Moroccan Spiced Lamb With Mint And Pine Nut Relish Food

ROAD TO MOROCCO LAMB WITH PINE NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place lamb in a food storage bag. Combine the 7 spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle into the bag and seal bag. Shake and evenly coat the lamb pieces in the spices.
• Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, then the lamb. Sear the lamb and caramelize the meat all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the dates and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pan and cover. Cook 7 to 8 minutes more to plump the dates and soften the onions. Remove cover and adjust seasonings.
• During the last 5 minutes the lamb has to cook, melt butter and toast pine nuts. Add 2 cups stock and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat, add couscous and cover pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with fork.
• Serve lamb over couscous in shallow dishes and garnish with chopped scallions.

MOROCCAN-SPICED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine mint, olive oil, parsley, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, paprika, coriander, salt, cayenne, and cloves in a small bowl until paste-like.
• Place rack into a large glass or ceramic dish; rub herb paste all over the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Remove rack from the refrigerator and place in a heavy, oven-proof skillet with the meat side facing up.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 125 degrees F (51 degrees C) for rare or 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To serve, carve by cutting down between the ribs.

MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.

MOROCCAN SPICED LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220 degrees C/ 425 degrees F.
• In samll bowl, combine mint, apricots, dates, pine nuts, orange and lemon zests, and olive oil and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
• Press fruit mixture into leg cavity, tie with kitchen string to hold together. Spread harissa paste over leg and sprinkle with cumin seeds.
• Place leg of lamb in a roasting tin and roast in preheated oven 40 minutes per kilogram (20 minutes per pound) or until lamb is cooked to desired done-ness.
• Remove lamb from oven and let rest on cutting board a few minutes while you make the gravy.
• For gravy, put roasting tin on stove top and bring to a high heat. Stir in a teaspoon of harissa paste, (optional), a splash of red wine and enough water to bring it to a gravy-like consistency.
• Let gravy bubble and thicken until reduced by half.
• Carve lamb and serve with the gravy, bulgar wheat (kasha) aand a green salad.

MOROCCAN LAMB AND ZUCCHINI PIDE

Steps:

• PIDE DOUGH: Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until combined and a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Set aside in a bowl covered with a tea towel.
• LAMB AND ZUCCHINI TOPPING: Preheat the oven to 200°C Combine vinegar, 2 cloves of the garlic, 1/4 cup oil, 1 tsp cumin and 1/4 cup tomato paste in a small baking dish. Add zucchini and toss to coat then season with salt and pepper. Cover with alfoil then cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook onion, stirring for 3 minutes or until soft. Add lamb and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Add allspice, 2 tsp cumin, remaining tomato paste and 2 tbs water. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover and set aside to cool.
• TO ASSEMBLE PIDES: Divide dough into 2 portions. Roll out 1 dough portion on a lightly floured surface to make an oval shape about 15cm wide and 30cm long. Spoon half of the lamb mixture down the centre, leaving a 4cm border at each end.
• Lay half the zucchini slices diagonally, spaced evenly down over the mince mixture on the dough. Fold in the sides of the dough to enclose filling slightly, leaving an opening down the centre. Place on a lined baking tray. Repeat with remaining dough, lamb and zucchini.
• Bake pides in oven at 200°C for 15 minutes or until dough is golden brown and crisp. Serve pides with tzatziki and garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

MOROCCAN SPICE RUB (FOR LAMB & OTHER MEAT)

Steps:

• Mix the cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and cayenne thoroughly. Rub on the surface of the meat. Rub the garlic over the spices and refrigerate overnight. Without the garlic the spices will keep for months in a tightly covered, air-tight covered container.

MOROCCAN SPICED LAMB STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut the tops of the peppers, remove the core & seeds.
• Place the peppers in a large saucepan with salted water. (The water should cover the peppers.).
• Bring the water to a boil, then cover and simmer on low 5 minutes. Drain peppers upside down on paper towels.
• Brown lamb and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice, mint, spices, cooked rice and 3/4 cup of the broth.
• Stuff peppers with mixture. Stand stuffed peppers in remaining broth in a large saucepan.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until peppers are just tender.

BONELESS LEG OF LAMB WITH MINT, PINE NUT & CURRANT STUFFING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the currants in enough Port to cover for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• When ready to roast the lamb, drain the currants; discard the Port.
• Position a rack in the lower middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400*F.
• In a large bowl, mic the bread crumbs, mint, parsley, olive oil, pine nuts, and currants. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the beaten eggs and mix well.
• Until the lamb and unroll it. Lay the meat flat and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off any excess fat and, if necessary, butterfly portions of the lamb to make it roughly rectangular and evenly thick. Sprinkle the inside of the lamb with salt and pepper and pat the stuffing evenly over the meat.
• Roll the lamb tightly, from one short end to the other, and tie the roast snugly at 1 inch intervals with kitchen twine.
• Sprinkle the outside of the lamb with more salt and pepper and then set it, seam side up on a rack in a small roasting pan. Gather any stuffing that has escaped and poke it back in at the ends of the lamb roll. Roast until an instant read thermometer inserted into a thick part of the roast reads 125*F to 130*F for medium rare (60 to 70 minuttes). Let rest for 15 minutes, then carve into medium thin slices.

LEG OF LAMB WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425º. Remove as much of the surface fat as is practical from the lamb. Mix the spices with the salt and pepper; rub the meat all over with the spice mixture.
• Put the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan. (You might line the pan first with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.) Roast for 30 minutes, then check. If the lamb threatens to burn, turn the heat down to 350º; otherwise leave it at 425º.
• After about 1 hour (total) of roasting, check the internal temperature of the lamb with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to check every 10 minutes; when it reaches 130 for medium rare (125 for very rare) in its thickest part (check it in several places), it's done. Total cooking time will be less than 1 1/2 hours. Let it rest for a few minutes before carving and serving.