Lamb – The Food Wife

Spiced Lamb Kofte Stew with Olives and Preserved Lemon

18th September 2024
by thefoodwife

Serves 4-6

So warm and comforting, and the heat in this is adjustable to suit all palettes. The main flavours of lemon, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and garlic are echoed in both the sauce and the koftes.

Serve with rice or couscous for a fragrant and delicious meal as the nights start to draw in.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 white onions, finely chopped

2 thumbs of ginger, peeled and finely grated

4 fat cloves of garlic, finely grated or crushed

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground cumin

2 preserved lemons, finely chopped (pips removed)

400g lamb mince

2 tbsp tomato purÃ©e

500ml water/lamb stock

80g olives

80g spinach

Small bunch of parsley, chopped

1 lemon, juice and zest

Step 1: Using a large heaven bottomed frying pan, over a medium low heat, fry the onions in the olive oil, for five minutes before adding the garlic and ginger and cooking for a further five. Next add the ground spices and preserved lemons. Cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Remove half into a large bowl.

Step 2: With the half remaining in the frying pan, add the tomato purÃ©e, cook for a couple of minutes before adding the stock (or water). Bring to a simmer.

Step 3: With the half in a bowl, add the lamb mince, a good grind of pepper and a pinch of salt, and use your hands, mix everything thoroughly.

Step 4: Using clean, damp hands take a pinch of mixture and form it into either a small meatball. Once youâ€™ve made the ball squeeze it in your fist to make a small kofte. Carefully place each one into the simmering sauce, repeating until all the mixture has gone.

Step 5: Add the olives, and then simmer everything together for 20 minutes, gently stirring occasionally (although donâ€™t attempt this for the first 10 minutes to avoid breaking up the kofte).

Step 6: Check the sauce and season as required, adding the cayenne pepper if you want a kick of heat (start with a small amount!). Before serving add the spinach (fresh or frozen) and cook until wilted, finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley and the lemon zest.

Turkey Koftas

28th May 202328th May 2023
by thefoodwife

Makes approx 25 (serves 5+)

These little morsels are great as part of a mezze or as the protein with a salad for lunch or dinner.

Frying the onion before adding to the mince helps give a sweeter flavour to the koftas and the turmeric gives them a golden hue.

Iâ€™d suggest using a non stick pan. I also like to use two frying pans as Iâ€™m cooking them. Once I have filled both pans itâ€™s ready to start flipping them over and the whole process is done quickly.

I used turkey mince but you could use beef, lamb or pork if you prefer.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, finely chopped

750g Turkey (thigh) mince

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground turmeric

3 tsp ground cumin

Oil

Step 1: Over a medium heat, fry the onion in a little oil, until golden but not browned. (I used a garlic oil for extra flavour).

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix the spices, salt and pepper, eggs, mince and slightly cooled onion together, with your hands. Make sure you really squish it so itâ€™s thoroughly combined.

Step 3: Heat some vegetable oil in a non stick frying pan, over a medium-high heat. Use a dessert spoon to scoop a heaped amount of the mixture and use another spoon to round the top. Transfer into the hot oil and cook for a few minutes on each side, not turning until each side is browned. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.

Step 4: Remove the koftas from the pan, once cooked, and keep warm until all are ready and then serve.

Whatâ€™s For Dinner?

15th April 201919th May 2019
by thefoodwife

The week ahead is sure to contain a fair amount of chocolate but I thought Iâ€™d share some of the recipes weâ€™ll be having over the next week to give you some inspiration too.

Since I posted my recipe for Chinese Lemon Chicken a couple of weeks ago, Iâ€™d been thinking about when I can have it again. I probably mentioned it a couple of times a day to The Food Husband, So I decided it was back on the menu this week and it made an excellent accompaniment to the new series of Game of Thrones!

Weâ€™ve also been using up previous batch cooking stores from the freezer and have had an easy meal of bolognese, simply defrosted and reheated and stirred through freshly cooked pasta.

As the freezer supplies need replacing Iâ€™m planning to make a new batch of my Moroccan-inspired chickpea and preserved lemon tagine later this week. I love the zingyness and potent flavour from the preserved lemons and it makes a cheap yet hearty meatless meal.

And of course Easter Sunday: we will be having lamb. Last year we had the glorious Mechoui leg of lamb. This year we are having a roasted shoulder with the classic garlic and rosemary. But on Monday we will be turning the leftovers into lamb rissoles to have with salad.

And for the Food Baby? Iâ€™ve just restocked his cheesy vegetable fritters in the freezer; this time a combination of carrot, broccoli, sweet potato, potato and sweetcorn with cheddar and smoked paprika instead of curry spices. And Iâ€™m replenishing the successful cheese and vegetable scones, switching the courgette for grated broccoli. A couple of veg-filled winners!

Hopefully thatâ€™s given you some inspiration for your meals ahead. If you are still in need of inspiration then head over to www.thefoodwife.co.uk and if you havenâ€™t already, why not sign up to the newsletter, sending you recipe inspiration each week. Wishing you all a happy Easter, The Food Wife.

Instant Pot Lamb and Butterbean Tapas

26th June 201829th June 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 3- 4 as a tapas

This is a real gem. I made this in the Instant Pot and the results were outstanding. Literally five minutes of work, and about half an hour letting the Instant Pot do its thing and I had the most melt-in-the-mouth, rich lamb stew, beautifully sweet from the peppers and complimented so well with the plump butterbeans.

You could, of course, do this in the oven, in which case you would need to add a good couple of hours on to the cooking time (at step 3, put in an oven-proof, lidded dish, and transfer to the oven at 150c for 2-3 hours).

Weâ€™ll definitely be revisiting this invention!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 roasted peppers from a jar, cut into strips
300g lamb fillet, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 heaped tsp paprika
1 tin butter beans
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Step 2: Add the lamb and paprika and stir for a further minute before adding the tomato purÃ©e and butterbeans (including their water).

Step 3: Put the lid on and ensure it is switched to sealing. Place manually on high pressure for 15 minutes and allow to depress naturally.

Step 4: Remove the lid, season to taste and switch back onto sautÃ© mode for five or ten minutes,stirring frequently, to allow the rich sauce to reduce.

Step 5: Add the chopped parsley and stir through before serving.

Lamb Chops – Greek Style

28th May 201828th May 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

This is a really quick and easy way to prepare and cook lamb which leaves you with deliciously flavoursome meat that can be done under a grill or (if the weather allows it!) on a barbecue.

The combination of olive oil, oregano, lemon and garlic sings of Greece and the quantities here can be easily scaled up.

Ingredients:
4 lamb chops
1 tbsp olive oil
1 unwaxed lemon (zest and juice)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch each of salt and pepper

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a sealable bag or in a dish covered with cling film.

Step 2: Marinate for at least half an hour in the fridge.

Step 3: Remove from the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking.

Step 4: Cook under a hot grill or BBQ for a few minutes on each side (approximately three minutes a side for medium/four minutes for medium-well/five minutes for well). Rest for two minutes before serving.

This is good with herby potatoes and salad. I also like it with Greek yogurt on the side with fresh mint stirred through it.