Lamb

January 29 2022

Hartcho

andrestover Lamb, National dishes, Soups basmati rice, garlic, Georgia, khmeli suneli, lamb, onion, plums, tkemali, tomato, carrot 0

Hartcho is a traditional Georgian soup that was widespread during the Soviet era and was served in restaurants throughout the Soviet Union. To make this soup, I researched the work of Georgian chefs today and some of the Russian-language publications that described the soup. To make this soup, the broth can be cooked using a wide variety of meats. The most common meats are mutton and beef, but a variety of poultry is also used. Another feature of this soup is that it is made using plums and spicy local plum sauce (Tkemali). The soup is seasoned with a mixture of spices, khmeli suneli. It is traditional, slightly spicy, aromatic, and contains a variety of dried herbs. In addition to meat and plums, rice, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic are added to this soup.

Cooking time: 1 hour, plus time for cooking meat and broth
Level: Average
Quantity: about 4-5L of soup

Ingredients:
Meat and broth
700-800 g of straight lamb
1 medium onion
1 carrot
salt and black pepper
About 4L of water

Soup
About 500g of tenderloin cleaned from bones
Soup broth
5 large tomatoes
6-8 cloves of garlic crushed
1 large onion finely chopped
2 large carrots coarsely grated
6-8 medium plums cut into pieces
1 tablespoon Khmel Suneli seasoning mixture
3 tbsp Tkemali paste
3 tablespoons chili paste or 0,25 tsp chili powder
A large handful of basmati rice
A large handful of chopped fresh parsley
For seasoning black pepper and sea salt
2-3 tablespoons olive oil for frying onions and carrots
For serving fresh plum slices soup

Preparation:
Boil the broth. To do this, pour about 4L of water into the pot, place a piece of meat, one larger carrot, and onion, most of the brown peel removed. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Bring the broth to boil, remove the foam, lower the heat and simmer until the meat is very tender.
To make the soup, clean the meat from the bones and cut it into pieces of a suitable size
Pour the broth through a sieve. Discard the boiled carrots and onions or simply eat them.
Grated tomatoes with a coarse grater. This will get rid of most of the tomato skin. Add the grated tomato to the broth. Bring to the boil.
Finely chop the garlic and onion. Add the garlic to the soup, heat the pan, pour a little olive oil into the pan, and fry the onions for a few minutes. Grate the coarsely grated carrots and add the onion to the pan. Fry for a few minutes.
Add fried onions and carrots to the soup. Add chili paste or 0.25 teaspoon ground chili. Add 3 tablespoons of Tkemali sauce. Add Khmel Sunel seasoning mixture.
Add half a glass of basmati rice to the soup and bring to a boil
Cut the plums into pieces and add to the soup.
Add the cut meat to the soup and season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a boil until the rice is soft. Add the chopped parsley, stir and let the soup stand for a few minutes without boiling.
When serving, cut slices of plum onto the soup
Ready !!

May 2 2020

Shepherd’s pie

andrestover Lamb, National dishes, Pork, Savory pies English, garlic, minced meat, onion, oregano, potato 5

Many places in the world claim to be the source of this food, but for me, it seems like the roots of this food go back to old England. Shepherd’s pie, cottage pie, or French version of Hachis Parmentier. All these names hide food quite similarly. Classically, it is a food that can be prepared from the previous day’s lunch from the remaining potatoes, which are lightly smashed. During the preparation, the minced meat fried with onions and spices is placed in layers with the mashed potatoes, and sometimes covered with grated well-melting cheese, which turns crispy and forms a delicious coating on the food.
Historically, the name Shepherd’s pie did not appear until the mid-1850s, but similar foods were certainly made already centuries earlier.
I made a variant of this shepherd’s pie last summer. A nice, strong lunch for the whole family.

Preparation time: 30 minutes preparation, 45 minutes cooking
Level: easy
Quantity: for four to six

Ingredients:
10-15 boiled potatoes, mashed and mixed with olive oil and, if desired, a little milk
500 g minced meat
1 larger onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
A handful of frozen green peas
100g of cheddar or other easy-to-melt cheese
For frying olive oil and for making mashed potatoes
Black pepper, salt and dried oregano for seasoning
A small handful of chopped smooth-leaf parsley

Preparation:
1. Smash the boiled potatoes, add olive oil and, if desired, milk so that the stuffed potato mass is not too dense
2. Chop onion and garlic, fry over medium heat with minced meat. Add tomato paste and green peas at the end of frying.
3. Pour the fried minced meat mixture into an oven mold (or use small molds) form the layer about 2-3 cm thick, cover a 2-3 cm layer with mashed potato mass, grate the cheddar and shake on the potato layer.
4. Bake at 200 degrees for 30-45 minutes until the cheese starts to brown.
5. Shake over chopped parsley to serve. Serve hot.
Ready !!

April 26 2020

Greek dolma filled with minced lamb and rice

andrestover Lamb, National dishes, Side dishes dill, Grape leaves, Greece, lamb, parsley, peppermint, rice 0

Dolma is a filled vegetable. For the preparation of dolma, various vegetables can be used – tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, zucchini, onions, and also various leaves. If leaves are filled, the food is called in some languages sarma, which comes from the Turkish language and should mean wrapping it up. Dolma is a classic food in the Balkan countries, Turkey, the Middle East, Arab countries. Dolma varieties wrapped in leaves are usually made from cabbage, rhubarb, or grape leaves. The names of this meal or rolls vary widely, depending on the country in which they are made.
The fillings may be vegetable and may also contain meat. I taste this food for the first time many years ago in a beachfront restaurant on the island of Spetses, Greece. The rolls of grape leaves were filled with minced lamb, rice, and herbs. I have carried some of these flavors with me and now tried to recall that memory.
I made rolls of grape leaves from the excellent minced lamb Kaja brought to me, the rice leftover, fresh parsley, mint, and dill.

Preparation time: 30-45 min preparation, 2 hours preparation
Level: average
Quantity: about 25-30 rolls

Ingredients:
500 g of minced lamb or any other minced meat
7-8 heaped tablespoons of cooked long-grain rice
One medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
A handful of chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped mint
A handful of chopped fresh dill
Salt and black pepper for seasoning
1 jar of canned grape leaves (these can be obtained from the department store, but can also be used homegrown leaves.
1 lemon

Preparation:
1. Remove the stems from the fresh grape leaves and pour them over the boiling water. If marinated/salted leaves are used take grape leaves out of the jar into the warm water so that they separate from each other.
2. Prepare the filling. Chop the parsley, dill, onion, garlic, and mint finely, mix the minced meat, rice, and chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the grape leaf on a wet cutting board, lift a teaspoon of the filling onto the grape leaf, wrap the filling in the leaf so that a packet of grape leaf forms.
4. Fill in all the grape leaves in the same way. Place them next to each other in a thick-bottomed soup pot. When one layer is full, store another layer on top of it, and so on.
5. Cut 3-4 slices of lemon and place them on top of the finished rolls. Cover everything with a heat-resistant bowl and pour over water so that the rolls are all covered.
6. Close the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Carefully remove the bowl. Hot steam may release under the bowl, so be careful.
7. Remove the lemons and put the finished rolls onto the serving tray. Serve either hot or hot. Add a couple of lemon sectors, to squeeze the juice onto the dolma rolls.
Ready !!

January 6 2018

Afganistani pilaff (Kabuli pulao)

andrestover Lamb Afganistan, lamb, national dishes, raisins 0

Algselt Põhja Afganistani toit, mida valmistati aurutatud riisist, lambalihast, porganditest ja rosinatest. Toit on levinud üle Afganistani ja kaugemalegi kuni Saudi Araabiani välja. Praegu peetakse seda rooga Afganistani rahvustoiduks. Ajalooline retsept, mida kirjeldatakse juba mitmeid sajandeid tagasi. Arvatakse, et see pilaff on andnud ainest mitmete erinevate maailma pilaffide retseptide jaoks. Valmistamine nõuab üksjagu pühendumist, aga selle pilafi magus-soolane maitse on nauditav.

Valmistamisaeg: 15 min ettevalmistus, 2-3 tundi valmistamine
Tase: keskmisest keerukam
Kogus: kaheksale

Koostisosad
Liha
1kg lambaliha, pekisem liha ei tee toidule paha, kasutatakse sageli ka kondist liha
1 suur sibul
3 küüslauguküünt
50 ml oliiviõli liha pruunistamiseks
1tl kurkumipulbrit
2tl lahvatatud kardemoni
0,25 tl jahvatatud musta pipart
Soola maitse järgi
Vett hautamiseks
Porgand
4-5 keskmist porgandit
1 kruus sultana rosinaid
1 tl jahvatatud kardemoni
1 tl võrtsköömenid
50ml oliiviõli
Natuke soola
Riis
600g basmatiriisi
5 spl suhkrut
Vett
Soola maitse järgi

Valmistamine
Kabuli pilafi eripäraks on see, et koostisusad valmistatakse eraldi ja kokku saavad need tervikuks alles enne serveerimist.
Liha
1. Lõika liha 4-5 sm tükkideks
2. Lase paksupõhjalises potis 50 ml oliiviõli suitsemiseni kuumaks, lisa liha ja pruunista kiiresti paar minutit
3. Lõika sibul pooleks, viiluta, haki küüslauk. Lisa lihale ja pruunista veel mõne minuti. Lisa vett kuni liha on veega kaetud, alanda kuumust ja hauta liha 1,5 tundi.
4. Kui liha on pehme, tõsta liha vedelikust välja eraldi taldrikule. Vedelikku kasutatakse riisi valmistamisel.
5. Kuni liha küpseb, valmista ette porgandite-rosinate segu.
Porgandid
6. Lõika porgandid 5-10 cm pikkusteks ja 3-4 mm paksusteks ribadeks.
7. Aja pannil oliiviõli kuumaks ja prae porgandeid kuni need hakkavad muutuma krõbedamaks.
8. Lisa koriander, vürtsköömned, sool ja rosinad, pruunista 2-3 minutit ja tõsta kõrvale.
9. Valmista ette riis.
Riis
10. Pese riisi hoolikalt külmas vees. Keeda riisi vahepeal segades poolpehmeks. Basmati riisiga 10 min keemamineku hetkest. Kurna riis läbi sõela ja tõsta eraldi kaussi
11. Valmista riisile magus siirup. Selleks sulata pannil suhkur. Kui see hakkab kergelt karamellistuma, lisa lambalihaleem ja vett. Kokku võiks vedelikku olla umbes pool liitrit. Keeda segu pidevalt segades mõned minutid. Suhkur pruunistub edasi, tuleb jälgida, et see ei läheks kõrbema.
12. Vala riis paksupühjalisse potti, vala üle valmistatud siirupiga, sega kergelt läbi.
13. Kata riis liha ja porgandite kihiga, kata pott puhta köögirätikuga ja hauta madalal kuumusel 15 min.
14. Kui riis on pehme, tõsta liha ja porgandid teise kaussi.
15. Sega riis potis korralikult läbi ja vala serveerimiskaussi. Kata riis liha ja porgandite-rosinate kihiga.
Valmis!!

October 21 2017

Lambatagine fenkoli ja hernestega

andrestover Lamb fennel, lamb, Morocco, national dishes, peas, tagine 0

In 2015, I and Radi, we visited Morocco, Marrakech, and Essaouira. Before this trip, I had tried to make Moroccan tag found on the internet, basically according to English recipes. Apparently, they were kind of exotic, lots of flavors, Raz-el-hanout … and of course, well seasoned with salt. The reality was something other than a simple lemon-chicken burger at the Riad Itrane dinner on the first night in Marrakech. Then I realized that I had hardly come across real Moroccan flavors in my earlier food trials. What made Moroccan tagines so special? Clean and modest flavors, low saltiness. A couple of pure flavors like salted lemons, freshly ground spicy cumin convey the exotic character of Moroccan food. I have remembered these flavors for myself and have since tried to make Moroccan dishes with relatively authentic flavors. They will probably appear on this blog over time. If these recipes are used, strict adherence to the number of spices should yield a genuine result.

With this particular recipe, the taste of this food is even more subtle than traditional Moroccan flavors. The surprising lack of cumin, the absence of lemons, the absence of olives make this food a delicious but delicious meal.
In Morocco, the tagine is served without additives or with somewhere, rarely rice. Fresh homemade French fries were added to this food – not a bad choice at all.

Preparation time: 15-20 min preparation, 3-3.5 hours preparation
Level: Very simple
Quantity: 4 people

Ingredients:
1 kg of lamb, may have bones, pieces not very small, about 5-6 cm
1 larger onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 fennel
250 g green peas, frozen or fresh
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (optional)
0.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
0.5 tsp ground ginger
0.5 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
A pinch of saffron

Preparation:

1. Cut the meat into pieces, pieces not very small, about 5-6 cm
2. Onions chop finely
3. Cut the garlic into thin slices
Chop parsley and coriander
1. Prepare the spices on the plate
2. If using a hat, brown the pan and lift everything after the hat, which may break on the hob despite the manufacturer’s promises. If you use a pot, browning and stewing will take place at the same time. Heat the oil in a pan or thick pan as hot as it can (until smoked)
3. Add the meat and stir quickly so the meat remains juicy, browning beautifully
4. Add the onion and garlic, browning for a few minutes
5. Add the spices and parsley and coriander
6. If using a hat, lift everything from the pan to the heat.
7. Bake in the oven at about 160-170 degrees for 2.5 hours.
8. After 2 hours, add the peas and the slices of fennel cut into four pieces. Stir the peas between the pieces of meat, dipping the fennel with the meat juice. If water is low, add a little water. Simmer for another 30-40 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or coriander to serve.
Ready!!

October 15 2017

Uzbekistan pilaf

andrestover Lamb lamb, rice, Uzbekistan 0

Uzbekistan pilaf, as well as all other pilaf variations, belong to the historical classics of regional dishes. The first recipes describing the preparation of pilaf were written in books about 1000 years ago. The Uzbek wedding pilaf (wedding pilau) is a national classic that locals are making for special occasions, weddings, bigger gatherings, national anniversaries. The recipe here and the preparation guide are put together from repeatedly tested o old recipes and after a thorough reading of the local practices. The preparation of this food requires care, patience and time, but in that case, a good result is also guaranteed.

Preparation time: preparation 30-45 minutes, making food 3-3,5 hours
Level: more complex than average
Quantity: 8-10 people

Ingredients:

1 kg of lamb, be sure to put also slightly fatty pieces of meat, also it is acceptable to add meat with bones.
800 g of long grain rice (jasmine rice is also ok), which is soaked for a 2, if possible 4 hours in cold water, to remove starch
600-700g carrots
3-4 whole garlic cloves (remove loosen part of outer peel removed and roots removed)
300-400 g onions
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
3-5 teaspoons of freshly ground cumin
1-1.5 teaspoon of paprika powder
3-5 teaspoons of sea salt

Preparation:

Cut the lamb into 3-4 cm cubes
Cut the carrots into two pieces and then to long stripes 3-4 mm thin
Cut the onions finely
Place spice on the plate
Stir the oil in a thick-bottom pot as hot as possible (to smoke)
Add the meat and stir quickly, so the meat stays juicy and browns nicely
Add the onion, brown to golden
Add carrots and spices
Add about 1 L of water and boil under low heat for 1.5-2 hours
When the meat is almost soft, press the whole garlic (roots part downside) to the pot between meat pieces
Cover the mixture carefully with soaked rice. Rice covers the whole surface in a relatively thick layer
Gently pour over the water without trying to mix the rice until the rice is covered in a layer of about 1-2 cm of water.
Boil without the lid on medium heat for about 30 minutes, during this time, a large amount of water evaporates.
If the surface of the rice is dry, pile the rice up to the center and using the long spoon make 3-4 wells to the bottom to allow the water to evaporate freely
Cover the pot g with a clean kitchen towel and lid and boil in very low heat for 30-40 minutes.
After 30-40 minutes, find garlic heads from the pilaf and keep.
Take a nice big bowl and start to mix the pilaf. It is not necessary to mix well the pilaf, rather let it remain as it is (in some parts, more meat in some parts less. The idea is that the more meat locates in surface and rice locates in lower parts of the pilaf.
If there is enough pilaf in the bowl, place the garlic heads at the top. Ready to taste!