Moroccan Meatball And Lentil Bake With Company Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add beef. Sprinkle salt, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, coriander, and allspice over beef and vegetables. Stir to mix. Continue to cook mixture until beef is browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste until well combined and cook for 1 minute. Add in beef broth, molasses, and bay leaves. Bring stew to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 50 minutes.
• Mix in lentils and dried apricots. Bring stew back to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally, until lentils soften, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and mix in fresh lemon juice to taste just before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• MEATBALLS:.
• Mix the garlic, cumin, coriander and cinnamon, salt & pepper together.
• Break up any lumps in the minced beef and add the spices, finely diced onion and the beaten egg.
• Mix together well, using your hands.
• Shape into balls the size of a walnut - you should get about 32 to 36 meatballs.
• Roll them into the flour and heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Fry them in batches - do not overcrowd the pan - fry until golden brown, are firm & keeping their shape.
• Put the meatballs to one side.
• LENTILS:.
• Heat up the olive oil in the same frying pan as the meatballs were cooked inches.
• Fry the garlic and onion over a low heat until translucent & golden but not brown.
• Add the spices and then the lentils and stir them around to get a good coating of the oil.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, cinnamon stick & the dried apricots.
• Give them all a good stir and cook over a low heat for about 2 minutes.
• Pour the lentils into a large ovenproof dish and place the meatballs on top. Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the meatballs.(They look good if kept on the vine).
• Cover and cook for about 1 hr, or until the sauce has thickened.
• Take the cover off for the last 10-15 minutes and allow the meatballs & cherry tomatoes to brown.
• Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
• Whilst the meatball & lentil bake is cooking, prepare and cook the vegetable accompaniment.
• Take a large wok and heat up the olive oil.
• Add the fennel bulb, onions & carrots and stir well.
• Add the brown sugar, stir well & turn up the heat. Cook the vegetables until they are tinged brown on the edges and the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Turn the heat down and add the vegetable stock, cover the wok and cook for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still holding their shape.
• Add the orange juice and mix well, cook without a lid for a further 5 minutes.
• Pour into a serving dish & garnish with grated orange zest, fennel seeds and some of the green fronds from the fennel.
• Serve alongside the meatball and lentil bake.
• Garnish the meatball & lentil bake with some of the green fronds from the fennel bulbs.
• Flatbreads, rice or couscous would also be good accompaniments, if needed, for this meal.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Rub 1 tbsp olive oil into the chicken thighs. Mix the garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika together, then rub all over the chicken thighs on both sides.
• Heat a large flameproof casserole, add the chicken thighs and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until golden on both sides. You might need to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of the casserole. Set the chicken aside. Turn down the heat, add the remaining oil and fry the onion for 5 mins until softened.
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients, apart from the mint and bring to the boil. Place the chicken thighs on top and pour in any juices. Cover and cook for 1½ hrs, until the meat is tender and the sauce thickened. Can be cooled and frozen at this stage for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge, then gently warm through. Scatter with fresh mint leaves and serve with couscous or rice.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small nonstick frypan, heat oil over medium heat.
• Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until browned.
• In a medium bowl, combine ground lamb, couscous, egg, parsley, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger.
• Add sauteed onion and garlic.
• Mix well, form into 1 and 1/2 inch meatballs.
• Place on a prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until browned on all sides and no longer pink.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the onions, garlic and prepared spices; sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened.
• Remove half of the mixture to a clean bowl to cool for the meatballs.
• Add the tomatoes and sugar to the remaining onions in the pan, season and simmer for about 15 minutes until reduced.
• Add the chopped herbs, egg, ground beef and the breadcrumbs to the cooled onion-garlic mixture, then season and mix everything well with your hands. Shape into walnut-sized balls.
• Heat the remaining oil and fry the meatballs until golden. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes until they're cooked through; about 5-10 minutes.