Tag Archives: Lamb

Shawarma Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

Sweet and Spicy Shawarma Roasted Red Pepper Pizza, because it’s still weekend and Pizzas are the best.
Homemade pizza dough topped with a simple tomato sauce, two types of cheese, grilled peppers, Shawarma, cherry tomatoes and basil.
This pizza is so good. It’s sweet and a tiny bit spicy and will leave you wanting more.
There really isn’t anything better than home-made Pizza. You could also use store-bought Pizza dough if you’re in a hurry or my one of my LINK

Prep time : 15 min
Cooking time : 10-15 min
Makes : 4

INGREDIENTS DOUGH:

• 500 gr./ 3 1/3 C (type 00) flour
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (optional)
• ¼ tsp onion powder (optional)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 350 -375 ml / 1.5 – 1 3/4 cups warm water

INGREDIENTS TOPPING:

• 1 C. Tomato sauce/marinara sauce
• 1 C. shredded Mozzarella
• 1 C. shredded Gouda cheese
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 whole roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and dried on kitchen paper
• 1 C. cooked Shawarma meat SEE RECIPE BELOW
• 1 tsp. dry chili flakes
• A handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Fresh basil

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE SHAWARMA:

• ½ lb. minced beef or lamb
• A drizzle of oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed or grated
• ½ tsp. Ground coriander
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika powder
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. dry chili flakes
• Salt and pepper

METHOD:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment combine all the dry ingredients and stir to mix, then add the wet. Knead for a few minutes until it comes together. Using your hands, place all the dough on a floured surface, kneading and forming the dough into a ball using some extra flour . Oil a large bowl lightly and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel or cling film and place in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Meanwhile make the Shawarma meat.
Heat a large frying pan and add a drizzle of oil. Once the pan is hot add the meat and garlic and fry for a minute, add the seasoning and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink. About 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 230° C / 450° F , place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one or otherwise the baking sheet.
Gently punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 25cm/10” circle (roughly). Place each circle on a piece of parchment paper.
Spread tomato sauce over each pizza base. Divide cheeses, Shawarma meat, onion, peppers and cherry tomatoes over the pizzas.
Transfer the pizza by lifting the parchment paper onto a large board and slide the pizza into the oven.
Bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is all melted and the crust golden and crispy.
Remove onto a large wooden board. Sprinkle with dried chili flakes and Basil and eat straight away.

Enjoy!

If you make this Shawarma Roasted Red Pepper Pizza be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and if you love it, pin it. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! @thecookingspoonblog or hashtag it #thecookingspoonblog

Mediterranean Roast Lamb with Mint Chimichurri

8 Replies

Mediterranean Roast Lamb with Mint Chimichurri, what’s not to love?

This recipe is simple, fuss-free and turns out perfect every time, lamb is very forgiving since it’s quit a fatty cut of meat so it will not dry out easily. However I do put a small baking dish at the bottom of the oven filled with water to humidify the oven.
If you can, buy a piece of lamb with the bone still in, and although carving without the bone may be easier, the bone adds a lot of flavour to the meat during cooking.
Also it adds so much flavour to the potatoes and onions on the bottom, they are basically being cooked in all the lamb juices and drippings.

Personal I prefer the lamb medium done with a hint of pink. But you may cook it longer if you prefer.
________________________________________
Serves : 4-6
Total cooking time : ca. 2 hours
Roasting Temperature: First 20 minutes 200° C / 395° F.
Remaining time : 160° C / 320° F
________________________________________

General cooking times:
Rare: about 15 minutes per pound
Medium-Rare: about 20 minutes per pound
Medium: about 25 minutes per pound
Well-Done: about 30 minutes per pound
These times are only guidelines. It is best to check with a thermometer since not all cuts cook the same.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (4 pound) bone-in leg of lamb
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 2 tsp. chopped fine fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. thyme leafs
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1 glass of dry white wine
• 1/2 cup of stock
• 3 medium onions peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch / 1/2 cm.
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch / 1 cm
• 1 x Chimichurri sauce recipe

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take the leg of lamb out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking to let it get to room temperature.
Pre heat the oven to 200° C / 395° F.
Remove any excess skin from the leg of lamb and discard. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
Cut incisions with a sharp knife all over the leg of lamb, just a few times to make cooking more even and so the herbs and flavouring can penetrate into the lamb.
Season the lamb liberally with salt and pepper all over.
In a small bowl mix the olive oil, mustard, chopped herbs and grated garlic.
Rub the lamb with the olive oil and herb mixture.
Cover your baking tray with parchment paper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Prepare your onions and potatoes.
Place the slices of onion on the bottom and then top with the potato slices.
Place the lamb on top. Pour the remaining herb and olive oil mix over the potatoes.
Add the wine and stock and place the lamb in the middle of the oven.
Roast for 20 minutes then lower the heat to 160° C / 320° F and cook for another 100 minutes (1 hr and 40 min) .
If the lamb gets to dark cover loosely with foil. Make sure to baste the lamb with the juices every 30 minutes.
Uncover the lamb for the last 15 to 20 minutes for a crispy outside, if you used foil.
Depending on how you like your lamb done; Continue cooking the lamb until it has reaches your desired internal temperature, (if using a thermometer) , checking the temperature every 20 minutes. The other way to test is by pulling/cutting off a piece of meat.
Let the lamb rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
To carve the lamb. Place the lamb on a cutting board. Turn it so the bone is parallel to the cutting board.
Cut the lamb off the bone by slicing with your knife parallel to the bone. Serve with the potatoes and onions.
Serve the Mint Chimichurri sauce along side.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

Moroccan Meatballs with Quinoa

18 Replies

Serves 4

We went to Marrakech once , and the food, the market, the people, the smell…….was so enchanting like nothing else I had ever seen before. I fell in love instantly with the sweet and savoury cuisine.

I have been making these meatballs ever since. I make a lot of other Moroccan dishes too but this one is by far the quickest and easiest.

Ingredients;

1 lb. lean ground lamb or beef
1 onion peeled and chopped fine
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
1 tsp. himalayan salt or regular
ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
1/4 C. (home made ) dried breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. Ras el Hanout , see Ras el Hanout. for spice mix recipe
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground dried ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. fresh chopped coriander plus 1 tbsp. for serving
3 tbsp. chopped pistachios (dry toasted briefly in a pan). Reserve one tablespoon to sprinkle over before serving.
4 dried apricots chopped

For the sauce;

1 tbsp. tomato puree
1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes, or 5 to 6 fresh ones chopped
1 tsp. beef stock powder
1 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. orange juice plus 5 tbsp water to make 1/2 cup in total

Method;

In a large frying pan add 1 tbsp. of the oil and cook the onion and garlic gently for about 5 minutes on medium low heat until slightly beginning to turn golden. Add all the spices and remove from the heat to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat the onion and spice mix, the breadcrumbs, egg yolk, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp. pistachios, chopped coriander and apricots. Mix with your hands and form into golf ball sized meatballs.

Wipe your frying pan and add the remaining oil. Set heat on medium high. Fry all the meatballs until nicely browned all over and remove to a plate. Work in batches if necessary.

Once you have cooked all the meatballs. Start making the sauce in the same frying pan with the remaining oil in it and add the tomato paste and fry for 30 seconds then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, add the meatball back to the pan and simmer with the lid half on the pan, for about twenty minutes.

Meanwhile make the Quinoa.

For the Quinoa;

1 cup (dry) quinoa
2 c. chicken or beef stock
2 tbsp. chopped pistachios (dry toasted briefly in a pan)
1 c. chickpeas drained
6 dates, stone removed and chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
1 tsp. garlic powder
ground pepper
2 tbsp. chopped coriander

Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under running water. This is to remove the saponins that taste very bitter.

Did you know that saponins are for protection against insects?

Put quinoa to a medium saucepan. Add the stock, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and add the dates, carrot, garlic powder, chickpeas and pepper. Just before serving add the coriander and the pistachios.

Note: some quinoa only takes ten minutes to cook, so check the package instructions!!!

To serve place the quinoa on one side of a large platter, the meatballs and sauce on the other side. Sprinkle with more pistachios and chopped coriander.