Lamb Meatballs with Eggplant and Chickpeas

Meals with lamb are often heavy, but this recipe is more like a meatball salad. The addition of yoghurt and fresh mixed greens lighten the dish.

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, more if desired
6 or more Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
3/4 cup Greek yoghurt
2 cups mixed greens (the more peppery, the better)
1 lemon, halved

Instructions

Combine lamb, fennel seeds, garlic and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined and seasoning are evenly distributed. Form into 10 meatballs.

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in skillet. Add meatballs and cook through, rotating as they cook.
Remove meatballs to plate.

Add 3 additional Tablespoons olive oil to pan.  Add eggplant slices and cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides. Add additional olive oil during cooking if needed.
Remove eggplant and place on plate with meatballs.

Add drained chickpeas to skillet and saute until lightly browned.

Season yoghurt with salt and pepper.

To serve, smear yoghurt onto the each plate, covering the bottom of the plate. Top with a handful of fressh greens. Top with meatballs, eggplant and chickpeas. Top with garnish of additional fresh greens.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over all.

Lamb and Rosemary Koftas

This is a simple, easy to prepare dinner with lots of flavor. Seasoned ground lamb is wrapped around fresh rosemary twigs and grilled. The flavor of the rosemary infuses into the meat creating an amazing flavor profile. Serve this with taziki sauce, pita bread and sliced cucumbers. This recipe is adapted from from Gillian's Kitchen. A kofta is a type of Middle Eastern  spiced meatball, often made with lamb and served on small wood skewers.

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cloves crushed garlic
6 rosemary sprigs
Salt and pepper

Optional to serve with the lamb
Taziki Sauce
Pita bread
Sliced cucumbers

Instructions

In bowl, combine lamb, cumin, coriander and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Shape into 6 balls. Flatten each and wrap around a rosemary sprig with the stalk sticking out both ends.
Brush meat with a little oil.

Grill, indoors on a griddle pan or outdoors on a barbeque, for about 10 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
The rosemary sprigs can be served with the lamb and pulled out before eating.

Serve with taziki sauce, pita bread and sliced cucumbers.

Mom's Curried Lamb Stew

This recipe was one of my mom's favorites. I loved how it smelled when it was cooking and enjoy making it now.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat - cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons Canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 Tablespoon flour
1 10-ounce package frozen peas
2 medium tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

Instructions

Heat oil in large skillet. Brown meat in batches. Remove and place in casserole.
Add onions to skillet and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned. Add garlic and cook one additional minute.
Reduce heat in skillet. Stir in curry powder and flour. Cook for one minute while stirring.
Add brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups water and salt. Heat to boiling while stirring.
Pour onion mixture over lamb in casserole. Cover and bake for one hour at 350 degrees.
Add peas and tomato wedges. Stir in gently. Bake covered for 15 additional minutes.

Greek Lamb Meatball Appetizer with Tzatziki Sauce

Delicious meatball appetizers!

Ingredients for the meatballs:

1 pound ground lamb
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 Tablespoon bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Ingredients for the Tzatziki sauce:

1 cup peeled and shredded cucumber
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup plain Greek yoghurt
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 Tablespoons minced fresh mint

Instructions:

In large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Using your hands, thoroughly combine the mixture.
Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Roll lamb mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Lay onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for about 20  minutes or until meatballs are slightly crispy on the outside and no longer pink inside.
Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.

For the tzatziki sauce, place shredded cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat evenly. Let the cucumber sit over a bowl for about 30 minutes. Press the cucumber to remove as much water as possible. Combine with remaining ingredients. Keep cold until ready to use.

This recipe was adapted from Nutmeg Nanny.

Quick and Easy Greek Moussaka

My recipe for traditional Greek Moussaka is simply the best, but it is time consuming to make.
This is an easier version. While it can't match the traditional dish, it is an excellent substitute and time saver.

Ingredients

3 large eggplants
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, cut into thin slices
1 handful fresh oregano leaves
2 handfuls fresh parsley
2 pounds ground lamb
1 cinnamon stick
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes,drained and hand crushed
8 ounces feta cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Instructions

To prepare eggplant, cut off the stems and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler.
Slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Season all pieces with salt and pepper. Coat a large skillet with olive oil. Saute the eggplant in a single layer, turning once, until brown on both sides. You may need to add more oil as needed. Drain browned eggplant on a paper towel.
Add a little more oil to the pan and add onions, garlic, lemon slices, oregano and parsley. Cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add lamb, stirring to break up the meat. Season with cinnamon stick. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer. Remove from heat. Remove lemons and cinnamon stick.
Preheat oven to 350.
Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with 1/3 of the eggplant slices. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture on top. Cover with 1/2 of the feta and parmesan cheese. Repeat the layer, ending with a layer of eggplant. Cover with bread crumbs.
Bake 30 - 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Greek Moussaka

Moussaka is my favorite Greek dish. In 1974, I was a graduate student assistant and teaching a class in cultural food habits at the University of California, Davis. As a year-end project, students were divided into groups and each group was assigned a country. They were to prepare a written report on the cultural food habits of that country and to present that report along with a representative dish to the rest of the class.  The group who was assigned Greece prepared this recipe for Moussaka and it has become one of my favorite recipes ever since. It is time consuming and not something to make for every day, but as a special dish, it is outstanding.  I have found several of the specific Greek ingredients at a Greek market and it is best made with these authentic ingredients, but they can be substituted for more commonly found items.
Set aside an afternoon to make moussaka and then enjoy this Greek cuisine.

Ingredients

For the Bechamel Sauce

3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
3 cups hot milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
Dash of nutmeg
Salt to taste

For the Moussaka

1 medium eggplant
2 Tablespoons salt
Flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound ground lamb
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of allspice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup Mavrodaphne red wine (or substitute sweet red wine)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Kefaloteri cheese (or substitute Parmesan cheese)
2 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
6 large mushrooms, sliced
6 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare Bechamel sauce by melting butter in saucepan. Blend in flour. Add milk all at once, beating vigorously with wire whisk. Simmer over low heat. Stir frequently.
Cook about 10 minutes. Pour a little hot sauce into the egg yolks and whisk. Return egg yolk mixture to the sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring briskly, until thickened.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside as you prepare the moussaka.

Peel eggplant. Slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Cover with water and salt in bowl. Allow to stand to 15 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Dredge in flour. Saute in large skillet over medium heat with 3 Tablespoons each of butter and oil. Remove slices to platter when browned on both sides.
In same skillet, saute onions until transparent. Add ground lamb and cook for five minutes. Add pine nuts.Sprinkle in seasonings and parsley. Stir to combine. Add wine and stir. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, until the liquid is absorbed.
In small skillet, heat remaining oil and butter. Saute mushrooms until golden. Set aside.
Grease the bottom on a 9x13 inch baking pan. Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of the pan. Spread meat mixture over the eggplant. Sprinkle one cup of cheese over the meat. Top with a layer of tomatoes; then a layer of mushrooms. Pour 3 1/2 cups Bechamel sauce over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. To serve, cut into squares.

The flavors of this dish improve overnight. It is even better if it is made a day ahead. Refrigerate overnight. Cover with foil and reheat in 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 5 - 10 minutes.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks
1 cup chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves
1 can beef broth
1 cup red wine
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 bay leaves

Instructions

Combine flour and pepper in zip lock bag. Add lamb shanks and dredge with flour. Chop shallots and garlic.
Heat oil in large frying pan. Sear shanks until golden brown on all sides. Place shanks in Dutch oven. Add shallots to frying pan and cook, stirring, until soft. Add garlic. Cook one minute more. Add red wine and bay leaves to frying pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly syrupy, approximately five minutes. Pour onion mixture over the shanks in Dutch oven. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Pour beef broth into pot with shanks. Cover and cook at 375 for 2-3 hours or until meat is fall off the bone tender.

Grilled Lamb Sirloin Steaks and Eggplant Caprese Salad

Great dinner for a summer evening!

Ingredients

4 lamb sirloin steaks
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (dried - not packed in oil)
1  1-lb eggplant
3 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes
Coarse salt
Ground Pepper
Basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

In small bowl, combine boiling water and dried tomatoes. Let stand for 20 minutes. Drain, discarding water. Chop tomatoes.

Trim both ends of eggplant. Peel and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Place eggplant slices on cutting board. Brush both sides with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place eggplant slices on grill over medium heat.
Grill for 10 - 12 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned and soft.
Transfer to plate and allow to cool.

Salt and pepper the lamb steaks. Place on grill over medium-high heat.
Grill while preparing salad.

In food processor, combine dried tomatoes, fresh basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, and vinegar. Process until finely chopped.

In large platter, arrange eggplant slices, cheese and tomatoes, alternating in a ring around the edge of the platter.

Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt and pepper. Spoon dried tomato mixture on top. Garnish with basil leaves. Place grilled lamb in the center of the platter.

Serve with a full-bodied red wine,