Mediterranean Lamb And Lentil Stew Food

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB AND LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb cubes and bones and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the lentils, 2 cups of the chicken broth, tomatoes, carrots and the thyme, sage and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender but not quite done, stirring occasionally. Depending on the type and freshness of the lentils, this will take from 15 to 30 minutes. If the stew seems dry, add more broth (up to one cup additional). Discard the lamb bones.
• Add the spinach and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Garnish individual servings with some of the crumbled cheese.

HEARTY LAMB AND LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients but the parsley, salt and black pepper.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
• Just before serving, remove bay leaves, stir in parsley and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

LAMB AND LENTILS STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in the large pan or a casserole dish. Fry the lamb in the olive oil from each side until golden brown. Then take out and set aside.
• In the same oil, fry chopped onion and crushed garlic for about 5 minutes until softened. Add sliced carrots and celery, fry for 5 more minutes and then add lentils. Pour in the red wine and stir well.
• Return the meat back into the pan, pour the stock over and add cloves and rosemary and black pepper.
• Turn down to very low heat and simmer for about 3 hours, until the meat falls off the bone. Add stock during this time as necessary.
• Take the meat off the bone (it should be falling off by itself), so just use wooden spoon and serve with crusty bread.
• BON APPETIT!

HEARTY LAMB AND LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients but the parsley, salt and black pepper.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
• Just before serving, remove bay leaves, stir in parsley and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

MEDITERRANEAN STYLE LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Separately cooked white beans and braised fennel and 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil.
• Blue print stew technique: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Coat the meat with flour and shake off excess. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Brown the meat, in batches, until browned on all sides. Remove browned meat to a plate. Add seasoning vegetables to remaining oil in casserole, cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until totally tender. Return browned meat to seasoning vegetables with juices that have collected on the plate. Add optional tomato ingredients, bouquet garni and liquid. Season lightly with salt, bring to a simmer, cover and set in oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours or longer or until meat is fork tender. Remove casserole from oven, remove meat and keep warm, degrease the liquid. Either puree the solids into the liquid to form a thick sauce, or strain the solids out and reduce the sauce until intensely flavored. Add any additional seasoning ingredient (like barbecue sauce) and fresh herbs at last minute. To cook the vegetable garnish, either cook it in the stew liquid before you puree or reduce it, then return the meat to the liquid to rewarm it. Or cook the garnishes separately.

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE LAMB STEW

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender process the tomatoes with juice until smooth; set aside.
• Place the currants in a heat-proof bowl; cover with very hot water and set aside while browning the lamb.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.
• Season the lamb with salt and ground black pepper; add to the oil and brown on both sides; remove the lamb to a plate or bowl.
• Add in onions and cook stirring for about 5 minutes adding in the garlic and red chili flakes the last 2 minutes of cooking.
• Add in tomato paste and bay leaf; cook stirring for 1 minute.
• Return the lamb with all the juices that have accumulated in the bowl back to the pot.
• Drain the water from the currants.
• Add in the pureed tomatoes, currants and all remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil stirring over medium heat.
• Reduce heat to very low and simmer uncovered for about 1-1/2 hours or until the lamb is tender.
• About halfway through cooking season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Just before serving remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf (if you are making this a day in advance refrigerate with the cinnamon stick and bay leaf left in).

SLOW COOKER MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Warm water and vegetable bouillon in a slow cooker on High until dissolved. Add lentils, carrots, and potatoes.
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin and coriander and cook and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add oil, followed by onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and transfer to the slow cooker. Stir. Add tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Stir in spinach.
• Cook on High, stirring every 30 minutes, until lentils are tender and stew has thickened, 3 to 4 hours.

LENTIL STEW WITH A MEDITERRANEAN TWIST

Steps:

• Cut/dice the red skin potatoes into approx 1/2-inch-ish cubes, with skin still on. I generally use smaller golfball-to-racquetball sized potatoes. Grate the zest from 2 small -to-medium lemons into a dish, and then juice the lemons, a little extra juice/zest (beyond wht the recipe calls for) is okay.
• In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, stirring for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the chicken stock and the lentils, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 10 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Sample the lentils, checking every few minutes for soft smooth texture, replace cover and simmer till the lentil texture is as soft as you prefer.
• Add the lemon juice, zest, and spinach. Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Fold in the mint and parsley. Adjust the seasonings (salt & pepper to taste).
• Serve with crumbled feta.
• Notes: 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes can also be added with the lentils & chicken stock at the first stage - I like it better without the tomatoes, but I thought I'd note that variation if you are tomato-inclined.

VERONICA'S MEDITERRANEAN BULGUR AND LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Chop bell pepper, parsley and onion.
• In a medium saucepan, bring water and lentils to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and simmer for about 25 minutes- COVERED.
• Stir in bulgur wheat and black pepper.
• Continue to simmer- UNCOVERED- until lentils are tender and water is absorbed (should take about 10 to 15 minutes).
• In a skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat and sauté onion and bell pepper until tender (about 4 minutes).
• Stir onion and pepper into bulgur mixture, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.