Lamb Stew with Exotic Flavors PLUS Bonus Dinner!

Whenever I go to yoga, it makes me think of India. I have a small - OK large -
obsession with that country...and no, I haven't been there - yet (I'm currently accepting donations to the Send Me to India Fund - rupees and dollars accepted).

This manifests itself in a myriad of ways: a chai latte at Starbucks, microwaveable palak paneer pouches, and - if I'm most fortunate - a trip to the Indian buffet. At the very least, my yoga-cum-Indian-cravings at the very least motivate me to scrounge through my spice cabinet for interesting flavors.


I had almost forgotten about my half-pouch of ras el hanout from my trip to the Spice House awhile back. I thought it would be the perfect way to lend a transcontinental flair to the lamb stew I was planning on making this evening (from the leftover Mint Creek farm lamb that I'd frozen). Frankly, I wasn't sure how the ras el hanout would blend with the spices that I'd rubbed on the lamb before (garlic, thyme, etc.), but this being the Fearless kitchen and all, I figured I'd throw it all in and see what came of it.

Oh - now might be the time in my narrative to explain that ras el hanout is not actually an Indian spice - it's Middle Eastern. Sometimes, my Indian obsession manifests itself in ways that, quite frankly, make very little geographical sense. That notwithstanding, I present to you:

LAMB STEW WITH EXOTIC FLAVORS OVER COUSCOUS

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. lamb leg (mine was previously roasted and frozen; fresh would obviously be ideal)
1 large baking potato, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 red onion (or any onion), chunked
1 and 1/2 T. ras el hanout
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. cooked whole wheat couscous
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
salt and pepper


STEP ONE:

Combine all ingredients except for couscous in Crockpot. Cook over low for 6 hours, until lamb is spoon-tender.*

STEP TWO:

Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve lamb stew over couscous and top with cilantro. Enjoy!

*When cooking in a Crockpot, I never season with salt and pepper until the very end. The nature of slow-cooking dictates that you can't taste your dish all along, so I recommend waiting until the end to season, so you don't grossly oversalt something.

The lamb stew came out really well - the lamb was fall-apart tender, the potatoes were hearty, and the ras el hanout made it all interesting. The flavors of ras el hanout are so different from typical, everyday American flavors - I really encourage you to try some if you happen across it.

I wanted to include this little BONUS recipe, just because I made it the other night, and I thought it would be a great introduction to those just beginning to experiment in the kitchen. So many people say to me, "I read your blog, but I know I could never make those recipes!" Not true. Something like the beans-rice-and-sausage recipe below (inspired by the much more complex jambalaya, a favorite of mine) is something that literally an 8-year-old could make (provided he or she could safely wield a can-opener).

I whipped this up on a chill Saturday night in, and it was the perfect bowl of hearty goodness to curl up and eat on the couch, book in hand. (It would also be wonderful topped with a dollop of sour cream.) So to those of you who wouldn't know a whisk from a waffle iron, behold the following: a meal you can make at home, easily and quickly, with very inexpensive ingredients. Magic!

EASIEST DINNER EVER, A.K.A. BEANS, RICE, AND KIELBASA

INGREDIENTS

about 15 thin slices kielbasa sausage*
1 can "Southwest" style black beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/2 c. dry white rice
splash of chicken broth
squeeze of hot sauce
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

*I have a ton of kielbasa around due to my CostCo trip awhile back, but this is also great with chicken, shrimp, or really any variety of sausage (turkey Italian sausage would be good), or with tofu if you're a vegetarian. If you don't like tofu but don't eat meat, I'd throw in something with a neutral flavor, like zucchini. It would also be good with butternut squash.


STEP ONE:

In a large skillet, brown kielbasa. Do not drain.

STEP TWO:

Add the beans with liquid, tomatoes with juices, and rice to the skillet. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes, adding a little chicken broth if the mixture isn't liquidy enough. Stir in the hot sauce and top with cilantro. Enjoy!

Recession: Party of One - Roast Beef with Carrots & Ras el Hanout

Sometimes you just crave plain old red meat. And while this dish was far from plain, it was indeed a hunk of red meat...mmmm. (I'm using the unending April snow as justification for such a hearty dinner.)


I'll just jump right in, since there's not much to say about today that can't be summed up by my irrepressible urge to stop into my local convenience store en route to my apartment and grab a bottle of red (and they happened to have my very favorite kind - fate?).

SLOW-ROASTED BEEF WITH RAS EL HANOUT, CARROTS, & RED LENTILS

BEEF

One smallish chunk (two serving sizes, about 8 oz.) lean red roasting beef
1/4 white onion, chunked
1 very large carrot, cut into large chunks
1/3 c. water
1/3 c. chicken broth
glug of olive oil
1 T. ras el hanout (Mediterranean spice blend)
1 T. freshly gratd ginger
a couple splashes white wine vinegar
pepper
(the salt comes later)

LENTILS

1/2 c. dry red lentils
1 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper
drizzle olive oil
freshly chopped parsley



STEP ONE:

In the morning before work, combine all ingredients under "BEEF" in a Crockpot. Set to low and cook, covered of course, until you get home, about 8 hours.

STEP TWO:

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, and most of the broth has been absorbed (it's OK if they're a little liquidy).

STEP THREE:

Add a little salt to taste to the cooked beef and carrots. Serve a chunk of the beef with some carrots, onions, and cooking broth, over the lentils, and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

I simply cannot describe how delicious my whole apartment smelled when I came home. The ras el hanout has a smoky sweetness that's reminiscent of cumin (it may in fact contain cumin, but I'm not sure), but the taste is more peppery and earthy. The carrots got perfectly tender without overcooking, the broth was...brothy...and the lentils were the perfect sidekick. It was hearty without being overly heavy, and with a glass of Beaujolais, it was divine (you know, for a Monday).



And let's see how I did on the PARTY OF ONE PRICE INDEX:

BEEF: 74 cents
CARROT: 50 cents
ONION: 25 cents
CHICKEN BROTH: 20 cents
LENTILS: 50 cents
RAS EL HANOUT: 50 cents

This made two perfectly sized servings, which makes the GRAND TOTAL...

$1.35

Nice! Fearless and frugal.

Thanks for reading! More soon...

Recession: Party of One - Heavenly Angel Hair with a Worldly Flair

It's been said, "What grows together, goes together." While I subscribe to that in theory, in reality, I'm more apt to follow the lesser known but maybe more universal adage, "If it tastes good in my mouth, I'm gonna put it in my mouth."


This Angel Hair dish is the perfect example of that. I mean, who does it think it is, globetrotting like this: starting in Italy, gallavanting through the Mediterraean, taking a detour through Latin America, and ending up on my plate in Chicago, Illinois?

If I were to really name this dish, I'd call it:

ANGEL HAIR WITH RAS EL HANOUT-ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS & RED CABBAGE (You see why I didn't attempt to put it all in the title.)

INGREDIENTS

1 serving dry angel hair pasta, protein-enriched (like Barilla Plus)
1/3 head of a small red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/3 of a small butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
fresh thyme leaves
fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 T. ras el hanout (more on this later)
2-3 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

STEP ONE:

Preheat the oven to 425. In a baking dish, toss the butternut squash with about 1 T. olive oil, salt, and the ras el hanout. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until fork-tender.

STEP TWO:

In a nonstick skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil. Cook the cabbage and onions over medium heat, seasoned with salt and pepper (don't be a wimp about this), for about 20 minutes, until caramelized and tender. Add the thyme and cilantro about 5 minutes before removing from heat.


STEP THREE:

Boil the angel hair until al dente. Drain. Return to pot off the heat. Toss in the butternut squash and all olive oil left in the baking dish and the onions/cabbage with all their oil as well (the olive oil serves as the "sauce" for the dish). Serve hot. Enjoy!

Wow! Only 7 ingredients, and this was such a flavorful dish. The ras el hanout, which is a classic Mediterranean spice blend which means "best of the house," had a little sweetness which really complemented the flavor of the squash and caramelized veggies. I was most nervous about the thyme-cilantro combo clashing, but I thought they both added their own little spark of bright freshness to the dish - they may not grow together, but they seemed to work.

I think the keys to making this taste great were seasoning appropriately and really embracing the (heart healthy) extra virgin olive oil. This is one of my favorite things I've made recently, and it's also one of the healthiest - no meat, no dairy, just amazing flavors from all over the world.


If I were to add an element or two, I think I'd add an element of crunch - maybe toasted pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts; and I also think this would be divine with goat cheese (but what wouldn't?).

And to top it all off, let's check out the PARTY OF ONE PRICE INDEX:

CABBAGE: 44 cents
ONION: 50 cents
BUTTERNUT SQUASH: 36 cents
RAS EL HANOUT: 50 cents

Everything else is a pantry staple, which makes our GRAND TOTAL:

$1.80 ! ! !

Under two bucks for a delicious meal of global proportions. Once again, economical success!

Thanks for reading. More soon...