This Sunday's Dinner

This Sunday we are hosting a small event. The menu will include:

Kerala Shrimp
Turkish Yoghurt Eggplant
Porcini Mushroom Consomme
Elk Ribeye OR Rack of Lamb with Ras el Hanout
Roasted Vegetables AND/OR watercress arugula salad

Slow Cooker Recipe - Lamb with ras el hanout and shredded cabbage

The Slow cooker or Crock Pot is being used more and more these days. Try this recipe using lamb shoulder and shredded red cabbage and spice it up with some Ras el Hanout.

Lamb with Ras el Hanout and Shredded Cabbage

1 lamb shoulder (I used Manitoba lamb)
1 head red cabbage, shredded
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs Ras el Hanout
1 bunch Chard, cut chiffonade style*
1 head garlic, peeled
2-3 chopped tomatoes (I also added a handful of sundried tomatoes)
1/4 cup chopped dates **
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup red wine
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt

Put shredded cabbage, chopped tomatoes, chard, dates, apricots, vinegar, stock, red wine, garlic and salt in Slow cooker and turn on.

In a skillet, sauté the onion until translucent in 1 tbs olive oil. Add the Ras el Hanout and sauté until soft. Add to slow cooker and mix ingredients.

In the same skillet, on medium high heat, add 1 tbs olive oil and brown lamb shoulder on all sides. Nestle lamb into the vegetable mixture in the slow cooker and cover. Cook overnight or throughout the day until the lamb meat falls off of the bones. Remove meat from the slow cooker and de-bone or trim any extra fat. Place lamb pieces back in the slow cooker and keep hot until serving with baked potatoes or rice.

Enjoy!

*To cut chiffonade style for leafy vegetables or basil, stack leaves in line on top of each other. Roll tightly and cut in thin slices from tip to end. Loosen the cut leaves.

**I used fresh dates from the Halal Meats and Specialty Foods Store on Maryland but you can use most varieties of dates.

Options:
chopped carrots or parsnips
leave out red wine from cooking if you don't cook with wine but watch the moisture Perhaps try Verjus, also available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods Store on Maryland.

Reposting with new information!

These gorgeous squash were grown by Kelly Ditz, recent MESA Honorable Mention Award winner and amazing produce grower.

To buy directly from Kelly, please pre-order by calling (204)772-5486 for his full produce list which includes; Butternut, spaghetti, Turban, Boston Marrow, Sweetie Pie Pumpkin, Marina di Chioggia, Galeux D’Eysines, and Boston Marrow, Amish pie Pumpkin, Mandan Banquet, etc

He also provides much of the vegetables for Elkhorn Resort and Spa.






1. Marina d'Chioggia Gnocchi from Vegan Visitor





1 1/2 Cups Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin, about 1/2 roasted
1 Russet Baking Potato, baked in it’s skin
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Scant 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
Pinch of Black Pepper & Nutmeg
1 3/4 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour, plus extra for rolling

Prick with a fork and bake the potato in a 350ºF oven for about 1 hour or in a microwave for 10-12 minutes, turning it over after 6 minutes.
Once the potato is just cool enough to handle, break it open and scrape the inside and continue to mash with the fork or a potato ricer.
Remove the roasted pumpkin from the skin. Place it in a sieve and allow it to drain as much extra moisture as possible.
Purée or pass the drained pumpkin through a sieve.
In a large bowl, mix the potato and the pumpkin purée with the remaining ingredients, adding in the flour 1/4 cup at a time.
Once the mixture comes together as a smooth, workable dough, transfer it to a flat board and cut it into eight pieces.
One by one, roll each of the pieces into 3/4″ diameter cylinders then cut them into 1/2″ pieces.
Using the back of a floured fork, push and roll each of the cut pieces down towards the end of the fork to create the ribbed gnocchi shape.
Roll in additional flour, if necessary and set aside.

Put a large pot of slightly salted water on to boil.
Once the water is rapidly boiling, drop the gnocchi in.
Cook only until the gnocchi begins to float, about 2 minutes, watching carefully being sure not to over cook.
Drain all at once or with a slotted spoon.
Serve immediately with butter, pesto, classic tomato sauce or toss with spinach and thyme.


2. Sautéed Squash with Pear

(photos by Karen)


1 small squash or pumpkin (size of a small cabbage)- NOT Spaghetti Squash
1 ripe pear
1 tbs. butter
drizzle olive oil
freshly grated nutmeg
1 oz Frangelico
salt and pepper

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Save seeds on paper towel to dry for planting in Spring. I used a small version of the bumpy salmon coloured squash in the top photo.

Cut seeded squash into four pieces to make peeling easier. Peel and slice into wedges. Heat a sauté pan to medium heat. Melt butter with a drizzle of olive oil. Place squash slices in pan and slowly cook for ~20 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown on both sides. Add chopped pear, salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium high after pear has softened and add the Frangelico. Allow the liquid to cook down a bit.

Can be prepared in advance and warmed up. A nice side dish for a wide range of holiday feasting.

Enjoy!