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Category: Game and Other Meats

Eggplant Roulade with Lamb Shank and Red Wine Sauce

Eggplant Roulade with Lamb Shank and Red Wine Sauce

Filling:
1 C. butternut squash (1/2 of butternut squash)
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. coriander
Fresh mint
Salt & pepper
Egg

Eggplant Wrap:
1 large eggplant – approx. 4 C.(Top cut off – cut lengthwise into 1/4″ slices)
½ C. soy flour
6 eggs

Lamb Shank:
3 lamb shanks
1/4 C. soy flour to coat
2 C. beef stock
1 C. red wine
Olive Oil – 2 T.
Salt & pepper to taste

Finish Sauce:
2 T. shallot
Butter – 1 T.

To Garnish:
Fresh mint
Parsley

Roulade Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half. Scoop seeds out with spoon and place squash on microwave safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Cook squash in microwave for 8-10 minutes until soft. Scoop out squash meat from skin and mix with egg, ricotta cheese and spices. Refrigerate.

Slice eggplant into 1/4″ lengthwise slices and dust with soy flour. Roast eggplant slices on greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes. Allow slices to cool to handle. Place about 2 T. cheese filling onto center of eggplant slice then fold over both ends. Dip each slice into beaten egg mixture and cook in preheated nonstick pan with a T. of olive oil until well browned on each side.

Lamb Shank Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat each shank with about T. soy flour. Brown shanks on all sides over medium heat in large braising pan with olive oil. Deglaze pan with red wine and add beef stock. Cover pan with lid and bake in 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours until shanks are fork tender. Take shanks from pan and strain sauce. Cook shallot and butter in sauce pan over medium heat until soft. Add strained sauce from shanks and reduce by 1/3 over medium heat. Serve shanks with eggplant roulade and hot wine sauce.

Lamb Chops with Greens and Sorrel Salsa Verde

Lamb Chops with Greens and Sorrel Salsa Verde

  • 8 1 1/2-2“-thick lamb loin chops (about 3 pounds)
  • 2/3 cup sorrel or spinach leaves
  • 1/3 cup mint leaves
  • 1/3 cup parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, divided
  • 4 ounces king oyster or maitake mushrooms, cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch mustard greens, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (add up to 3 tablespoons total if using spinach)
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Pat lamb dry; season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour. Meanwhile, purée sorrel, mint, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, about 1 garlic clove, and ⅓ C. oil in a blender, scraping down sides as needed, until mixture is smooth. Season salsa verde with salt and pepper; set aside. Prepare grill for high heat (or heat a grill pan over high). Grill chops, turning every 2 minutes or so, until well browned and beginning to char and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125°, 8–10 minutes. Let lamb rest at least 10 minutes. While lamb is resting, heat remaining 2 T. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until well browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Reduce heat to medium and add shallot and remaining garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened and starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add greens; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes. Return mushrooms to skillet and toss to combine. Stir in vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Stir lemon juice into salsa verde; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve lamb chops over mustard greens with salsa verde. Do Ahead: Salsa verde (without lemon juice) can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Add lemon juice before serving.

Roasted Rabbit with Fennel

Roasted Rabbit with Fennel

4 medium-size fennel bulbs, trimmed and very thinly sliced
4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tsp. cracked black pepper
3 T. fennel seeds, crushed
1 T. olive oil
2 2 1/2-lb. rabbits, cut into 6 pieces each

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the fennel in a large roasting pan and toss with 2 tsp. the salt and ground pepper to taste. Roast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tsp. salt with the cracked black pepper, fennel seeds and olive oil. Rub the mixture over the rabbit. Place the rabbit pieces over the fennel in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the pieces over and continue roasting until the rabbit is just cooked through and the fennel is tender but not soft, about 10 minutes longer. Divide the fennel among 6 plates and top each serving with 2 pieces of rabbit. Serve immediately.

Spiced Duck with Figs

Spiced Duck with Figs

4 large duck breasts

1 tsp. five spice powder
Sea salt
6 figs, sliced in half
75g hazelnuts, toasted
Dressed salad leaves, to serve

3 T. of dark soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 orange
3 T. of honey
1 T. of rice wine
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, finely minced
3 star anise

1Score the duck diagonally with a sharp knife. In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Add the duck breast and toss to coat completely. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. 3Remove the duck breasts from the marinade, reserving the remaining liquid in a small sauce pan. Pat the duck breasts completely dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle them all over generously with sea salt and five spice powder. Place the duck skin side down in a large heavy based pan with an oven proof handle. Cook the breasts over a low to medium heat for about 6-8 minutes or until the fat begins to render out and the skin has good color. Spoon off any excess fat (This can be saved in a sealed jar in the fridge for roast potatoes). Turn the breasts and then add in the figs tossing to coat in the juices. 4Place the pan in the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Bring the reserved marinade to a steady simmer over a high heat and reduce until slightly thickened. 5Once cooked, rest the duck breasts for 5 minutes under tin foil on a chopping board. 6Slice thinly and transfer to warmed plates. Spoon over the reduced sauce and serve with the warm figs, salad leaves and toasted hazelnuts.

Braised Duck Legs with Polenta and Wilted Chard

Braised Duck Legs with Polenta and Wilted Chard

4 pounds duck legs
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
12 sprigs thyme
10 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves, crumbled
2 tsp. juniper berries
1 T. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1½ cups dry red wine

1½ cups milk
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
â…” cup coarse-grind polenta

1 tsp. Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 bunch large Swiss chard
3 T. olive oil, divided
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lemon, halved
1 ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup)
2 T. unsalted butter

Prick duck skin all over with a paring knife or carving fork; season with salt and pepper. Place duck on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss with thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and juniper berries, pressing aromatics onto legs to adhere. Let sit 30 minutes (or preferably do this the day before; cover and chill). Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 225°. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium and cook onion, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8–10 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, 6–8 minutes. Add 1 cup water and slip duck legs (including aromatics), skin side down, into liquid. Cover and braise in oven on lower rack until duck is submerged in its fat, 1½–2 hours. Turn duck skin side up and cook, covered, until tender (the bones will wiggle easily in the joint), 1½–2 hours longer. Transfer duck to a deep baking dish; strain liquid into a large measuring glass or medium bowl. Skim fat into dish with duck; set aside braising juices. Chill duck, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days (cover and chill juices if chilling duck more than a couple of hours).

While duck is chilling, preheat oven to 225°. Bring milk and 2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Season with salt and pepper; slowly stream in polenta, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Cover and transfer to lower rack in oven. Bake until polenta is thick and grains are soft, 20–30 minutes. Whisk to smooth out.

While the polenta is in the oven, bring reserved braising juices to a boil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook until thick enough to coat a spoon, 15–20 minutes. Stir in vinegar; keep sauce warm. Remove polenta from oven; keep warm. Increase oven temperature to 400°. Transfer duck legs, leaving fat behind, to a large rimmed baking sheet, placing skin side up. Roast on top rack until skin is crackling crisp, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove ribs and stems from chard leaves by slicing away leaf from both sides of stalk. Slice stalk in half lengthwise; cut into 3″-long pieces. Tear leaves. Heat half of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook garlic, tossing, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add stems to skillet and cook, tossing, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with garlic. Add remaining oil to skillet; add chard leaves a handful at a time, letting them wilt slightly before adding more, and cook, tossing, until chard is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in chard stems and garlic and transfer to a platter. Top with red pepper flakes and squeeze lemon over. Whisk Parmesan and butter into polenta. Serve duck with polenta, wilted chard, and sauce alongside.

Tomato Bredie (South African Tomato & Lamb Stew)

Tomato Bredie (South African Tomato & Lamb Stew)

2 lb. stewing lamb
2 large onions, sliced
2 T. vegetable oil
8 tomatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed

In large heavy pan, brown lamb and onions in hot oil until lamb is brown on all sides and onions are golden. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. If fat from meat has accumulated in pot, pour off all but 2 T. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Simmer covered for 1 hour, stirring frequently to prevent mixture from sticking. Uncover, skim off any excess fat and cook several more minutes until sauce is very thick. Serve with rice.

Yield: 6 servings

Calories: 400

Fat: 30g

Fiber: 2.3g

White Bean, Sausage, Duck Confit Casserole (Cassoulet)

White Bean, Sausage, Duck Confit Casserole (Cassoulet)

Cassoulet is perhaps the signature dish from the Languedoc region in southern France. Despite its reputation, cassoulet isn’t really difficult to make, but it does require quite a time commitment. It’s a multi-step, multi-day process where each individual element gets cooked separately and then layered into a final casserole. So set aside a weekend, source out your ingredients, and reward yourself with supremely rich, hearty, and most of all, comforting French dish!

The Confit – This can be either duck or goose confit, but confit you must make! It adds richness and a silky mouthfeel to the final dish, and cassoulet just wouldn’t be the same without it.

The Pork – This is usually shoulder or some other lean cut. It gets braised slowly until absolutely succulent and fork-tender, and then it’s cut into bite sized pieces before going into the cassoulet.

The Sausage – As if the confit and the pork weren’t enough, you get to add some sausage too! Brownie points if you make your own, but given everything else you’ve got going on, there’s no shame in buying it from the butcher!

The Beans – Classically, cassoulet is made with white beans cooked separately with herbs and sometimes a ham hock or bacon. Go for a creamy variety like great northern or cannelini.

Tomato Sauce – Sometimes this is made along with the pork braise, but it can also be made separately. This will be the main cooking liquid for the casserole – as well as the only veggies you’re going to get!

The Cassoulet – By the time you get to this step, the cassoulet is easy! You just spoon a layer of the beans and tomatoes into the bottom of a casserole dish or dutch oven, add a layer of meat, and top with the rest of the beans and tomatoes. A breadcrumb topping gives the final dish some crunch. Bake until bubbly and enjoy. And about time!

4 C. (2 pounds/950g) good-quality dried beans
2 pounds (950g) unsmoked ham hock
1¾ C. (160g) diced, thick-cut unsmoked pork belly or pancetta
2 carrots, peeled
2 onions, peeled and halved
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
10 sprigs thyme
1 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt (optional)
4 confit duck thighs (thigh and leg attached)
1 pound (450g) fresh pork sausage, unseasoned or lightly seasoned, such as mild Italian sausage
Freshly ground black pepper
1 C. (135g) dried or fresh bread crumbs
3 tsp. neutral-tasting vegetable oil or walnut oil

Rinse the beans and sort for debris. Soak them overnight covered in cold water. The next day, put the ham hock in a separate large pot of water, bring it to a boil, decrease the heat to a steady simmer, and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone. Remove the ham hock from the water and set it on a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, shred it in large, bite-size pieces, and refrigerate it. Discard the liquid. Drain the beans; put them in the pot you used to cook the ham hock and cover with cold water. Add the ham bones to the pot of beans along with the diced pork belly, carrots, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring the beans to a boil, decrease the heat so the beans are simmering gently, and cook until the beans are soft and tender, about 1 hour, or longer, depending on the beans. As the water boils away during cooking, add more water as necessary. Taste the beans toward the end of cooking, add up to 1 tsp. salt, if necessary. While the beans are cooking, scrape any excess fat from the duck confit pieces (save it for making duck fat–fried potatoes, page 220) and fry them in a skillet over medium heat until they’re golden brown and crisp on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes per side. (If using the Counterfeit duck confit on page 179, the duck will already be browned and ready, so there’s no need to recook it for this step.) Transfer the duck pieces to a plate and pour off any excess duck fat from the pan. Prick the sausages a few times with a sharp knife, then fry the sausages just to brown them on the outside; they don’t need to be fully cooked through. Set the sausages on the plate with the duck pieces. When cool enough to handle, cut the sausages on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces. Cut each duck thigh into three pieces; cut the drumstick off, and then use a knife to divide the thigh portion into two equal pieces, cutting it in half by holding the knife parallel to the bone. When the beans are done, turn off the heat. Discard the bay leaves, thyme, and ham bone, and pluck out the carrots, onions, and garlic cloves. Cut the carrots into cubes, and mix them back into the beans, along with the shredded meat from the ham hock. Puree the onion and garlic in a blender or food processor with a bit of the bean liquid until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the bean mixture, season with pepper, and taste, adding more salt if desired. (Some pork products are quite salty, so at this point, you can adjust the salt to your taste.) Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) with an oven rack to the top third of the oven. In a wide casserole that holds at least 8 quarts (8l) or a roasting pan, assemble the cassoulet. Ladle a layer of the bean mixture and some of the liquid into the casserole. Put half of the duck pieces and half of the sausage evenly spaced over the beans. Add another layer of beans, and then put the rest of the duck and sausage pieces over the beans. Top with the remaining beans and enough of the liquid so that the beans are just barely floating in the liquid. (Refrigerate any extra bean liquid, as you may need it later. Or if there isn’t enough bean liquid, add a bit more water, just enough to moisten the beans.) Toss the bread crumbs with the oil until thoroughly moistened, then spread the bread crumbs evenly on top of the cassoulet. Bake the cassoulet for 1 hour. After an hour, use the side of a large spoon or a heatproof spatula to break the crust on top in several places. Decrease the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C) and bake the cassoulet for another 2 ½ hours, breaking the crust two more times while cooking. Remove the cassoulet from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. If you want to serve the cassoulet reheated, as many prefer it, let it cool to room temperature for 1 ½ hours, and then refrigerate it.

To serve the cassoulet reheated, remove the cassoulet from the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan to reheat it. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Break through a piece of the top of the cassoulet, and if you don’t see much liquid surrounding the beans beneath the surface, add some of the reserved bean liquid (or warm water)—just enough to moisten the insides a little, about ½ C. (125ml). Bake the cassoulet for 1 ½ hours, or until it’s completely heated through. If the topping isn’t crusty, turn the oven up to broil—if you’re using a ceramic dish, turn the oven just to 450°F (230°C), or whatever maximum heat is indicated by the manufacturer—and watch carefully until the top is browned to your liking. Remove the cassoulet from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. Serve the cassoulet in its dish at the table. It requires no other accompaniment, although a glass of Armagnac after (or in place of) dessert is considered obligatory to aid digestion. As is a pat on the back for making the cassoulet.

Honey Soy Glazed Duck Breast

Honey Soy Glazed Duck Breast

4 6oz. duck breasts, with skin on
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chinese five spice powder
Olive oil
1-2 T. honey
2 T. soy sauce
2 C. green beans
1/3 C. toasted hazelnuts
6-7 T. hazelnut oil
Scant cupl olive oil
6T. sherry vinegar

Score the skin of the duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern with a very sharp knife. Season the duck breast generously with salt and the five spice and rub into the skin thoroughly. Place the duck breasts, skin-side down, on a cold dry fry pan and slowly heat the pan over very low heat to render down most of the fat off the duck breast. This may take 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fat. Once the fat has rendered, turn up the heat and fry until the skin is crisp. Turn the duck breasts over and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Just before the duck is ready, drizzle the honey and soy sauce over. Toss and turn the duck in the honey and soy and cook until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze. Transfer the duck to a warm plate and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes. While the duck is resting, to a pan of salted boiling water add the beans and cook for no more than one minute. Meanwhile, crush the hazelnuts lightly with a pestle and mortar. Drain the beans thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen paper. Whisk the oils and sherry vinegar together with some seasoning. Toss the beans in the vinaigrette to taste. To serve, place the bean salad off center on warm plates. Slice the duck lengthways and place beside. Drizzle any remaining pan juices over and finish with a small drizzle of the vinaigrette.

New Zealand Rosemary Lamb Shanks

New Zealand Rosemary Lamb Shanks

New Zealand Rosemary Lamb Shanks

 

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

4 lamb shanks (about 20 ounces each)

1 T. butter

1/2 C. white wine

3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 large tomatoes, chopped

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1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 C. beef broth

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

1/3 C. chopped fresh parsley

2 T. minced fresh rosemary

 

Rub salt and pepper over lamb. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat; brown meat. Transfer meat to a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker. Add wine to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute to loosen brown bits. Pour over lamb. Add the parsnips, carrots, turnips, tomatoes, onion, garlic and broth. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove lamb; keep warm. Stir in peas, parsley and rosemary; heat through. Serve lamb with vegetables.

 

Serving Size: ½ Shank with 1 C. Vegetables

Calories: 350

Fat: 15g

Fiber: 6g

Pinot Noir Braised Duck, Savoy Cabbage and Roasted Shallots

Pinot Noir Braised Duck, Savoy Cabbage and Roasted Shallots

1 large peking duck (4 – 5 lbs.)
1 yellow onion
1 large carrot
2 ribs celery
1 fennel bulb
2 oz. grapeseed oil
1 bottle pinot noir
2 C. port
2 tsp. cocoa powder
sachet with black peppercorns, star anise, juniper, clove and cinnamon stick
2 C. veal stock (optional)
4 oz. sweet butter
1 head savoy cabbage
1 lb. shallots
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Cut all of the vegetables into a small dice. Cut the duck into 1/8ths (or have your butcher do it for you). In a large heavy bottom sauce pot, heat the grapeseed oil to almost smoking. Season the duck well on all sides. Carefully add the duck to the already hot oil. Brown well on all sides then remove from the pan and set aside. Pour off the rendered fat. Add back a little fresh oil and heat until almost smoking. Add the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cocoa and blend well with the vegetables. Add the wine and the port. Place the duck back into the pot. Add the stock and sachet and bring to a simmer. Cook at a simmer until the duck is fork tender. Remove the duck and set aside. Reduce the sauce, being careful to skim off all of the fat, and adjust the seasonings. Whisk in the butter and adjust seasonings again. Heat the duck back in the sauce. In a large sauté pan, braise the cabbage in a little oil until tender.

Meanwhile, on a sheet pan roast the shallots seasoned with salt, pepper and tossed in olive oil, in a moderate oven until tender. Covering the pan with aluminum foil helps to keep the shallots moist and controls the amount of color. To serve the duck, place the cabbage in the middle of a platter. Arrange the duck around the outside of the cabbage, being generous with the sauce. Finish with the roasted shallots scattered over the duck and cabbage.

Smoky Black Beans with Grilled Lamb

Smoky Black Beans with Grilled Lamb

1 C. dried black beans such as Black Appaloosa or Black Valentine
2 1/2 C. chopped onions
1 C. lightly packed fresh cilantro
1 fresh serrano chili, stemmed
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 C. beef or lamb broth
1/4 lb. diced smoked bacon (preferably applewood-smoked)
1/2 C. dry red wine
1 lb. tomatoes (about 3)
1 T. minced fresh marjoram leaves (or 1 tsp. dried marjoram), plus marjoram sprigs
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
4 lamb loin chops (about 1 1/4 in. thick each, 1 1/2 lb. total), fat trimmed

Sort beans for debris, then rinse. Bring beans and 1 quart water to a boil over high heat in a 5- to 6-quart pan. Cover, boil for 2 minutes, and remove from heat. Beans are ready to cook after soaking for 2 hours, but are more digestible after 4 hours. To use, drain and rinse. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 C. water, 1 C. chopped onion, cilantro, chili, garlic, 1/2 tsp. cumin, and oregano to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Whirl in a blender until smooth. In pan combine onion mixture, broth, and soaked beans. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium heat, frequently stir bacon and 1 1/2 C. onion until onion is deep golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in wine and set aside. On a rack in a 12- by 15-inch broiler pan, broil tomatoes 2 inches from heat, turning until blackened all over, about 15 minutes. Coarsely chop; set aside. Add bacon mixture, tomatoes, minced marjoram, and vinegar to beans. Simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until beans are tender to bite and enough liquid evaporates to make a thick stew, 30 to 40 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. While beans simmer, sprinkle lamb all over with salt, pepper, and remaining cumin. Broil 2 inches below heat, turning once, until done to your liking, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Spoon bean mixture into 4 wide soup bowls. Top each with a lamb chop, and garnish with marjoram sprigs.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 543
Fat: 24g
Fiber: 9.7g

Crispy Lentils with Ground Lamb

Crispy Lentils with Ground Lamb

3/4 pound ground lamb
4 C. freshly cooked French green lentils, 1 C. cooking liquid reserved
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 dried ancho or chipotle, soaked in warm water, stemmed, seeded, and minced (or 1 tsp. pure chile powder)
2 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
Minced cilantro, for serving
Greek-style yogurt, for serving
Cooked rice or pita, for serving

Turn the heat to high under a large deep skillet and add the lamb a little at a time, breaking it into small pieces as you do. Stir and break up the meat a bit more, then add the cooked lentils. Keep the high heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils begin to brown and pop, 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t worry if the mixture sticks a bit, but if it begins to scorch, lower the heat slightly. Add the cumin, chile, and garlic and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the reserved lentil liquid and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook until the mixture is no longer soupy but not dry. Stir in the olive oil, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with cilantro if you like, and serve immediately, with yogurt and rice or pita bread.

Italian Venison Stew

Italian Venison Stew

2 lb. ground venison
2 tsp. lard or other cooking fat, divided
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp. sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 C. chicken stock
14-15oz. canned diced tomatoes
1½ C. marinara sauce
3 carrots, diced
2 C. chopped cauliflower
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 small zucchini, diced
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

In a sauté pan, cook the ground venison in 1 tsp. lard or other cooking fat until it is browned and then set it aside. In a large soup pot heat 1 tsp. lard or other cooking fat and add in the diced onion, celery, green and red bell peppers and sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add to the pot the sea salt, minced garlic, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, diced carrots, chopped cauliflower, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until carrots and cauliflower are softened. Finally, add in the zucchini and cook for 10 minutes more. Ladle into bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Serve and enjoy!

Fried Pigs Ears with Kale

Fried Pigs Ears with Kale

Note: Adapted from the Purple Pig in Chicago. Pig ears can be found at Chinese and select Asian markets, and can be ordered from most butchers and meat departments.

Fried Pigs Ears with Kale

1 pound pig ears (about 2 ears)
4 gallons water, divided
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup milk
1 cup instant flour, such as Wondra
Frying oil
Salt
1 bunch kale (about 10 ounces), tom into 2-inch pieces
6 to 8 pickled cherry peppers, julienned
6 to 8 fried eggs
1 to 2 tablespoons oil
Pepper

In a medium pot, cover the pig ears with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Strain and return the pig ears to the pot. Cover with another 2 gallons of water and add the carrot, celery and onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook, loosely covered, for 3 hours. Strain the pig ears and place on a baking dish. Refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight, flipping the ears mid-way to make sure both sides are dry. Fill a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with oil until it comes up the sides of the pot by 3 inches. Heat the oil until a thermometer reads 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, thinly julienne the pig ears and dip them in milk, then dredge in the instant flour. Fry the strips in small batches until lightly golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then strain, pat dry and place in a large bowl. Fry the kale until bright and crisp, about 30 seconds. Strain and gently toss into the bowl along with the julienned peppers. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt, or to taste. Hold in a warm place. In a shallow flying pan, fly7 the eggs in a light film of oil until the whites are cooked but the yolk is still runny, about 3 minutes. Divide the pig ears among 6 to 8 shallow bowls, and top each with a fried egg. Season the eggs with a sprinkling each of salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Ramp Greens, Mustard & Lemon Marinated Lamb Chops with Sunchoke Purée, Carrots and Radishes

Ramp Greens, Mustard & Lemon Marinated Lamb Chops with Sunchoke Purée, Carrots and Radishes

Ramp Greens, Mustard & Lemon Marinated Lamb Chops with Sunchoke Purée, Carrots and Radishes

 

½ C. chopped green ramp tops, bulbs reserved (see note below*)

¼ C. flat-leaf parsley leaves

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. fennel seeds

¼ tsp. chili flakes

⅛ C. white wine

½ C. Dijon mustard

¼ C. + 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

6 to 8 (4-ounce) bone-in lamb loin chops

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

Lemon wedge for final seasoning

 

1 pound peeled sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes)

1 T. salt

3 T. unsalted butter

 

 

1 T. olive oil

¼ C. minced ramp bulbs or shallots

½ C. diced carrots

½ C. diced daikon radish

½ C. diced breakfast radish

 

In a food processor, combine ramp tops, parsley, lemon zest, fennel seeds, chili flakes, wine, mustard and ¼ C. olive oil and purée until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, toss the lamb with salt and pepper and coat the meat thoroughly with the marinade. Refrigerate for several hours before cooking, but no more than a day. In a saucepan, add the sunchokes, salt and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Strain, add butter and mash. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. Next, heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add ramp bulbs, carrots and radishes and sauté until just tender. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. Cook the lamb using your favorite cooking method. For best results, cook over an open-flame grill for about 6 minutes each side. In the last minute or two, prop the chops upright on the bone, allowing the bones to radiate heat to finish cooking the meat. Place the puréed sunchokes and roasted vegetables on the plate top with lamb chops. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Serves 6 to 8. *Note: If you can’t find ramps at farmers markets or well-stocked produce aisles, substitute with ½ C. parsley and ¼ C. chopped spring garlic greens, or 2 to 3 garlic cloves with the ½ C. parsley.