Lamb With Orzo Food

GREEK LAMB WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cut the lamb into 4cm chunks, then spread over the base of a large, wide casserole dish. Add the onions, oregano, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon and olive oil, then stir well. Bake, uncovered, for 45 mins, stirring halfway.
• Pour over the chopped tomatoes and stock, cover tightly, then return to the oven for 1½ hrs, until the lamb is very tender.
• Remove the cinnamon sticks, then stir in the orzo. Cover again, then cook for a further 20 mins, stirring halfway through. The orzo should be cooked and the sauce thickened. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve with crusty bread.

BAKED LAMB AND ORZO (ARNI YOUVETSI)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb with olive oil and sprinkle very liberally with salt and pepper. Sear the lamb in a heavy bottomed skillet. Transfer to a casserole dish.
• Add a little olive oil to the skillet, then add the onions. Cook until tender, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until they start to become incorporated with the onions. Add the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the liquid to the lamb casserole. Cover it and bake until the lamb is very tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Add the orzo and stir. Add some hot water if it starts to look dry and continue to bake, uncovered, until the orzo is cooked, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serve pieces of the lamb alongside the orzo and top generously with your choice of cheese.

LAMB WITH ORZO PASTA (GREEK)

Steps:

• In a stove-top Dutch oven brown the boneless lamb shoulder in the olive oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add enough stock to come halfway up the side of the meat and simmer, covered, until very tender, about two hours.
• Remove the meat from the pot and set aside, covered, to keep warm.
• Remove the fat from the stock in the pan and add more stock if necessary to make up four cups.
• Remove the stock from the pan and set aside.
• Heat the Dutch oven again and add half cup olive oil.
• Add the orzo pasta and toss for a minute.
• Add the chopped onion and garlic sautee until the onion is clear.
• Stir in the tomatoes, dillweed and parsley.
• Return the meat to the pot along with the 4 cups of stock.
• Cover and simmer until the broth is absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 30 minutes.
• NOTE: if the dish is too wet when the pasta is tender continue to cook for a few more minutes with the lid off to reduce the sauce.

LAMB SHANKS & ORZO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and dredge the lamb shanks in the mixture, shaking off the excess. In a large (13-inch) Dutch oven such as Le Creuset, heat 3 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 lamb shanks and cook for 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the shanks to a plate, add more grapeseed oil, and brown the remaining 2 shanks.
• Wipe out the Dutch oven with a paper towel, add the olive oil, and heat over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and rosemary and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, beef broth, wine, 4 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add the lamb shanks, arranging them so they're almost completely submerged in the liquid. Tuck in the bay leaves and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 2 hours, turning the shanks once while they cook.
• Stir in the orzo and return the lamb shanks to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the orzo is cooked and the lamb shanks are very tender. Discard the bay leaves, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of white wine, and taste the orzo for seasonings. Serve hot.

ORZO WITH LAMB, LIMA BEANS AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add to Dutch oven and stir until lamb begins to color, about 5 minutes. Add wine and tomatoes with their juices, breaking up tomatoes with spoon. Simmer uncovered until sauce is thick and lamb is tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Add lima beans and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Add marjoram and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
• Cook orzo in large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain orzo well. Transfer to large bowl. Spoon lamb stew over. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.

GREEK LAMB WITH ORZO

Steps:

• In a stew pot over medium heat, heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil until it shimmers. Add onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and oregano, and saute 5-10 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute 30 sec until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add remaining oil to pot and heat until shimmering. Add lamb and brown on all sides. Return onion mixture to pot. Squish the tomatoes between your fingers to crush them thoroughly. Add tomatoes and red wine to pot, and add just enough water or stock to cover the lamb.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 2-3 hours. If the meat has bones, remove them and discard. Add orzo and simmer 10-15 minutes more, until orzo is tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

LAMB BAKED WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add lamb, working in batches if necessary, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Return lamb to skillet and add pureed tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet. Add orzo and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer orzo to a large baking dish or six individual sized baking dishes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Transfer lamb mixture to baking dish or dishes with orzo. Carefully add hot water to dish and cover with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven; bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove baking dish from oven and top lamb with tomato slices and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, adding a little more water if necessary, until liquid is almost completely absorbed and pasta is al dente, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately with more cheese, if desired.

LAMB ORZO WITH FETA

Steps:

• Peel and dice the red onion, then fry in a hot pan with the oil for a few minutes.
• Crush the garlic and add to the red onion with the oregano, cinnamon and lamb mince to brown for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and lamb stock, then simmer for half an hour.
• Pour in the orzo and let it simmer for about 8 minutes so that the orzo is only just cooked.
• Divide the pasta into 4 bowls, crumble over the feta and parsley and serve immediately with some garlic breadsticks.