Lamb chops with Ras el Hanout

I recently bought a lot of lamb from a fantastic producer, Gerry Oliver from Spiritsands Shepherds.  I will be featuring some lamb dishes this upcoming Manitoba Fibrefestival, Friday evening and Saturday at the Red River Exhibition Grounds.  Manitoba lamb is some of the best in the world.

Here, I have prepared an elegant meal that is very easy to prepare, of Ras el Hanout rubbed lamb loin chops, wild rice pilaf, and chipotle butter corn on the cob.

Ras el Hanout rubbed Lamb loin chops with orange and pomegranate.

4 lamb chops (2 per person)
Enough Ras el Hanout to rub all over the meat.
olive oil
salt, to taste
2-3 tbs butter
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange
1 tbs Dijon mustard
~1/4 cup of Pomegranate liquor (can substitute with an orange liquor or brandy)

Brown chops that have had Ras el Hanout rubbed onto them and let chill for a few hours in olive oil and a bit of butter, for 2 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and let rest.  Add juice, zest, liquor, mustard, and butter to the pan and incorporate well.  Add the browned chops back to the pan and let cook for 1-2 minutes.  Season and serve with Wild Rice Pilaf and corn.

Happy Thanksgiving! on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

 Tomorrow I will be presenting these recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  I am so thankful for such an abundance of beautiful products here in Manitoba!  These dishes can all be prepared in advance, to make your Thanksgiving feast a celebration for all.  

I prepared Eye of Round Beef, because it is versatile and as an option from Turkey.  For other Turkey ideas, please look in my blog.

1. Wildrice pancakes

2 cups cooked wild rice (Black Duck Lake Wild Rice at St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)*

4 large eggs (I used Nature’s Farm eggs)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup flour (optional to use wild rice flour or potato flour, for gluten-free alternatives)

½ tsp ground nutmeg

Optional spices:  Cajun, Turkish, Moroccan, Italian blends

Olive oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.  In a hot skillet, heat oil and form pancakes.  Cook until crisp and brown on each side.  Enjoy as a side dish with cranberry sauce or relish, chutneys, etc.

*I boiled the wild rice in a pot of water for 40 minutes, then drained the water.

2. Walnut fig orange stuffed Eye of Round roast

1 3 lb eye of round roast beef (Wildfire Farms at St.Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Optional marinade:  ½ cup red wine, rub with Ras el Hanout, salt, to taste, drizzle olive oil, 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Filling:  ½ cup walnuts, chopped , zest of one orange, juice of one orange, ½ cup chopped dried figs (or other dried fruit), 1 egg, salt and pepper, ½ cup chopped parsley

Dijon Mustard, to coat roast

Cut open an eye of round roast to lay flat.  Marinate overnight, if desired.  Remove from marinade and reserve liquid.  Lightly coat both sides of roast with Dijon Mustard and place filling inside, roll and tie roast.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large pan, sear roast to brown all over and place in baking dish.  Bake with liquid over chopped onions and carrots for 20 minutes a pound for rare meat.

Let meat rest before cutting.  Enjoy hot or cold.  Prepare a sauce with drippings by pureeing and cooking, adding a bit of butter and red wine.

Chef's Notes:  You can also cook the roast in a slow cooker for fall apart tenderness.  If cooking rare, slice thinly after resting the meat.
 

Enjoy!

3. Solberry CurdTarts

½ -3/4 cup Solberry Puree (Available at Co-op stores and Vita Health)

1/2 cup butter (I used Notre Dame butter)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs (I use Nature’s Farm eggs, available at the St. Norbert’s Farmer’s Market)

Mix sugar, eggs and Solberry in a bowl

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a double saucepan over a very gentle heat.

Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 3 beaten eggs, the grated lemon zest and the Solberry.

Stir until thickened.

Put into sterilized jars while still hot and cover with wax paper, pressing the paper on the surface of the lemon curd. (If using curd for Lemon Meringue Pie/tarts, cool in fridge), or cool in a container until needed.

Enjoy in tarts, as a spread, with meringue, over pavlova, etc.

Pickerel Cheeks and Wild Rice with Saskatoons on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

 This morning I presented the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  The Pickerel cheeks, wild rice and saskatoons are all available at Gimli Fish.

Pickerel Cheeks (easy)
1 lb pickerel cheeks
2 tsp butter
1 bunch fresh sorrel (or other favourite fresh herbs)
salt and pepper, to taste
splash Mirin, to deglaze pan (can use Vermouth or for non-alcohol uses, apple or pear juice)

Sauté pickerel cheeks on both sides in melted butter with herbs over medium high heat. Deglaze and season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.

 Pickerel Cheeks (difficult)
Same as above but wrap each pickerel cheek as a package in the sorrel leaf and tie with a chive.

Enjoy!

Wild Rice with Saskatoons (serve hot or cold)

1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
4 cups water

1 onion, thinly sliced or fine dice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup Saskatoons
1/4 cup toasted nuts (pine nuts, almonds, pecans, etc.) optional
Salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbs favourite spice blend (Ras el Hanout, Baharat, Cajun, Herbes d’Provence)  Today I’m making it with Herbes d’Provence

Cook rice by bringing to a boil and then simmering for 45 minutes or until most of the rice has curled.  In a pan, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat.  Add in all ingredients.  Mix rice and seasoning together in a bowl.  Serve hot or cold.

Enjoy!