Naan Pizza with Spiced Lamb, Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Goat Cheese

Homemade flatbread, ghee-fried spiced lamb, roasted peppers, onions, heirloom tomatoes and garlic, with fresh goat cheese and Neapolitan parsley..

Naan Pizza with Spiced Lamb, Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Goat Cheese

For the Vegetables

1/2 pound heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped.
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/3 cup assorted fresh peppers (I like to use both hot and sweet peppers), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon cracked coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Toss the vegetables together then lay out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Place the tray in a 500 degree oven until slightly charred.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the Lamb

1/2 pound freshly-ground, pastured lamb
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon spice blend such as Penzeys Vindaloo, containing a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, brown mustard, red pepper, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and cloves.  Reserve a tablespoon or two of the butter, spice and lamb juices to spread on the naan.

Gently form the lamb into 1-1/2 inch balls, taking care not to press too tightly.  Sprinkle with the salt and set aside.  Heat the ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.  Add the spices and whisk to incorporate. Carefully add the lamb to the ghee and shallow fry until nicely seared on the outside but still rare in the middle.  Transfer to a side plate and allow to drain.

For the Naan (adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)

8 ounces organic all-purpose flour (can use sprouted or soaked flour)
6 cloves garlic, peeled, roasted and mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
1/3 cup fresh whole milk, hand-hot
1 tablespoon ghee, melted, plus a little extra
1/3 cup plain yoghurt, lightly beaten
1 small pastured egg, lightly beaten

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, yeast and sugar in a bowl and pour in the hand-hot milk, ghee, garlic, yoghurt and the beaten egg and mix it all together to form a ball of dough.  Place the dough on to a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 tsp ghee into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it.  Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven and a heavy baking sheet to 500 degrees.

Punch down the dough and knead it again and divide into 9 equal balls.  While working on 1 ball, keep the remaining balls covered. Flatten the ball using your hands (or rolling pin) into a tear-shaped naan, about 6 inches in length and about 4 inches at its widest. Brush the top with melted ghee.

Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, grease it well with ghee and place the naan on to it.

Put the pan into the oven on the top rack for 2-3 minutes. It should puff up and brown slightly. It will go from browned to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Once puffed up and browned on one side, flip the naan and place back into the oven until browned, about 1 minute.

To Assemble

Lightly brush the naan with the reserved butter mixture.  Scatter the roasted vegetables around the naan, then position the lamb around and about.  Tuck in a few wedges of fresh goat cheese here and there, then place the naan directly on the center rack of a 500 degree oven and bake until the cheese is soft and the edges of the naan have begun to char.  Remove from oven, dress with torn parsley and a light squeeze of fresh lemon and serve immediately.

Smoky Pork Tinga Tacos

Smoky pulled pork, pickled red onions, avocado and crumbled goat cheese on roasted jalapeño tortillas..

Pork Tinga Tacos

Pork Tinga Tacos (Tacos de Tinga Poblana)

For the Pickled Onions (adapted from a recipe by David Lebovitz)

3/4 cup organic white vinegar
3 tablespoons rapadura
pinch of sea salt
1 bay leaf
5 allspice berries
5 whole cloves
a small, dried chile pepper
1 star aniseseed
1 clove garlic, bruised
1 large red onion, peeled, and thinly sliced into rings

Bring all ingredients except onions to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Reduce heat and add the onions. Simmer 30 seconds, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator for up to 3 months.  Pickled onions may be eaten the day they are made, but taste best after 3 days in the refrigerator.

For the Tinga Poblana (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2/3 pound pulled pork (I’ve used yesterday’s leftover Cuban pork)
1 red potato, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 Roma tomato, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon leaf lard or pastured butter
1 cup chicken stock
1-2 chipotle chiles en adobo, chopped, plus 1-2 tablespoons sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon smoked chile powder (optional)
sea salt

Sauté diced potatoes and cumin seed in a tablespoon of leaf lard until soft but not browned, about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, chipotle en adobo and oregano and cook until tomatoes have released all their water, about 5 minutes.

Add pork, chicken stock, chile powder and Worcestershire, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken stock as necessary to keep the pork from drying out.  Season to taste with sea salt.

To serve, place pork mixture in the center of a tortilla (steamed corn or freshly griddled flour tortillas) and dress with pickled red onions.  Add slices of fresh avocado, crumbled goat cheese and chopped cilantro.

Sweet Potato, Bacon and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Fresh flour tortillas spread with mole rojo and topped with pan-roasted sweet potatoes, bacon, red onions, poblano peppers with crumbled goat cheese and fresh cilantro..

Assembling Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Assembling Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Sauté diced bacon in a heavy skillet until some of the fat has rendered and it begins to brown.  Add diced sweet potatoes and continue to cook until browned and softened.

Add cumin seeds, diced red onions, diced poblano peppers and sauté until softened.  Add Mexican oregano and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Lightly spread fresh tortillas with thinned mole rojo (a thick paste of Ancho and Guajillo chiles, onion, tomatoes, pecans, peanuts, sesame, garlic, oregano and a hint of chocolate).

Top tortillas with sautéed vegetables, fresh cilantro and crumbled goat cheese.  Place a second tortillas over the top and press the edges together to form a seal.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then cut into wedges and top with fresh diced avocado, quartered grape tomatoes, diced white onion, garlic, s&p and avocado or olive oil.

Lamb chops with bean salad

A pair of inch and 1/2 thick lamb chops from a pasture near Austin. Fresh herbs, garlic, peppercorns, sea salt and a soft red wine. Into a glass bowl thence to the fridge overnight.

Giant white beans, onion chives, carrot, fava beans and goat cheese will comprise a mostly raw salad.

Unzip the favas and blanch them for 30 seconds to loosen the shell, then chill under cold water to stop the cooking. Slit the shells with the point of a knife to set them free.

Onto a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side, then into a 400 degree oven for ~10 minutes for medium-rare. I have a leftover potato latke, so I’ll stick that into the oven with the chops.

Enjoy!