Lamb Chops with White Wine & Pomegranate Sauce

Though not a traditional Arab or Middle Eastern dish because of the unorthodox use of wine, I decided to rework this original recipe (called for veal) and substitute with what I had on hand. Thankfully, the results turned out okay.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs. lamb shoulder blade chops
salt & pepper
All-purpose flour , for dredging
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. tamari sauce
1/2 c white wine
2 Tbsp. pomegranate syrup
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Sprinkle lamb chops with salt & pepper and dredge both
     sides with flour.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the lamb chops and cook
     them on both sides for a total of 10-15 minutes. Transfer the lamb chops to an oven-proof
     plate and keep warm in the oven.
3. Add the chopped garlic, tamari sauce, white wine, pomegranate syrup and rosemary leaves
     to the skillet. Stir for 10 minutes and adjust seasonings , if needed.
4. Return lamb chops to skillet for 5 minutes, just to take the flavor of the sauce and transfer to
    them to a serving dish.
5. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, if using. Serve immediately with rice.

Lamb with Berber Spices

Servings: 6-8

For the spice rub:
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 c olive oil


1 (6-7lbs.) bone-in leg of lamb

1. To make the spice rub place all ingredients together in a food processor and blend till
    evenly combined. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
3. Place the leg of lamb in a well oiled pan. Trim any visible fat and discard. With the tip
    of a paring knife, make small slits throughout the lamb. Place a small spoonful of spice
    inside each slit. Rub the remaining spice paste throughout the lamb.
4. You can cook the lamb right away or you can place it in the refrigerator and let it
     marinade 4-6 hours.
5. When ready to cook,cover pan with aluminum foil, place the lamb in the oven and cook 
     cook for 4 1/2 hours. Baste with its own juices every 30 minutes.
6. After cooking, transfer lamb to a serving dish, let it rest 10 minutes before serving.
   

Lamb Kebabs (Kofta)

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb
1 1/2 c bread crumbs
a handful of fresh cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
salt & pepper
canola oil, for frying
flat bread and fresh vegetables , to serve


1. Put the minced lamb, bread crumbs,cilantro, garlic, onion, lemon juice and remaining spices in a bowl and mix till evenly combined. Add more bread crumbs or a little water if mixture does not bind well.

2. Heat a frying pan and add the canola oil.Meanwhile, shape the lamb mixture into 4 large or 8 small patties.

3. Add the lamb patties to the frying pan and cook until evenly browned on both sides.

4.Remove from pan and serve immediately with flat bread and vegetables.

Qawarma (Spiced Preserved Lamb)

A good example of meat preservation in the Middle East is the Lebanese qawarma.Qawarma is highly seasoned pieces of lamb or mutton fried in melted fat from the fat-tailed Awassi sheep,then packed into earthenware ,clay sealed jars and stored in a cool dry place.Once popular in the in the rural areas of Lebanon, this ancient dish is almost but forgotten.
Used to be a very young, usually six month old sheep was force fed grain, mulberry and vine leaves during the Spring/Summer months then came early Fall was butchered in preparation for the coming months.But nowadays with modern conveniences and time constraints this ancient method of preservation has been lost.
Qawarma served a several purposes.It was mainly used to impart a meaty flavor to rice dishes when meat was unavailable.It also formed the basis for winter stews.Other uses included using it as a cooking fat and as a spread for bread. Below is a simplified, modern version recipe for qawarma.

*Note:Qawarma will keep well for 1 year and does not need refrigeration.

Yield:4-6 qts.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. beef fat or margarine,melted
5 lbs. lean lamb or mutton, cut into 1/2"cubes
5 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp.pepper

1. Place the melted beef fat or margarine in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil.Add in the lamb or mutton, if using, salt and pepper.Cook uncovered.Stir regularly to make sure the lamb does not stick to the bottom of the pot.Cook until lamb is well cooked.
2.Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3.Place the meat in clear glass jars covered with 1/2" of the fat.Seal tightly.
4.Store qawarma in a cool, dry place till ready for use.Before using, slightly warm the qawarma and discard the fat.Always return unused qawarma to cool. dry place after use.
4.

Khoresht-e Zereshk ( Persian Barberry & Nut Stew)

Barberries are synonymous with the Iranian cuisine. They grow wild throughout Europe and Asia but the edible variety,Berberis Vulgaris grow exclusively in Iran.Barberries are similar in size and taste to cranberries but are never eaten fresh,instead they are dried in the sun and are used to add a tart flavoring to stews. They are also used to add a sour, tart flavor to rice pilafs,stuffing, and numerous khoresht.
The following recipe is a very popular dish served traditionally at Iranian weddings.Like most wedding dishes, it is made extremely sweet with hints of sourness to symbolize happiness for the newlyweds but to also remind them that there will be sad times also.

Yield:4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 lb. lean lamb, cut into cubes (or can substitute with chicken)
1 1/2 c almonds, slivered
1 1/2 c pistachios, chopped
2 pinches saffron threads, soaked in hot water
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 c barberries
salt & black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large pan.Add the onions and fry until they are a golden brown ( about five minutes). Stir in the lamb and brown it, stirring often.
2. Pour some water in the pan, enough to cover the meat and simmer for about 4o minutes.Stir in the pistachio and almonds and simmer for another 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile with a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron threads with the 2 tbsp of sugar and add some hot water and mix it till it becomes reddish.
4. Add the saffron liquid and barberries to the pan and stir to combine.Simmer for another 7-8 minutes and remove from heat.Season with salt and pepper.Serve immediately spooned over plain rice.

Kharouf bi Laban (Lamb with Yogurt Sauce)

The following recipe comes from Saudi Arabia where it calls for a whole leg of lamb to be used but lamb chops can also be used in its place.


Yeild:6 Servings
Ingredients:
4-4 1/2 lbs. lamb chops
4 garlic cloves, minced
2-2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2c yogurt
1/2 c tomatoe sauce
1/2 tsp.ground turmeric or saffron
1 tsp. Baharat Spice
salt & pepper

1.Wash and dry the lamb chops.In a small bowl, mix together the minced garlic and olive oil and rub allover the lamb chops.Set aside.
2.In another bowl, combine the yogurt, tomatoe sauce, turmeric or saffron, baharat, and salt and pepper and mix till thoroughly combined.
3.Pour the yogurt marinade over the lamb chops and refigerate for 2-4 hours.
4.Preheat oven at 350F and cook for 1 hour.Basting occassionally.Serve with basmati rice.