Lamb Keftedes

A traditional Greek offering of local, pastured lamb, toasted spices and fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and extra-virgin olive oil..

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Lamb Keftedes

Makes about 8-10 Meatballs (adapted from a recipe by Michael Symon)

1/4 cup white onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup day-old bread, torn into cubes
1/4 cup fresh, whole milk
1/2 pound freshly-ground lamb, 75% lean
1 pastured egg
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon nibs
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
sprouted wheat flour for dusting
clarified butter
fresh oregano, torn
fresh mint, torn
1 fresh lemon

Toast the cinnamon, cumin and coriander in a dry skillet until fragrant, then set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, sauté the onion with a pinch of salt in a little clarified butter over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic  and cook until softened, about another 2 minutes. Set aside.

Soak the bread in the milk.

Grind the toasted spices and cinnamon together in a mortar, then combine with the black pepper and nutmeg.

In a mixing bowl, combine the onions, garlic and lamb.  Squeeze out the bread and add to the lamb along with the spices, pepper and torn oregano.  Mix everything together by hand.

Form the meat mixture into golf ball-sized balls then roll in the flour, gently shaking off any excess.

Heat clarified butter in a heavy pan over medium heat, then add the meatballs to the pan.  Pan-fry until golden brown and crusty on the outside, then drain briefly on paper towels.

Arrange the meatballs on a plate, drizzle with olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.  Garnish with lemon zest and oregano and serve with olives and lemon wedges.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Pomegranate Chutney

Fresh pomegranate seeds, coriander, green onions, chiles, ginger and red currant coulis..

Pomegranate Chutney

Pomegranate Chutney with Salmon

For the Red Currant Coulis (adapted from saveur.com)

1 cup red currants, rinsed, stemmed and picked over
1/3 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon rapadura or other non-refined sweetener to taste
pinch of salt

Bring currants and water to a rapid boil, then reduce heat and simmer until currants begin to break apart, about 10 minutes.

Stir in salt and sugar, then mash all together with the back of a wooden spoon.  Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for up to two weeks.

For the Chutney (adapted from a recipe by Sunset Magazine)

1/4 cup red currant coulis
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 small Serrano chiles, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 1ablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and and freshly-ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl.  Add a little more coulis if too thin, a little pomegranate juice if too thick.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pomegranate Chutney is high in vitamins C and B5 and contains numerous free-radical scavenging phytochemicals that may help to reduce heart disease risk factors.

Try pomegranate chutney with salmon and leafy greens for extraordinary flavor and nourishment!


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This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate

A traditional, healing dish of sprouted lentils in a spicy, savory tomato sauce with toasted whole spices, onions, peppers, pea shoots and wild pomegranate seeds.

Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate

Bengal Lentils with Pea Shoots and Wild Pomegranate Seeds

Sauté whole hulled cardamom, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, bay leaf and true cinnamon in ghee or clarified until fragrant and the seeds begin to “pop” in the in pan.

Add diced white onion, peppers and plum tomatoes and cook, stirring continuously until the oil separates, about 5 minutes.

Add turmeric, paprika, black pepper, freshly-grated ginger and wild pomegranate seeds and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add raw, sprouted lentils, pea shoots and chopped cilantro and stir to combine.

Note: if feeding a crowd, you could easily extend this dish with simmered chickpeas

Serve over aged basmati rice or with naan if desired.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet


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Wild pomegranate seeds are sometimes used as a spice known as anardana (which literally means pomegranate (anar) seeds (dana) in Persian), most notably in Indian and Pakistani cuisine but also as a replacement for pomegranate syrup in Middle Eastern cuisine. As a result of this, the dried whole seeds can often be obtained in ethnic Indian Sub-continent markets. The seeds are separated from the flesh, dried for 10–15 days and used as an acidic agent for chutney and curry production. Seeds may also be ground in order to avoid becoming stuck in teeth when eating dishes containing them. Seeds of the wild pomegranate daru from the Himalayas are regarded as quality sources for this spice.

Sprouted Black Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Purée and Salsa Cruda

Posted in support of Meatless Monday..

“Quinoa (KEEN-wah), the ancient grain of the Incas, has been cultivated in the Andean highlands of South America for over 7000 years.

It was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthful choice for vegetarians and vegans.

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous.”

With the addition of fresh, raw and roasted vegetables, this whole-food dish is a nutritionally complete, satisfying meal..

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Sprouted Black Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Purée and Salsa Cruda

For 2 servings

1/2 cup black quinoa* soaked overnight in 1/2 cup filtered water
1 red bell pepper, seeded
2-3 plum tomatoes
2 scallions
2 cloves garlic
2 green chilies, seeded
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

*Black quinoa is available in Austin at Wheatsville Co-op

Thoroughly rinse the quinoa and gently boil in 1/2 cup filtered water (1 cup if un-soaked) until tender, about 15 minutes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, split, seed and roast 1 large red bell pepper and 2 small green chilies (adjust quantity according to your taste).  Roasting introduces a mild smokiness and adds complexity to the flavor.  Set aside.

Chop scallions, garlic, chilies, parsley and 1/2 of the tomatoes (this is the salsa cruda) and toss with quinoa and olive oil.  Allow to stand 10 minutes to combine flavors, then season with coriander seeds, salt and pepper.

Puree the red peppers in a food processor with 1 peeled and seeded plum tomato and a tablespoon of olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and strain if desired.

Ladle pepper puree on a plate with a mound of quinoa.  Serve with a field green salad if desired.

Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

Bookmark and Share

Sprouted Black Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Purée and Salsa Cruda

Posted in support of Meatless Monday..

“Quinoa (KEEN-wah), the ancient grain of the Incas, has been cultivated in the Andean highlands of South America for over 7000 years.

It was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthful choice for vegetarians and vegans.

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous.”

With the addition of fresh, raw and roasted vegetables, this whole-food dish is a nutritionally complete, satisfying meal..

100_2348

Sprouted Black Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Purée and Salsa Cruda

For 2 servings

1/2 cup black quinoa* soaked overnight in 1/2 cup filtered water
1 red bell pepper, seeded
2-3 plum tomatoes
2 scallions
2 cloves garlic
2 green chilies, seeded
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

*Black quinoa is available in Austin at Wheatsville Co-op

Thoroughly rinse the quinoa and gently boil in 1/2 cup filtered water (1 cup if un-soaked) until tender, about 15 minutes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, split, seed and roast 1 large red bell pepper and 2 small green chilies (adjust quantity according to your taste).  Roasting introduces a mild smokiness and adds complexity to the flavor.  Set aside.

Chop scallions, garlic, chilies, parsley and 1/2 of the tomatoes (this is the salsa cruda) and toss with quinoa and olive oil.  Allow to stand 10 minutes to combine flavors, then season with coriander seeds, salt and pepper.

Puree the red peppers in a food processor with 1 peeled and seeded plum tomato and a tablespoon of olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and strain if desired.

Ladle pepper puree on a plate with a mound of quinoa.  Serve with a field green salad if desired.

Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

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