pumpkin for halloween. or squash, whatever.

Other than the bag of mini-Kit Kats and a showing of Psycho at Film Forum on Friday night, Halloween passed in our household without much notice. We are fairly party pooper-ish about Halloween, due mostly to laziness about putting together costumes. When most of the world was out partying on Saturday night, we were out seeing that movie about Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields. Stephin Merritt is kinda spooky. Then for Halloween proper, the extent of celebrating was including pumpkin in my Moroccan Lamb Stew. Technically it was butternut squash, but that's close enough. And Opaw hissed at least once. Happy Halloween!



My main catalyst for the lamb stew was a jar of preserved lemons that has been criminally neglected. I guess I go through stages and have a tendency to forget how magical they are. I want to dab preserved lemon behind my ears, the scent of them is so intoxicating.



I also really wanted to make some homemade harissa, because I always buy that stuff prepared and it's so silly to do so. I already have every ingredient in my house, and it takes all of 2 minutes to throw it together. Plus, I had the perfect little jar to pour it into, which brings me more satisfaction than one might think.



Tender lamb, chickpeas, squash, warm aleppo pepper, tomatoes for balance, golden raisins for a hint of sweetness, preserved lemons for tang, and a sprinkle of fresh mint to wake up the whole combination. The weather is finally cooling down, and this is the dish to warm you up. Recipe after the jump:



MOROCCAN LAMB STEW WITH PRESERVED LEMONS AND HARISSA

2 pounds lean shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons harissa sauce (recipe follows), plus more for serving
4 cups peeled, uncooked butternut squash in 1/2-inch cubes
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 preserved lemon, rind and pulp finely diced, plus additional pulp from 1 preserved lemon
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint for garnish

Cooked couscous or bulghur for serving.

Season the lamb cubes with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven set over medium-high heat and cook the lamb, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is soft. Add the 2 tbsp of harissa sauce and cook another 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, until the lamb is tender, about 45 minutes. Add the squash, tomatoes, chickpeas and additional water to almost cover the ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the preserved lemon and raisins and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, garnish with mint and serve with couscous or bulghur and more harissa on the side.

Serves 4-6.

HARISSA SAUCE

1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on desired heat level
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Let sit at least an hour before serving with lamb stew.

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j-cat cooks: sweet and spicy lamb ribs

Part two of the series "We Are Obsessed with Lamb". Sticky and sweet, spicy and lamby. J-Cat had himself a craving for a some lamb ribs and went above and beyond with these. The combination of ancho chile and cayenne pepper with orange marmalade and red wine vinegar was balanced and even, and perfectly messy. This was one of those meals where there may have been other dishes on the table, but we just hunkered down and ripped away at these ribs and didn't speak for a while. And used many many napkins. Recipe after the jump:



TEX-MEX ROASTED LAMB RIBS
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2007

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons pure chile powder (preferably ancho)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 to 3 1/4 lb Denver ribs (lamb breast spareribs; 2 racks)
1/2 cup orange marmalade (not bitter)
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar

Marinate ribs:
Stir together oil, garlic, chile powder, cumin, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Pat lamb dry and rub all over with spice mixture. Transfer lamb to a large sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate lamb, chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.

About 1 hour before you're ready to cook, remove the ribs from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Transfer lamb to a 17- by 12-inch heavy shallow baking pan and cover pan tightly with foil, then bake 1 1/4 hours.

Meanwhile, stir together marmalade, vinegar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Discard foil from lamb and carefully pour off and discard fat from pan. Brush lamb with some of marmalade glaze and roast, basting every 10 minutes (use all of glaze) and turning racks over every 20 minutes, until browned and tender, about 1 hour. Cut racks into individual ribs.

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the definition of "intoxicating aroma"

With the sad, sad end of our 12-week pork CSA, it's time to give a little attention to some other delicious animals. This week we're eating some lamb. A lot of lamb. I made this sweet and savory Lamb and Apricot Tagine a few days ago, and J-Cat followed that up with sweet and spicy Lamb Ribs last night. You'll be seeing those soon, but for now, what is better with lamb than tangy sweet apricots?



Add the crunch of sliced almonds, the warmth of cinnamon and cumin, the ultimate aroma of coziness bubbling away in the oven. I don't have a true tagine pot, this recipe can easily be made in a good heavy dutch oven. Served simply over some plain cous cous, we were swooning on a chilly, rainy night.

LAMB TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS
Adapted from In the Kitchen and On the Road with Dorie

2 cups chicken broth
1/4 pound moist, plump dried Turkish apricots
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, fat removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 medium onions, peeled, trimmed and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled, trimmed, and finely chopped
One 14 1/2 - ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
2 pinches saffron
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
About 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Couscous or rice, for serving.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a small pot, turn off heat, and add apricots to the pot and let them soak and plump while you prepare the rest of the tagine.

Put the base of a tagine, a heavy, high-sided skillet or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and pour in 3 tablespoons of the oil. Pat the pieces of lamb dry between sheets of paper towels, then drop them into the hot oil - don't crowd the pan; work in batches, if necessary - and brown the meat on all sides, about 4 minutes. Lift the meat out of the pot and onto a plate with a slotted spoon. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Pour out the fat that it's in the pan, but leave whatever bits may have stuck to the base.

Return the pan to the stove, adjust the heat to low and add 2 more tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, just to get them started on the road to softening. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 10 minutes, adding a little more oil, if needed. Add the chicken bouillon/broth to the pot as well as the coriander, saffron - crush the saffron between your fingers as you sprinkle it into the pot - ginger, cumin, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro leaves. Stir to mix and dissolve the spices, season with salt and pepper and spoon the meat over the base of vegetables. Top with the plumped apricots, seal the pan with aluminum foil and clap on the lid. Slide the pan into the oven.

Bake the tagine for 60 minutes before carefully lifting the lid and foil and scattering the almonds over the meat. Recover the pan and allow the tagine to bake for 15 minutes more. Serve over cous cous or rice, topped with chopped cilantro.

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the relief of pasta: pappardelle with lamb ragu

It should come as no surprise that as soon as our stove top was turned on, the first thing I NEEDED to cook was pasta. I was dying for pasta. I can't even believe that I went as long as I did without pasta, but the rice I was eating every day was reminiscent of my childhood, so I made it through. The stove finally got turned on right as the really cold weather hit, so I needed to focus on warm, filling, gutsy food, and preferably something that would give me an excuse to go up to my new cute local butcher. Mmmmm meat.

I wanted a meaty ragu of some sort. I've done ragus with duck, rabbit, beef, veal, but strangely enough I've never made any with lamb. I found this recipe from Andrew Carmellini, who I love, and was excited by some of his simple but different touches. Fennel seed, coriander, cumin, a touch of fresh mint to finish. The result was a deeply umami sauce that was perfect for a cold winter night, and it was really simple to put together. Recipe after the jump:



ANDREW CARMELLINI'S LAMB RAGU WITH PAPPARDELLE
From Food & Wine Magazine

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely diced
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3/4 pound fresh pappardelle
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
2 tbsp chopped mint

1. In a large cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Add the lamb, coriander, fennel, cumin, rosemary and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the stock and bring to a boil. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until the liquid is slightly reduced, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, shaking well. Add the pasta to the sauce. Add the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and toss over low heat. Serve the pasta in bowls, topped with the ricotta and mint.

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manti vs. manty

I find myself eating a lot of lamb in the summer. Perhaps that's a little odd given the hot weather, but I'm guessing it might have something to do with the abundance of lovely fresh mint. I'm craving middle eastern food quite often, so Melissa Clark's recipe for Pasta with Turkish-Style Lamb, Eggplant and Yogurt Sauce from the NY Times seemed like the perfect make at home fix. She gets the inspiration for this dish from Turkish manti, little lamb-stuffed dumplings served with yogurt.



Recently, while out having dinner with my mom, Brother #2, and his wife, we saw manti on a menu. Having had Uzbeki "manty" I assumed it would be very similar, and encouraged #2 to order it. It turned out to be rather different from the pastry wrapped lamb pies at the Uzbeki restaurants, but you could see the similar influences. It was also a very pleasant surprise. This pasta actually comes reasonably close in flavor to those little dumplings, and it's certainly a lot easier to make at home. Recipe after the jump:

PASTA WITH TURKISH-STYLE LAMB, EGGPLANT, AND YOGURT SAUCE
From a recipe by Melissa Clark in The New York Times

1 large eggplant, about 1 pound, in 1/2 -inch cubes
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, more to taste
3 fat garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 pound ground lamb
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, preferably Turkish or Aleppo (see note), more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or dill, more to taste
1/2 pound bowtie or orecchiette pasta
2 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, to taste
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt.

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Bring a pot of water to boil for pasta.

2. Toss eggplant with 4 tablespoons oil and a large pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet, making sure there is room between pieces, and roast until crisp and brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and the shallot and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lamb, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Sauté until lamb is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in mint or dill and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir eggplant into lamb. Taste and adjust seasonings.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter: the amount is to your taste. Let cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, remaining garlic and a pinch of salt.

5. Drain pasta and spread on a serving platter. Top with lamb-eggplant mixture, then with yogurt sauce. Pour melted butter over top. Sprinkle on additional red pepper and more mint or dill. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 to 3 servings.

Note: Turkish or Aleppo (Syrian) red pepper flakes are sold at specialty markets and at kalustyans.com. You may also substitute ground chili powder. Do not use crushed red pepper flakes; they will be too hot for this dish.

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it's shameless plug time!

Claire is back! Tune into the-network-that-shall-not-be-named-on-this-blog to see new episodes of a show that I have poured blood, sweat, and tears into. Delicious, bacon-flavored tears. In celebration of the upcoming premiere, here's a sneak preview of one of Claire's delicious dishes that I just had to make myself - lamb chops with a mint-almond pesto. A perfect recipe for summer when mint is growing out of control in Beth's garden and she unloads piles of it on me. Recipe after the jump:

CLAIRE'S LAMB CHOPS WITH MINT-ALMOND PESTO

12 frenched baby lamb chops (3 per person)
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a cast iron grill pan over high heat until very hot. Season one side of the lamb chops with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Place on the hot pan season side down. Season and oil the top side before flipping. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, depending on the thickness of your chops. Remove to a plate to rest while you prepare the pesto.

In a food process, combine the mint leaves, almonds, lemon zest, and juice. Pulse to begin breaking down. Turn processor on and slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture resembles a thick paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you would like a looser consistency, you can add a bit of water.

Serve lamb chops either topped with the pesto, or on the side as a dipping sauce.

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sunday supper: kafta bi sanniyeh

I used to think that you couldn't make Kafta without a grill, but then I discovered Kafta bi Sanniyeh, also known as a Lebanese Lamb Pie. It's basically a lamb meatloaf, with potatoes ringing the edges. It could not be any easier, and it's the perfect solution for someone who loves them some Kafta, but lives in the city with no outdoor space. You do have to be prepared for some serious fattiness, though.



I think I patted my lamb loaf a bit too much, as looking at a couple of photos shows much more lumpiness. The lumpiness is probably a good idea since more raised edges presumably results in more browned bits, always a good thing.



Considering that I didn't have much of a recipe and was somewhat blindly adding ingredients without measuring anything, I was really happy with the result. I'm guessing this is something you can't really screw up. Next time I'd add more mint, perhaps. I even forgot to grease the pan, but the lamb was so fatty it didn't matter at all. It also seems like you should leave space around the edges of the meat to rest the potatoes in, but I didn't bother and it didn't matter. As the meat cooked, it shrank away from the sides, dropping the potatoes into the rendered lamb fat and roasting them perfectly. One recipe even called for parboiling the potatoes first, but I don't think that's necessary at all. Just cut them small and they will be perfect. I served the Kafta with another classic Lebanese dish - Mujadarrah, lentils and rice. Then I decided to use the rest of the parsley and mint from the Kafta in a Tabouleh, which turned out to be the perfect accompaniment for cutting the richness of the lamb. Those recipes will follow shortly, the Kafta recipe is after the jump:

KAFTA BI SANNIYEH
2 lbs ground lamb
1 large white onion, cut into chunks
2 C fresh parsley
1/2 C fresh mint leaves
1/2 C bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 baby potatoes

In a food processor, combine the onion, parsley, and mint and pulse until finely minced but not liquid. Add the mixture to the lamb with the bread crumbs, egg, spices, salt and pepper. Mix well, then store covered in the refridgerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to come together.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Turn out the meat mixture in to a large round casserole or pan. Pat the meat down to about 1 inch thickness all around. Halve the potatoes and lay around the edges of the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then lower to 250 for another 30-40 minutes until meat and potatoes are golden brown and cooked through.

[NOTE: If you are lucky enough to own a grill, you can use this recipe for Kafta Kebabs. Just leave out the bread crumbs and the egg, press the meat onto metal skewers, and grill away.]

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easter sunday supper

So I guess lamb is an Easter thing? I'm utterly in the dark about most things religious, but as yesterday was Easter and technically my mom is a good Catholic girl, I roasted up a stuffed leg of lamb. It was, for the most part, an exceedingly simple recipe, but it was also pretty much the first thing I've made that required another set of hands. The stuffing - a delicious concoction of bread crumbs, pecorino romano, parsley, and garlic - was a giant mess that kept spilling out all over my freshly cleaned kitchen floor. But it was the rolling and tying of the 7+ pound boneless leg of lamb that almost pushed me over the edge. I had to call J-Cat over to hold the thing together while I tied the twine as tight as I could, hoping at least some small fraction of the stuffing would actually remain stuffed. This is why I never stuff things. Here is the stuffing before it flew all over the kitchen. This would be awesome on fish.



Once it was all rolled and tied, there was pretty much nothing more to be done, yet another recipe that works really well when you're having company. I had plenty of time to make dessert (coming up shortly), and do my last minute tidying. And it only cooked for less than 2 hours, since lamb is best eaten medium rare. The leg is also a relatively mild cut, great for feeding a large group. Here's a close-up of the finished lamb, with that pesky stuffing all over the outside of the meat. Not where it belongs:


Recipe after the jump:

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB
1 6-pound boneless leg of lamb
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons minced garlic
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and pat dry the leg of lamb and lay out on your board cut side up. Season well with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat olive oil and toast the bread crumbs until golden brown. Combine in a bowl with the cheese, parsley and garlic. Lay the stuffing out evenly on the cut side of the lamb. Roll the leg back into it's natural shape and tie securely with several lengths of butcher's twine. Season the outside of the roast with salt and pepper. Rub a small amount of olive oil over the skin. Place on a rack in a roasting pan, adding about 1 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Place in the middle of a 375 degree oven and roast for about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until medium rare, or until desired doneness. My roast had temperatures varying from 125 to 140 degrees. Medium rare is generally about 120 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.

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sunday supper: grain expectations

I took a risotto risk: Sweet Pea Farro Risotto. After my recent pastry debacle, I've been thinking a lot about farro. I was pretty intrigued by its nutty flavor and firm bite, and really wanted to try it in a savory recipe. Some time ago, I had an enchanting risotto made from spelt, so I figured that farro's close resemblance to spelt meant it would be a safe substitute. The results were pretty good, though it certainly took a little more finagling than a classic risotto with arborio. The pastiera recipe had called for soaking the farro for 3 days. It was too late for that. But I had seen Lydia say that it needed to soak for only 1 hour. I ended up soaking for about 30 minutes, then simmering for about 30 minutes before draining and beginning the actual risotto.



From that point, I basically treated it like any risotto, and though it cooked through just fine with the same amount of stock that I usually use, it did seem to be slower, taking more time to absorb the same amount of liquid. It also turned out a little runnier than risotto I've made in the past, but I've never been entirely sure how thick or how runny risotto should actually be anyway.

I paired the risotto with rosemary-marinated lamb chops, simply seared on a hot pan. Those were excellent and a great companion with the risotto. All in all, a pretty successful experiment, but I'm not sure it can really take the place of good old arborio rice.


Recipes after the jump:

SWEET PEA FARRO RISOTTO

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups farro
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 cup sweet peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup parmiggiano-reggiano, grated
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation
Soak the farro in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and place in a saucepan with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

In a risotto pot or large saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the farro and saute to coat with oil. Add wine and simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed by the grain. Add a ladle of chicken stock and continue to stir frequently until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock a ladle at a time, stirring until absorbed, until the farro is almost al dente and the liquid has taken on a creamy consistency. If using fresh peas, add the peas when you have about 2 ladles of stocks left to add. If using frozen, add with the last ladle. When the farro has reached al dente, remove from heat and stir in the cheese and parsley. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve with additional grated cheese and chopped parsley for garnish.


ROSEMARY LAMB CHOPS

Ingredients
(Proportions are for 2 servings of 2 chops each, about 5-6 ounces per serving)

4 single cut lamb rib chops, frenched if desired
3 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Preparation
Lightly salt the lamb chops on both sides. Whisk together rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper and spoon over the chops, being sure to get marinade on both sides of the chops. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes or up to an hour.

Heat a heavy skillet or grill pan over high heat. Sear lamb chops about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.

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sunday supper: food therapy edition

It was a tough weekend for J-Cat and I, and it called for some serious comfort food. Let's just say that Saturday involved both my having to help my parents find a funeral home for my morbid dad, and J-Cat and I sitting at the animal hospital half the day waiting to pick up J-Cat's dog Gaia after finding a large mass at the base of her tail and taking her straight to the hospital for testing. We were both a wreck.

We tried that evening to lift our spirits (Gaia didn't need much, she got a huge treat and was happy as a clam), so we finally got around to checking out Pinkberry. J-Cat realized that a medium with 3 toppings costs less that a small with 3 toppings and somehow we both ended up with giant cups of frozen yogurt which we both finished. It was good. I wouldn't say that it was at the level of calling it Crackberry, but give me a couple of days and see if I start craving it.

Anyway, on Sunday I decided that we needed something yummy and comforting, something that filled up the apartment with a delicious aroma all day. So I braised some lamb shanks:


I got the recipe in The Joy of Cooking, which I can't believe I never owned until now. The spices were all super-aromatic: cinnamon, allspice, cumin, coriander, and mint. It was highly reminiscent of a lamb dish that J-Cat and I went crazy over at a random Greek restaurant in Astoria. The shanks braised for about 2 hours and it smelled unbelievable. At the end of the braise you toss in some chopped carrots and butternut squash.



I served it over orzo. The sauce was so rich and intense; the lamb had released an amazing amount of flavor into the braising liquid, and because shanks are a cut with a lot of connective tissue, the sauce thickened itself. You finish the sauce with more fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon juice to give it a little acidic edge. J-Cat says this may be in the top five of his all-time favorite dishes.



For dessert, I randomly decided on a Lebanese semolina cake called a Sfouf. A very simple recipe, which I found on About.com:

Sfouf

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups semolina
1 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup salted butter, melted
1 cup sugar, plus 3 tbsp
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup slivered almonds

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine semolina, flour, turmeric and baking powder. In another bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, milk and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking dish, sprinkle the almonds on top, and bake for 30-35 minutes until set.



I don't have a great 9x13 pan, so I instead used a large round springform pan. It worked perfectly fine. I did not use all of the sugar thinking that middle eastern desserts are often super-sweet. I used slightly less than a cup and it was really perfect. I also used half salted butter, half unsalted, because that was what I had left and it was fine. And of course I used 2% milk because I'm terrible at planning and had nothing else. The cake was dense and slightly chewy, with a great grainy texture from the semolina. I like that it wasn't terribly sweet, it was fine with a dollop of whipped cream on top. It would also be great with some greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey, and of course a super strong coffee.

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