Lamb and Artichoke Ragù

If you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one. – Cavett Robert

The finished dish. Very filling.

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been over two weeks since my last post...

I do have to apologize. It’s been far too long since I wrote. 17 days. This is by far and away the longest time between posts since I started this blog over three years ago. To make it even worse I had promised you a recipe using the artichokes I made in the last post.

Well, here it is – albeit very, very late.

I’m not sure what happened. I’ve been quite busy with what puts food on the table, and at the end of the day all I want to do is veg in front of the TV. I’ve also been splitting my time between my two “offices” which makes cooking, gardening (insert activity here...) much more difficult. I am both a country and city mouse.

You know, I even haven’t had time to go to the grocery store on a regular basis. I know, first world problems. But it does make it more difficult to think up and cook interesting food, let alone write about it. Although I have pulled out a few cool ideas from my pantry.

The weather this spring hasn’t helped either. I really have to think to remember one that has been this cold for so long. And we’re expecting a risk of frost again tonight. Those tomato plants don't cover themselves...

I also am allergic to wild pear blossoms. They have been in full bloom for over a week. A hazy head certainly doesn’t help to inspire activity either. But I hope to have turned a corner. I have to. Crappy meals don’t help the waist line, and it sucks to fit into fewer and fewer of my clothes.

Ready for the low simmer. Note the scant amount of liquid.

These posts are therapeutic for me in many ways, as well. I know some close to me just don’t get that, but so be it. I will do what brings me a modicum of happiness. This does.

We have put in our country vegetable garden for the second year. We’ve also built some raised stone beds to extend our “arable” land. There will be updates and wisdom from all that to impart over the next months.

So, anyway, I hope you can all forgive me for my dereliction of posting. But back to the topic at hand... What did I do with those artichokes?

My last post was Mother’s Day (can you believe it!!) and I was cooking my Mom dinner. I didn’t want to make anything too complex, but at the same time it needed to be special. This recipe did the trick. I found some ground lamb that was on sale. Bonus!

Except for the artichokes, this (nearly) one-pot-wonder was very easy to make. If you can watch a pot simmer you can do this recipe. The flavours were unexpectedly complex. Mint tends to do that.

So if you’re brave enough to tackle artichokes you should try this dinner. It certainly makes enough for four (six in a pinch). If you wish, round out the meal with a salad. Maybe something with tomato wedges, black olives, balsamic vinaigrette and oregano.

I’m writing this early in the morning, and am making myself hungry. Perhaps I should check my cupboards for something for breakfast...

I made the basic sauce at home (with the artichokes) and then took
it over to my mothers, cooked the pasta and heated it through.

Lamb and Artichoke Ragù

Prep: 2 hours (see*)  |  Cook: 1 hour  |  Serves 4-6

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 lg carrot, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pounds ground lamb

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp fresh mint (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 whole lemon, halved

6 tbsp red wine

6 baby artichokes, roasted*

penne for 4-6 people

1 tbsp butter

*The artichokes can be roasted the day before and refrigerated until ready to use. See my last post for easy, detailed instructions.

My mother recently bought a new propane stove.
It's very photogenic.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Sauté the onion, carrot and garlic until slightly browned. Add the ground lamb and continue to cook until no longer pink.

Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, mint, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper, and lemon halves. Pour in the red wine. Bring to a simmer and cover.

Let cook for 45 minutes to an hour. If the pot looks too dry (it should have very little liquid) add a little water. Make sure the contents doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn! Remove the bay leaves.

Chop the roasted artichokes into bite-sized pieces. While the sauce is simmering, cook the penne one minute short of al dente. Drain and add to the pot.

Stir in the chopped artichokes and continue to simmer until heated through and some of the liquid has been absorbed into the pasta.

Serve with warm crusty bread.

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Broiled Lamb Chops, Old School

The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed. – Eminem

I’m quoting Eminem. The world is about to end. Actually, I post that quote thinking of friends of mine, one of whom is going through an extremely difficult health crisis. A few weeks ago everything was fine. Now...wham.

You just never know. Life can really deal you a shitty hand of cards some times. As I said to a friend yesterday, sometimes it seems God is a child with a twisted outlook on life. If you believe in such.

This couple had found true happiness together, and love each other beyond words. They've only been married for about a year. And now this. It makes you think, and wonder. I wish there was something I could do, but there isn’t. All the love in the world isn't enough.

So I’m not really in the mood for writing, truth be told. But I haven’t posted for a while, and it is therapeutic. It helps one arrange one's thoughts.

How I link the top half of my post with a recipe has yet to spill from my mind. I guess if anything it’s because this is what I made for my spouse on Valentine’s Day. I love him, like my friend loves her husband. I don’t know what I would be going through if our circumstances were swapped.

To me, this recipe is full of love. My friends never had difficulty showing and appreciating their love for each other. If there’s any lesson at all in this crap it is this: 

Never let a chance go by to show those you love how you feel. Actions – not words. Anyone can say words. Live it.

This meal started a week before Valentine’s Day when I was at Costco. If you like volume, that’s the place to go. Their meat most certainly isn’t anywhere near “local,” but I don’t think their butchers are trained to cut anything thinner than one inch. That makes for great “on the barbie” purchases.

Broiled lamb is a favourite of mine, and really quite simple. If you serve with a couple veggies you’re good for a meal. But cooking of said lamb chops can be a bit tricky, especially if you want them so the pink is “just gone” inside.

I cook my asparagus with a little water, olive oil and salt in a
skillet. Cook until the water evaporates, then brown slightly
with the remaining oil. Season with pepper.

I have a couple rules about lamb chops. First is to never buy them if they’re less than 1” thick (that’s crazy talk); the second is to broil them on the second level down from the broiler rack. That way they slowly cook through without burning to crap on top.

Selecting lamb chops is another “art.” If possible choose loin chops, like I purchased at Costco. They’re the “V” shaped ones with kind of a t-bone in them. I paid $18 for eight. That’s what I used to pay for that much 20 years ago at the butcher.

Also good are rib and sirloin chops. Other chops you will probably have to tenderize in some way.

I marinated my chops for 2 days before cooking. This was not a necessity, but because I was travelling in to Halifax for work it ended up being the most convenient. You don’t have to marinate loin chops at all. A simple rub of chopped garlic, rosemary, cracked black pepper and salt is just fine.

If you’re looking for a nice, easy recipe to demonstrate love to someone you care about, this is one to keep. Mind you, every meal should be a demonstration of love to your family.

Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic

Cooking time: 20-24 min

This was it for a great meal: buttery potatoes, asparagus
and perfectly grilled lamb.

8 lamb loin chops, around 1 to 1.5” thick

5 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp dried rosemary

1 to 2 tsp cracked black pepper

1.5 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil*

1 tbsp soy sauce*

Combine all the ingredients except for the meat in a small bowl. Place the chops in a sealable bag or in a dish. Pour the marinade over the op and rub onto the surface of the meat. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning at least once.

Remove the chops from the marinade and preheat the broiler element in your oven. Place the hops on a broiling rack and move the top rack in the oven to the second closet to the element. Not the closest.

Place the chops in the oven. They should be about 5 or 6 inches from the heat. Broil for 10-12 minutes on one side; turn and then repeat for the other. Internal temperature should be about 140°F. 

If you wish, move the oven rack up close and broil for about a minute to brown the top. The plus side of broiling a bit away from the element is the chops cook through before burning. The negative is they don’t brown dramatically.

If using a barbecue, cook over direct flame for about 6-7 minutes, and then move the chops away from direct flame for an additional 3-4. Same internal temperature.

I always find asparagus and fluffy mashed potatoes go well with lam chops, but it’s entirely up to you.

*If not marinating, you can omit the oil and soy. Just combine the other ingredients and rub onto the surface of the meat before broiling or grilling.

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One-pot Lamb, Eggplant and Feta Bake

I have never felt any ethnic connection between the Greeks and me other than how hairy I am. – George Michael 

Quite nice. Quite nice indeed. And simple.

Does anyone remember the “find” I made at the grocery store a few days ago? The lamb rack?

Well, I had a little left over. Actually about a pound (454 g) left over. What to do, what to do...

It's easy to turn meat into ground with a
food processor. Pulse and you're done.

I used to be the king of one-pot. It has many advantages, besides the obvious one of fewer dishes. One-pot usually means whatever you make is, in my mind, more of an infusion of flavours, as opposed to different items arranged on your plate.

I like one-pot meals – stews, braises, you name it... They’re my friend.

I make a Palestinian dish with chicken that is amazing called Maqloobeh. It’s really easy and quite impressive. The recipe is here.

Why couldn’t more dishes be done with this technique of baking/steaming with the rice cooked right in? There’s no real reason...

Since I had the lamb I thought I would give it a try. In a Greek way this time.

Whenever you’re faking/making dishes reminiscent of different cultures you have to be aware of some of the “staples” that are signature flavours. It’s simple enough if you spend any time either in the kitchen or in ethnic restaurants.

For Greek food some of the familiar culprits are lamb, eggplant, tomatoes, feta, oregano and nutmeg. Of course there are many more, but those are the ones I chose.

This was really tasty, and I would make it again in a heartbeat. My husband said it tasted like something you would get in a Greek country kitchen. Success!!

The recipe may sound like you’re salting too much, but if you don’t you’ll find yourself reaching for the salt shaker at the table. Eggplant needs salt, so does the rice. Tomatoes too...

It may also seem like there’s a lot of oregano and nutmeg, but it all balances out. Trust me.

While I’m on the subject of nutmeg, buy whole nutmegs and grate your own. You can get them at the bulk food store and they keep forever. 

I’ve had a bag that I’ve been slowly going through for years. Just grab a nut and grate. It tastes so much better than buying previously ground. 

That holds true for any spice. As soon as it’s ground it starts to lose flavour and strength. Buy yourself a small grater and a coffee grinder for exclusive spice use. They’re kitchen essentials.

Lamb, Eggplant and Feta Bake

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 1 hour  |  Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium eggplant

1 lb lamb, ground or cubed

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano

34 tsp grated nutmeg

1 cup long grain rice

2 cups water

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

200 g feta, crumbled

salt & pepper, to taste

Cut the eggplant in half, rub the surface with half of the oilive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil on a baking sheet until the top is well browned. Set aside.

Turn the oven heat from broil to 350°F.

Heat the remaining oil in a Dutch oven or other large oven-proof pot with a lid. Sauté the lamb until no longer pink. Season with the oregano, nutmeg, salt and pepper, remove to a bowl.

Cut the eggplant into chunks and arrange on the bottom of the pot. Then add the rice and water. Layer with the lamb and then the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with a little salt. 

Then top with the crumbled feta cheese. Sprinkle with more pepper and oregano if desired.

Cover and bake for 40-50 minute, until the rice absorbs the water.

Remove the cover, turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. This will brown the top of the cheese.

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Memories... Lamb and Endive Stew

There are three side effects of acid: enhanced long-term memory, decreased short-term memory, and I forget the third. – Timothy Leary

It's been a long time since I've enjoyed this.

I found a rare gem the other day in the Superstore – lamb. It’s not unusual to find lamb in Bridgewater (it’s there all the time), but the price was unusual.

 I purchased a double uncut rack for $6.50. They had Frenched racks there for $2.50 each. Stunning. Don’t rush out. I’m sure they’re long gone. I should have got more.

I knew exactly what I was going to do with mine. I was going to debone it and make this stew.

Memory’s a powerful thing, isn’t it. For me it’s especially good when it comes to food. Other stuff I can forget instantly. But a recipe I like? It’s locked in.

This recipe is originally from a Time Life Books series called Food of the World, published in 1968. Each of the 27 books were sold as a 2-part set, a “travelogue” book, and a recipe book. 

Looking at it now the travel book is a charmer, with wonderfully dated copy and photographs. You’re instantly whisked away to a time that was far more innocent – a time when it was an adventure to tour the world, without much risk to life or limb. 

These books aren’t that uncommon in used book stores. They must have been popular. Just don’t try to find the recipe books. They’re kept. It’s annoying, because all of the recipes are listed in the travel book index, but only a fraction appear in it.

I have never seen a single recipe book in a second-hand bookstore.

I have 4 or 5 of the travel books, all hiding somewhere in my basement. Luckily I can do this one from memory.

I believe this recipe is from A Quintet of Cuisines. That one offers recipes from Switzerland, the Low Countries, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, and North Africa. As you can imagine, it’s a pretty exotic thing. 

They all are. The Cooking of Vienna’s Empire book has some of the best torte recipes you will ever find. If you like your dessert it’s enough to make you wet your pants.

This recipe is from the Low Countries (Belgium if memory serves me right). It is an utterly amazing country dish with so few ingredients it’s not even funny.

Think North American beef stew, but with tender lamb, potatoes and endive. You pretty much have it. It’s wonderfully hearty with a slightly thickened broth and fantastic slightly tangy endive pieces.

I’m sure my recipe has wandered from the original somewhat, but that’s OK. Isn’t that what cooking is really all about? You have to own it.

Oooh. I’m writing this as the lamb is simmering. It’s making me very hungry just remembering how good this dish is. It’s been a long time. I’ll be glad to see you again...

Belgian Lamb & Endive Stew

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 2 hr  |  6 servings

1-1/2 lbs cubed lamb

1/4 cup butter 

2 medium onions, chopped 

3 garlic, chopped

3 cups beef broth

1 cup white wine

2 tsp light brown sugar

1 bay leaf

4 whole cloves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper  to taste

4-6 medium potatoes, cubed 

4-8 belgian endive, depending on size

1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbsp water

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and brown the lamb. Do not overcrowd the pot. Brown in batches if necessary. Remove the lamb to a plate or bowl.

Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened. Then return the lamb and add the broth, wine, sugar, bay leaf, cloves, thyme, salt and pepper. If you believe your broth is overly salty, omit the salt until the end and then taste to determine how much you may want.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and let cook for 30 minutes.

While the lamb is simmering, peel the potatoes and cube into about 1” pieces. After the half hour, add the potatoes, bring back to simmer, reduce heat, recover the pot and cook for 25 minutes more.

Halve or quarter the endive along their length. If large, quarter; if small, halve. Add to the pot, bring back to simmer, reduce the heat, cover and let cook for 15 minutes more.

Combine the cornstarch with the water. Add to the broth and stir until thickened. Remove the cloves and bay leaf if you can find them. Taste for salt and adjust.

Serve with rolls and butter, or fresh country bread.

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Fantastic Lamb and Eggplant Pastisio

The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. – Vince Lombardi

Deliciousness, in rectangle form.

If you’ve got too much time on your hand, you may want to try this recipe. Or perhaps I should say if you’re in need of a really good dinner try this recipe.

I even have to admit making pastitso is a time commitment. There’s a lot of prep that goes into this one. But, oh my, is it worth it! 

While you’re (merrily) working on the main course there’s nothing holding you back from making bread to round out the meal. Or a Greek salad, in case you don’t like fresh bread...

Making this dish is a multi-step process before it hits the oven to bake.

So what is all this work? First you have to broil eggplant slices. I find this an imperative. Broiling drives some of the moisture out and gives an overall smokey flavour.

Then there’s meat sauce to make. But the smell while you’re reducing down tomato, wine, onion, garlic and cinnamon with lamb is undeniably a near out-of-body experience. It’s worth paying admission to walk into a kitchen where this sauce is being made.

Then you have to boil pasta – and make a béchamel. Ugh, travails...

But what do you get from accomplishing the Labours of Hercules? You get one of the finest Greek dishes you will ever experience. If you’re into “good” food (as opposed to fancy food) you will love this. Guaranteed.

I found myself this Saturday up too early and with too few things to do (that I wanted to do). Do you know what I mean? Make a new task rather do a task you need to...

We’re still in uproar here from the move and have started the demolition of the current bathroom in favour of one from this century. There’s also a thousand things yet to unpack, etc., etc., etc....

But pastisio won out. Good thing, too. All that worrying about what I should have been doing really worked up an appetite!

I know I’m asking a lot, but you really should try this recipe. If you’re having family or friends over do the salad as well as the bread.

As added incentive, this dish is great to make ahead and then re-heat. That way if you have guests you can enjoy their company while you easily make a side salad, reheat the pistatsio and just pull this marvel out of the oven with a flourish!

As a parting shot, here’s two secret ingredients to add to your Greek salad dressing: diced anchovy and hot banana pepper. Try it. You’ll never do it any other way.

Lamb and Eggplant Pastisio

Time: 1.5 hour  |  Bake 1 hour  |  Serves 8

6 tbsp olive oil

2 medium eggplants

1 lb ground lamb

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

4 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp nutmeg

28 fl oz diced tomatoes and their liquid

1/2 cup red wine

salt and pepper

454 g penne, cooked

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Béchamel Sauce

1/2 cup butter

6 tablespoons flour

3-1/2 cups whole milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare a cookie sheet by rubbing with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 thick slices. Place the slices from one eggplant on the sheet to coat the bottom with oil. Turn, oiled side up and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil on high until browned. Turn, sprinkle with more salt and pepper and broil again.

Remove the broiled slices to a plate and repeat the procedure with the other eggplant slices. (2 tbsp olive oil, flip, season, broil, flip, etc.) Set the slices aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide sauté pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is softened. Add the ground lamb,cinnamon, oregano and nutmeg and cook until the meat is no longer pink. 

Then add the canned tomatoes, red wine and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, partially cover, reduce heat to medium low and let cook until the mixture is almost dry and the tomatoes have broken down, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Boil the pasta while you make the béchamel.

To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let cook for about one minute. Then add the milk, one cup at a time. Let the mixture come to a boil and let cook, whisking constantly, for two or three minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Then whisk in the two eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add the egg, milk and cheese. Stir in well.

To assemble, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a 9x16 baking dish. 

Arrange the eggplant slices on the bottom. Then add the meat mixture. Top with the noodles and then finally the béchamel. If desired grate a little more parmesan on top.

Bake uncovered at 350°F for 1 hour. This dish is better if allowed to cool and then reheated. The béchamel sets up for a better consistency if you do.

Serve with a Greek side salad. See secret ingredients I listed above to make your salad the best ever.

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Questions? Comments? Derogatory remarks? Just ask! I’ll answer quickly and as best as I can. If you like this post feel free to share it. If you repost, please give me credit and a link back to this site.

Wow. Moussaka with Ricotta Béchamel

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. – Aristotle

Have you ever noticed how the simple things in life can bring so much happiness? Good friends, a warm fire, wonderful food? This falls into the last category, but would be excellent with the other two as well.

I had two tasks at hand the night I made this. The first was to use a pound of frozen New Zealand lamb that was lurking suspiciously in the freezer. 

When lamb is at hand the best thing you can do is run for a Greek recipe. There’s nothing better that I can think of to make with it.

The second task sprang from the first. I needed to find out how to make a ricotta béchamel. Why, you may ask.

There’s two amazing Greek recipes lamb: pastitcio and moussaka. I love both and they’re very similar, the former using pasta and the second substituting eggplant. Both have a thick béchamel baked on top.

I’ve taken quite a shine to eggplant lately. They’re an exotic looking beast that are very good for you. When prepared correctly they have a deep, smokey flavour. Mmmm. So moussaka it was. It was not a mistake.

Both dishes benefit from being made ahead and reheated. They seem to “set up” better than when served piping hot. Luckily I had stuff to do (can you guess what...) so making something ahead was de rigueur.

This recipe really isn’t a lot of work. I would say no more than making a lasagna, which is a close relative. The secret, if there is one, is to pre-fry the eggplant slices until nicely browned. That’s what delivers that smokey flavour.

To prepare it you just make layers of eggplant and meat, top with the béchamel and stick it in the oven. Little more than an hour later you’re ready to serve six to eight people. With a Greek salad, definitely eight.

Unfortunately, there’s only two of us. Guess what we’ll be taking for lunch?

Moussaka with Ricotta Béchamel

Prep: 30 min  |  Bake 1 hr 15 min  | Serves 6-8

2 medium eggplants

1/4 cup olive oil, or more

1 medium onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 lb ground lamb

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 cup tomato sauce

ricotta béchamel

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk

454 g ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 cup parmesan

Slice the eggplant into 1/2” slices. You need enough slices to cover the bottom of a 10x14 pa twice.

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and cook the slices, a few at a time, until nicely browned. Sprinkle with salt as they cook. Remove to a pan.

Cook the onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent. Then add the lamb and cook until no longer pink. Pour off any excess fat. Sprinkle the meat with the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce and set aside.

Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 10x14 baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom. Then spread on the meat saice, and top with the remaining eggplant slices.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat.

Mmmm... bubbly.

Stir in the ricotta, eggs, nutmeg and salt. Once smooth pour over the eggplant in the pan, making sure to cover the top completely. Sprinkle with the pepper and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes until the top is nicely browned and the béchamel has set.

Serve with a Greek salad. Try some chopped anchovies and hot banana peppers in the dressing for a delicious, unique taste.

The shadow is me. Sorry...

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Questions? Comments? Derogatory remarks? Just ask! I’ll answer as best I can. If you like this post feel free to share it using any of the links. If you repost, please give me credit and a link back to this site. 

Recipe: Lamb and Spinach Curry

Because of deep love, one is courageous. Because of frugality, one is generous. Because of not daring to be ahead of the world, one becomes the leader of the world. – Lao Tzu

Lamb curry. Delicately spice with just enough "heat."

A few nights ago the spouse and I were at the grocery store lusting over the lamb chops.

We were bemoaning the fact that we hadn’t had lamb in a very long time. It’s just too expensive. So we passed it by. I can’t remember what we did buy, but I bet it was either on sale or marked down.

The curry before adding the spinach.

I don’t mean to come across as complaining, but it seems wages stay the same and everything else around us goes up in cost.

I guess I am complaining. So what? We all should. It seems corporate salaries and bonuses aren't subject to the same flatline. And don't give me any of that crap that they're worth it.

Do more with less is the mantra all of us plebeians are fed daily from our news outlets. We’ll I’m getting fed up with that, actually. Something’s got to give. Can anyone say "go postal?"

I wouldn't actually do that. But less expendable income has made me a much more savvy shopper. I shop thinking of at least two meals ahead, if not three. What can I buy on sale and use several times over several meals? It’s a mindset that wasn’t all that difficult to get in to once I started.

If you’re a regular reader you probably think my grocery bill is astronomical. But that’s not the case at all. I always shop what is on sale (or better, marked down) and then cook it within a day or two. I swear.

My frugality has become so well known that one of my co-workers saw me come in with grocery bags after lunch a few days ago and asked “what was on sale today?”. I was proud to say a full side of steelhead trout ($6.60, PLUS 30% off) and—are you ready— lamb. (Why else would I be writing this post, right?)

Ready to serve. The sauce has thickened and
the spinach is in and wilted down.

Yes, lamb. What a coincidence, eh? I picked up a package of loin chops (30% off again) and three regular chops. In total, about 1 pound of meat for approximately $7.00. That’s a good deal.

Lamb curry is one of my favourite Indian dishes, and I hadn’t made it in a long, long time. I love the combination of aromatic spices, the flavourful lamb and earthy spinach. It all just “fits” together so well.

Lamb, goat and pork are common curry ingredients in India. If you remember, cows are sacred to Hindus so beef is a no-no for them. And if you’re Muslim (or Jewish), pork is out, but beef is OK… To each his own, as they say. Vive et alteros vivere permitte (live and let live).

As a “lapsed Baptist” (I love that phrase) I’ll eat just about anything that crosses my path.

Lamb curry or “lamb” curry...

As I was researching about lamb curry (to back up my blather) I came across an interesting tidbit I thought I would pass on from The Telegraph newspaper in the UK, dated April 30, 2012. 

Some of their investigative reporters did a study/sting operation in the Spring of this year (2012) where they purchased lamb curries from 20 different vendors. They then took them to a lab and tested for actual lamb content. 

Believe it or not, out of the 39 individual dishes they purchased, none of them had just lamb meat, but included a mixture of much cheaper cuts of pork, beef and/or chicken combined with lamb. Incredibly, four of the total contained NO lamb at all!

This is not a good thing, because this means people are consuming meats that they are either prohibited from eating due to religious beliefs or because of health restrictions.

Can you imagine? Capitalism at its finest. Let’s cut every corner we can. That’s what’s wrong with the world. Profit trumps the basic “love thy neighbour as thyself.” I’m not particularly religious, but come on, people. We have to have some basic respect for each other.

It seems you can’t trust anyone. Where’s my cave??? At least if you cook at home you know what goes into your food…unless it’s genetically modified (GMO). I’m sure we’ll all die of some exotic, bizarre, new diseases because of those corporate-greed-driven (insert expletive here) business “men.”

But back to the recipe. This one’s a keeper. the next time you find lamb on sale pick it up and try this recipe. To round out the meal, serve with basmati rice and raita (recipe here) to feed four.

Lamb and Spinach Curry

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 35 min  |  Serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil, or ghee

This is amazing stuff.

1 lb cubed lamb meat

8 oz package spinach

1 large onion, quartered

3 tbsp ginger, chopped

8 garlic, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

2 thai red chillies, chopped with seeds

2 tsp cumin, ground

2 tsp cardamom, ground

2 tsp white sugar

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

2 bay leaves

1 cup beef broth

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

4 tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

salt to taste

Heat the oil over high heat in a wide sauté pan or Dutch oven. Fry the onion, ginger, garlic and Thai chillies until the onions start to brown.

Add meat and cook until slightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Add the cumin, cardamom, sugar, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli flakes and bay leaves.* Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef broth, black pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir to ensure the mixture doesn’t stick.

After 20 minutes add the spinach and cover the pot. Let it cook covered until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Then uncover, stir together and let cook for a further 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken.

Taste for salt and adjust.

* If you’re not into making your own curry mixture (although it is easy) substitute 2 tablespoons of your favourite curry powder mixture for the cumin, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli flakes and bay leaves. If it’s hot curry powder, exclude the two Thai chillies as well. Still use the sugar, though.

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