Moussak-It To Me!

Lamb Moussaka with Potatoes and Eggplant
I have been woefully negligent about food-blogging, but my excuse is work, work, work. More awesome directing gigs come at the cost of time to experiment in the kitchen. Thankfully, this Thanksgiving weekend has afforded me time (and ample leftovers) to create some culinary magic. My parents came up to spend Thanksgiving with us for a total of nine around our Thanksgiving table. It was a great night, but a 22 pound turkey (plus ample sides) left more leftovers than we knew what to do with. Days of delicious sandwiches have been followed by a gallon of turkey noodle soup, but what about all those mashed potatoes? There are a few recipes out there that I deem "Pain in the Ass Recipes" (my mom's delicious Pumpkin Chiffon Pie comes to mind). These are absolutely delicious dishes, but they don't get made all that often. Lasagne, ravioli, and German Chocolate cake rank amongst my favorites . . . but they are too much fuss to make unless I have the time on my hands to dedicate to a variety of steps, sauces, and a disaster of a kitchen. Well, today I decided to avoid the office all together and work from home. This allowed me to be a little closer to my stove and put in the time to create an amazing Greek-style dish utilizing all those delicious leftover mashed potatoes. While this is certainly not an "everyday" kind of recipe - it sure hits the spot on this cold December night! Try it if you have people to impress or a huge cold-weather appetite . . . or just a bunch of leftover mashed potatoes.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 large eggplant, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4"strips
- olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, trimmed and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 c. red wine
- 1/2 c. chopped kalamata olives
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes and their juices
- salt and pepper
- 4 c. whole milk
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 c. flour
- 4 egg yolks, whisked
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. all spice
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 
- 2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp/ fresh grated nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped oregano and thyme
- 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped Italian parsley
- leftover mashed potatoes (about 2-3 cups)

Begin by preparing the eggplant. Line a baking sheet with heavy foil and spritz lightly with cooking spray. Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheet and sprinkle one side with salt. Allow eggplant to "sweat" for about 10-15 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices over and repeat on other side. After little beads of condensation collect on eggplant, rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Line up on baking sheet and heat oven to 425˚F. Sprinkle eggplant slices with chopped oregano and thyme and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Roast for about 15 minutes, flip over slices drizzle with additional olive oil. Roast for another 10 minutes until eggplant is soft and tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

While eggplant is roasting, prepare the béchamel sauce. Heat milk to lukewarm in a small sauce pan. Do not bring to a boil. When milk is warm, set aside. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour and continue to whisk for 1 minute until you have a smooth roux. Turn down heat slightly and slowly pour in heated milk about 1/2 c. at a time. Whisk the mixture together as you add the milk, it should create a smooth, creamy sauce. Once all the milk is added, take about 1/4 c. of mixture and slowly pour into whisked eggs, beating together with a fork until the egg mixture is smooth. (Tempering the eggs in this manner will keep them from curdling when you add them to the béchamel sauce.) Continue to slowly add the creamy sauce to the eggs while whisking together with a fork until you've added about 1 c. of the béchamel sauce. Once the eggs are brought to temperature, pour into the béchamel sauce and whisk to combine, set aside. Season with salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Once the béchamel sauce is prepared, work on the red sauce. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add chopped onion, pepper, and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook onion mixture for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are soft and sweet. Add the lamb, paprika, olives, 1 tsp. garlic powder, all spice, cinnamon, and pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the lanb is browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up heat slightly and add tomato paste, stir vigorously for one minute then slowly pour wine into the mixture. Bring to a boil, add tomatoes, and turn heat down to low. Allow mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.

 To assemble the moussaka, preheat oven to 400˚F and spritz a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and set baking dish inside (this will keep for oven clean in case the moussaka boils over). Pour 1/2 c. meat mixture on the bottom of the baking dish and spread around with a spatula. Arrange half the roasted eggplant slices on the bottom of the baking dish so that is covered completely (eggplant slices should overlap slightly.)

Pour half of the remaining meat mixture on top of the eggplant slices then top with about 2 c. of the béchamel sauce. Layer the remaining eggplant slices on top of the béchamel layer then top with remaining meat sauce. Pour about 2 c. of remaining béchamel sauce over meat layer and spread evenly. Top with mashed potatoes and spread evenly over moussaka, sprinkle potatoes with chopped parsley.

Bake moussaka in oven for about 40 minutes until the sauce mixture is boiling and the potatoes begin to brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. It is a time-intensive endeavor, but it's well worth the effort! Yum!

Garden Fresh

Lemony Lamb-Chops with Summer Garden Pistachio Pesto  

 I have been woefully negligent on my food blogging . . . but I do have an excuse - really! Spring quarter was a busy one personally and professionally between teaching, directing prep, getting engaged, and buying my first home among other things. Whew! The home has been amazing. Matt and I set to work priming, painting, and making it our own. It's taken a lot of work and love and we've ALMOST gotten rid of the previous owners' poor taste. In spite of the ugly colors on the walls - the cute little house came with the perfect set of raised planter beds. I've been gardening up a storm and taking advantage of Oregon's long summer days and, so far, the garden has been good to me with a bounty of delicious herbs, greens, and tender young zucchini and yellow squash. This pesto and lamb dish was pulled from my summer garden. It was easy, fast, and super taste. Feel free to experiment with what you have growing in your garden! (Note: I made four small lamb chops - plenty for two people, but the amount of pasta would easily feed four if you want to add more meat for a larger crowd.)

Ingredients
- 4 individual lamb chops
- 1 shallow, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
- 2 lemons (juice and zest)
- 1 lb. dried pasta
- salt and pepper
- 4 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, divided
- 1/3 c. pistachios
- 1 c. basil leaves
- 2 c. spinach leaves
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 c. Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 young zucchini and 1 young yellow squash, trimmed, halved and then sliced into matchstick-sized pieces
- 1/4 c. plus 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- splash of cooking sherry

LAMB CHOPS
Sprinkle both sides of lamb chops with salt and pepper, set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together juice from 1 lemon, oregano, thyme, 2 Tbsp. mint, shallot, and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Pour mixture over lamb chops, cover dish with plastic wrap, and allow lamb chops to marinate for at least 20 minutes. While lamb chops marinate, make pesto.

PESTO
Mince four cloves of garlic in a food processor. Add nuts and pulse to a coarse texture. Add remaining mint, juice and zest from remaining lemon, spinach, and basil. Pulse to combine. Add cheeses to mixture and begin running machine. Slowly add 1/4 c. olive oil while machine runs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside in a medium-sized bowl.

After lamb chops have marinated thoroughly, complete the meal by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente (depending upon the shape it's usually between 9 and 11 minutes). When pasta is cooked, drain reserving 1/2 c. of pasta cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta to bowl of pesto add a little cooking liquid at a time until the consistency is smooth and silky.

While pasta is boiling, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a heavy pan over high. Add lamb chops and marinade and cook until browned on both sides (about 4 minutes per side for medium rare). Remove cooked lamb chops from heat and let rest on a plate, tented with foil. Add a splash of cooking sherry to the pan to deglaze, scraping brown bits off with a wooden spoon. Turn heat down to medium and add zucchini, squash, and remaining garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables of soft and have soaked in the marinade juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss cooked vegetables together with pesto pasta. Divide among plates and top each serving with two lamb chops. Enjoy the bounty of your garden! Yum!
 

Curry on Home

Curry and Kale Soup with Potatoes and Lamb Meatballs
Soup is one of my favorite meals, not just because of its simplicity and versatility, but practically speaking, it's just a great way to put a twist on leftovers and use whatever is sitting in the crisper or pantry the day before I'm due for a grocery trip. The veggies in this yummy and spicy soup were what I happened to have, but it would be great with any number of produce choices (zucchini, leeks, or arugula certainly come to mind). Try it tonight for a quick and satisfying dinner.

Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp. dried bread crumbs
- 2 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 
- fresh Italian parsley
- 2 shallots, one grated, and one minced
- garlic powder
- olive oil for frying
- 1Tbsp. dry cooking sherry
- 2 carrots, grated and diced
- 2 pieces celery, grated and diced
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced
- 4 c. chopped kale
- salt and pepper
- 1 Tbsp. curry powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 qt. chicken broth
- Parmesan cheese rind
- crumbled feta cheese

In a small bowl, combine ground lamb, bread crumbs, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, grated shallot, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ground cumin, and 2 Tbsp. minced Italian parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using fingers, combine mixture until ingredients are thoroughly integrated, but not over-worked. Carefully roll portions of the lamb mixture into 1 1/2" balls in the palm of your hand, set aside. The mixture will make about 12 small lamb meatballs.


In a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pan heat olive oil, about 1 Tbsp. per batch over medium high heat. Add 6-7 meatballs to the hot oil. Carefully brown the meatballs, turning the meat carefully with a pair of tongs. When all sides have a nice brown crust, remove from heat. Cook the rest of the meatballs, adding more oil when necessary. The meatballs only need to be browned, they will cook through completely in the hot broth.

After you have removed the meatballs from the pan, add minced shallot and cook over medium, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. After 2-3 minutes when the shallot has begun to soften, add carrots and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add cooking sherry to pan with diced tomato, curry powder, paprika, 1 tsp. pepper flakes, and 1 tsp. garlic powder. Stir frequently until most of the liquid has cooked off. Add chicken broth, Parmesan rind, and potatoes and bring heat to high. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Remove cover and add browned meatballs to mixture. Re-cover pot and simmer and additional 5 minutes. Remove cover and add chopped kale and 2 Tbsp. minced Italian parsley, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine. Cook with kale over medium for about 5 minutes, until it becomes bright green. Remove soup from heat and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve soup with a crumble of fresh feta on top. Yummy stuff!

All-American Lamb-burger

Grilled Lamb Burgers with Roasted Veggies and Flat Bread
My love of juicy, flavorful lamb is no big secret. It might just be the Russian in me or it might be the fact that lamb is freakin' delicious. It's a magical sort of meat . . . and by "magical" I mean "fatty." Where do you think all the flavor comes from? I was looking for a little twist on the basic burger for some evening grilling and came up with this mouth-watering entree. It's an entire meal, complete with a hearty helping of veggies, on a piece of flat bread. Serve some honey-drizzled berries for dessert and you've got a perfectly delicious Mediterranean-inspired barbecue for four! Please note- this recipe makes a HUGE amount of roasted veggies. You'll have plenty to spare for another use.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 4 pieces of flat bread (warm in oven before serving)
- 3 tsp. ground cumin, divided
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh mint
- 2 Tbsp. minced Italian parsley
- 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
- 1 shallot, finely grated
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced 
- 1 eggplant, trimmed and cut into 2-3" pieces
- 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced crosswise into 3" pieces
- 1 red pepper, seeded, trimmed, and sliced into 2" pieces
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- Tzatziki sauce, prepared hummus, and crumbed feta for serving

ROASTED VEGETABLES
Roasted veggies are one of my absolute favorite flavor-boosters. They are so easy to prepare and incredibly versatile.

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and spritz lightly with cooking spray. Arrange sliced veggies on the sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper, oregano, and 1 tsp. ground cumin. Drizzle with olive oil and 2 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar. Roast in oven for about 30-40 minutes. Check occasionally and mix up with a pair of tongs to make sure they are not sticking. When they are soft and brown, remove from oven and set aside to cool. These can be make a day or two ahead. They keep up in the fridge just fine. When you are ready to serve, remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature.

LAMB BURGERS
In a large mixing bowl combine ground lamb with 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, remaining cumin, pepper flakes, paprika, grated shallot, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and minced mint and parsley. Work mean gently with your fingers to make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Meanwhile, heat grill. Prepare ground lamb mixture into four equal-sized patties. They should be round with a small indentation in the center. (This handy little trick keeps the burgers from puffing up in the center when they cook.)

Grill burgers on a hot grill to your desired doneness. I usually like mine with pink in the middle, so it's about 3-4 minutes per side depending how hot the grill is. Never smash down burgers with a spatula while cooking, this just presses all those wonderful juices out and makes for a drier, less flavorful burger.

To assemble burgers, top a warmed piece of flat bread with a spoonful of hummus, then some roasted veggies, and then the cooked lamb burger. Top with tzatziki sauce and crumbled feta. These are definitely "knife and fork" burgers and are great served with a crisp and simple tomato and cucumber salad. Happy grilling!

It's Greek to Me!

Super-Tasty Lamb Casserole in Phyllo Dough

Lately I've been a bit obsessed with lamb. I can't help myself- it's so good. I have also been craving delicious Greek food. In my current city of residence, however, I have yet to find anything even resembling the most mediocre of Greek food. With that in mind, I wanted to put together a recipe that combined some of my favorite Greek flavors. This dish is basically a twist on a traditional Greek moussaka. But rather than topping it the lamb and eggplant with béchamel sauce, I decided to give a nod to one of my other favorite Greek noshes, spanakopita, by topping it with a sauteed spinach and feta mixture covered with a golden-baked phyllo dough. This is a great one-dish meal- full of veggies and general deliciousness.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced crosswise into 1/4" disks
- 2 lbs. baby spinach, rinsed
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 handful chopped curly parsley
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes in their juices
- 1/4 c. dry red wine
- 8 oz. crumbled feta
- 1 tsp. dried mint
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. died oregano
- thawed frozen phyllo dough
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. melted butter
- 6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange eggplant slices on sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Roast eggplant slices in oven for 10-15 minutes until eggplant begins to soften and turn slightly brown. Remove from oven, but leave heat on to bake casserole.

As eggplant roasts, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet oven medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground lamb and cook over medium heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon. When lamb is cooked through, about 5 minutes, add red wine, tomatoes in their juices, dried herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes for juices to thicken.

While the lamb mixture simmers, heat 2 Tbsp. in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add half the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally until spinach begins to wilt. Add the remaining spinach and parsley and cook, stirring, until cooked through. Season spinach with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, add feta, and stir to allow cheese to melt into the spinach.

Layer casserole ingredients in a 13x9" baking dish. Put lamb mixture on bottom, top with roasted eggplant slices, top with spinach and cheese mixture (spreading evenly). Unroll defrosted phyllo dough and top casserole with 10 thin sheets of pastry. Brush top of phyllo dough with melted butter. Bake in oven for 30 minutes until phyllo dough begins to puff up and turn brown. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Mmmmmm, Lamb-tastic!

Tasty Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle for a Chilly November Night
My friend Jordan likes to say, "The cuter the animal, the tastier the meat." While perhaps a rather barbaric sentiment in certain ways, I suppose it's true in the case of lamb. As a commonplace protein in Eastern European and Italian cuisine, perhaps it's just in my blood to enjoy the rich and distinct flavor of good lamb. Or maybe it's just a damn tasty meat to put in my mouth.

This quick and tasty pasta dish with a savory, brothy sauce is a nice break from the old chicken-or-beef-routine. The creamy tanginess of the crumbled feta cheese plays nicely with the lamb and fresh herbs. Serve with a good quality crusty bread to sop up the extra sauce. (I was lucky enough to be given a loaf of amazing sourdough bread straight from San Francisco today and it was perfection with this dinner.)

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 lb. cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed and halved
- 3 large shallots, peeled and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 c. beef broth
- 1 c. red wine
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, minced
- 1 large handful Italian parsley, minced
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- crumbled feta cheese
- 10 oz. fresh pappardelle noodles (wide noodles)

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add ground lamb. Cook, season with salt and pepper, and break up with a wooden spoon, until it begins to brown (about 4-5 minutes). Add shallots and garlic, cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes and sugar, mix with ground lamb and cook until tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, wine, and broth to mixture, raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add minced herbs, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes for broth to thicken. Stir occasionally while cooking and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

As sauce simmers, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil to cook noodles. When water is at a rolling boil, cook. Fresh noodles take very little time to cook (1-2 minutes, really) so pay attention to the timing. Cook noodles and drain.

After sauce has simmered, remove from heat and toss with fresh noodles. Divide pasta with lamb ragu among four bowls. Pour extra broth over pasta. Top each bowl with crumbled feta cheese. Serve with a nice glass of wine and bread to sop up extra sauce.

This is a great dish for a quick weeknight meal, but the mystique of the lamb makes it "fancy" enough for guests- they'll never know how easy it actually was to throw together in about 30 minutes.