Lamb And Rice With Olives And Dried Cherries Recipes

Steps:

• Combine rice and 1 cup of water in a heavy-bottom pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer, cooking for a total of 17 minutes.
• Chop the whole onion.
• Heat nonstick pan large enough to hold all the ingredients, until it is very hot. Add the oil, and reduce heat to medium high. Saute the onion until it softens and begins to brown.
• Meanwhile, trim the fat from the lamb, grind the lamb and mince the garlic. When onion is browning, add the lamb, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the garlic.
• Wash and trim the whole zucchini and pepper. Seed the pepper. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut the pepper into narrow strips. When the lamb is browned, add zucchini and pepper. Saute a few minutes, until pepper begins to soften.
• Pit the olives, and cut coarsely. Stir in the tomato paste, cherries, olives, cumin and stock. Reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender and liquid has been absorbed but mixture is still moist. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over the rice.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb leg all over with olive oil, and then the pepper and basil. Let the lamb sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
• Season the lamb all over with salt, set fat-side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and continue to cook for about 1 hour. While the lamb is roasting, peel the onions, cut the ends off, and slice in half into 2 thick rings. Place into a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and roast alongside the lamb for the last 30 minutes or until they are soft and caramelized. The lamb is done when a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the leg reads 120 to 125 degrees F. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let rest 10 to 20 minutes.
• Spoon off the fat from the roasting pan. Set the pan over 2 burners, add the red wine and balsamic and reduce by half, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef broth and reduce until sauce reaches desired consistency. Whisk in the sour cherries and butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve with slices of lamb and red onions.

Steps:

• Place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Halve the squash lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds and discard them. Rub the flesh of the squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place 3 sprigs each of thyme and sage on a small baking sheet. Place the cut side of the squash directly on top of the herbs. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the quartered shallots cut-side down and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
• Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot over medium-high. Cook the lamb on both sides until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
• Add the minced shallots and garlic to the pan, season with salt and stir to coat with the pan drippings. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, then add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the remaining thyme and sage.
• Cover the pot with a lid or a piece of foil and move the pot to the bottom rack of the oven. Place the squash on the top rack. Bake the squash until the flesh is tender and a thin knife can be easily inserted, about 75 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Continue to cook the lamb until the meat is tender enough to pull with a fork, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours total.
• Scoop out the squash with a spoon and place on a serving plate, then transfer the lamb to the plate and cover to keep warm. Remove the braised tomatoes from the lamb cooking liquid and discard along with any excess fat.
• Set the pot over medium heat and reduce the liquid to about 3/4 of its volume, about 5 minutes. Add the browned shallots and brandied fruit. Cook until shallots are tender and sauce is warmed through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the lamb and squash and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with steamed rice, couscous or thick slices of a crusty sourdough loaf.

Steps:

• If using a broiler, turn it on.
• Wash, dry and remove excess fat from the lamb. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Mash the garlic and combine with the wine in a bowl large enough to hold the lamb. Add the lamb, and turn it to coat it with wine. Allow the lamb to marinate until time to cook, or at least 10 minutes.
• If using a stove-top grill, prepare it. Remove the lamb from the marinade and broil or grill until it is brown on both sides and pink inside, 7 to 10 minutes total.
• Add the cherries to the wine marinade, and boil until it is reduced by half. When the lamb is cooked, stir it into wine mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.