilled asparagus or grilled eggplant. 

Calories Calculated using Sparkrecipes Calculator: 170.3 calories per serving

Aloo Paratha Wrapped Lamb Rolls

This post is inspired by a myriad of blogs I was reading today. I wanted to make something different with my lamb shoulder. Not lamb curry...not Moroccan lamb..etc, we've all seen those posts. I wanted something...international but what?

I searched around and behold; this wonderful video by Chef Mark Miller. A yummy, beautiful Lamb Wrapped in a Pueblo Flat bread.

It sounded delicious, but I didn't have all the ingredients he required. You chefs!

Here is my version of Mark's lamb recipe IDEA, but instead of a soft flat bread, I made a : potato stuffed, pan fried, flat bread- also known popularly as aloo paratha.

The aloo paratha wrapped lamb was simply delicious. I will be making this again. It turned out perfect and was very filling, with a crunchy outer layer and tender spiced lamb inside. Perfect for taking on a picnic or a garden party where everyone is outside. 

Aloo Paratha Wrapped Lamb Rolls
                                                             
                                                                                   Serves 4
                                                                                   Time: 3 hours

Lamb

1-2 lb Lamb Shoulder, loin, or boneless chops; fat trimmed, sliced into 4 rounds
1/2 lemon, juice
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp honey
1 tbl olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450F/230C. Trim as much fat from the lamb as possible. Lamb fat is 'gamey' and doesn't do much to add flavor so you are better off with a nice lean cut of meat. Cut it into 1.25cm thick rounds.

2. Measure a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap lamb slices and place in a roasting tin. Arrange the pieces of meat in the center of the foil.

3. Next, using the tip of a sharp knife, make incisions in the lamb and insert the pieces of sliced garlic, distributing them as evenly as possible. Make a paste out of the remaining ingredients and rub all over lamb slices.

4. Let sit for 30 minutes to marinate. Roast lamb for 30 minutes or until a crust forms. Fold up the foil to make a parcel, place the roasting pan back in the oven and cook at 300F/150C for 1-2 hours.

Begin making Aloo Paratha a half hour before ready to serve.

Filling

1 large boiled potato, peeled and mashed
1/2 onion, shredded
1/4 c coriander leaves
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Other half of lemon, juice

1. Mix the mashed potato, onion, spices and lemon until combined.

Paratha Dough

2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp pepper 
water as needed
2 tbl butter or oil

1. Mix the flour and spices evenly with a whisk, add water slowly, mixing as you go until a dough forms. Knead the dough with your fist until it becomes soft, about 6 turns or 5 minutes.

Assembling Aloo Paratha Lamb Rolls

1. Remove cooked lamb from the oven, set aside on a rack for 5 minutes to cool and juices to drain off. Divide the Paratha dough into eight balls. Roll each ball one at a time, into a 1/4 in thick circle. 

2. Add some of the potato mixture and top with another rolled circle. Sprinkle with more flour and roll the sandwiched dough very thin, enough where you can see the filling slightly through the dough; careful not to break the 'skin' as I did in this pic.

3. Fold each lamb slice in the dough, and fold gently underneath to hide the seams. 

Prepared Lamb rolls

4. Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-low heat. Place the lamb rolls seam side down first and cook until dough becomes deep golden brown, flip and cook again until crispy and brown. This is not like original parathas because you will only be cooking one side of the dough, so you have to make sure the outside is cooked low and long enough to cook the dough inside touching the lamb. Sorry no pic of this step. 

5. Serve lamb rolls with a simple red onion salad and yogurt sprinkled with salt and pepper.  

 

Calories calculated using Sparkrecipes calculator: 568.8 Calories per serving.

Pomegranate Beef Stir Fry

If you didn't know already, it is National Pomegranate Month!

Luckily, I already had a few of these tasty fruits on hand and I decided I had to celebrate this month by making something yummy. If I didn't, who knows? The National Board of Holiday's may come after me for not showing my respects to this amazing fruit.

You can read all about the health benefits here at the POM website. They also have great folklore and traditions to read about the "super fruit" pomegranate.

I decided to celebrate and go a little non-traditional by making a marinade.

Let me just say, I found ALOT of the same recipes online for chocolate pomegranate cookies (which looked good, but I wasn't too keen on the idea of fruit bursting into my mouth. I don't even like those fruitgusher candies so I'm just avoiding that whole path for now.) If there is one thing the bloggers of this world enjoy, it's using pom's in this cookie recipe.

Also, in my recipe I used beef chuck already cubed for me, or stew meat as my butcher likes to label it. I really think this marinade would have been amazing with pork or lamb. Oh! If I only had some lamb tonight, mmmm. And, I would switch the white rice for quinoa.

Garnishing with walnuts was a nice addition, and I think the nutty flavor of the quinoa would have the same tribute.

Anyways, this marinade was sweet and a bit bitter with the fruit juices, but combined with the tender vegetables and rice, it was a perfect combination.

Pomegranate Beef Stir Fry

Marinade

1/2 cup pomegranate juice (juice of 1 pom)
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
2 tsps minced fresh rosemary
2 tsps minced fresh marjoram
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 lb of beef chuck, pork loin or lamb, cubed or sliced thinly

1/2 cup cold water
2 tbl cornstarch

Stir fry

1 cup carrots, sliced thinly
1/2 cup canned mushroom pieces, reserve juice
2 cups snap peas
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into rings
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips or flowers

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Garnish
sesame seeds
walnuts

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a ziplock bag and mush gently. Take your cubed meat (if using) and tenderized for about 30 seconds, add to marinade and place in the refrigerator, let set for 2-6 hours.

2. When ready to cook, pull meat out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature for about 30 mins (this ensures even browning). Meanwhile, you can chop your veggies.

3. Take out a Wok or a deep, heavy bottomed sauce pan. Heat on med-high for a few seconds, add 2 tbl oil. Heat oil for a minute then add sliced carrots. Cook for two minutes. Add reserved mushroom juice and cover, steam for 4 minutes. Remove carrots to a bowl, keep warm.

4. Add 2 tbl oil to the pan/Wok and sautee snap peas and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and add to bowl with carrots. Add onions and bell pepper, sautee for 2-4 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan and add to other vegetable in the bowl, keep warm.

5. Add meat to pan and sear, browning well on all sides. Add marinade juice and cover. Cook 2-5 minutes or until medium-well. Remove meat from pan, keeping marinade, and add to bowl with vegetables. Toss gently.

6. In a measuring cup, mix water and cornstarch and add to marinade still in the pan. Cook on medium, stirring frequently until thickened. If using beef chuck cubes, slice thinly.

7. Serve over rice (or quinoa), topped with sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped walnuts.

This dish is even suitable for little ones that love meat and love sweet.