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Greek Stuffed Peppers

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Piperies Gemistes me Feta may be Greek to you and me, but to a Greek, it means “Greek Peppers Stuffed with Feta.” Because they’re broiled, not battered and fried, these stuffed peppers are somewhat healthier than traditional chiles rellenos. Read the entire article about chiles rellenos here.

Ingredients

6 fresh New Mexican red chiles, unpeeled, cut open along one side to remove the seeds
9 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 egg yolks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Arrange a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and set your oven to broil. Put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until just soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer peppers to a rack and let cool.

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the feta, oil, yogurt, parsley, zest, oregano, and egg yolks; season with salt and pepper. Make a lengthwise cut from the stem to the tip of each pepper and stuff each pepper with some of the feta filling; transfer to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Sprinkle the peppers with grated Parmesan cheese and broil them until cheese is golden brown and bubbly, about 6 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a platter and serve hot.

lamb sliders

Lamb Sliders with Lemon-Mint Aïoli

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This alternative to hamburgers makes a great light meal when served with a side salad. Also excellent as a cocktail party hors d’oeuvre.

Lamb Sliders

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large shallot, finely diced (about three tablespoons)

1 clove garlic, minced (about one teaspoon)

1 tablespoon ketchup

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup chiffonade cut mint

8 small hamburger or slider buns, such as King’s Hawaiian, halved and toasted

Lemon-Mint Aïoli (recipe follows)

Optional toppings:

8 slices Swiss or Gruyère cheese

8 leaves lettuce, cut to size

8 tomato slices

For the aïoli:

1 cup good-quality mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup chiffonade cut mint

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Combine all the aïoli ingredients in a small bowl and reserve. (This also makes a nice salad dressing or can be served atop vegetables.)

Place a grill pan over medium-low heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the shallots are soft, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and cool.

Combine the shallot mixture, lamb, cumin, ketchup, crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Form the mixture into eight patties each 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick, about 2 1/2 to 3 ounces each. Brush the patties with the remaining oil and grill until cooked through, about three to four minutes per side. Let the patties rest for two minutes.

Assemble the sliders by liberally spreading the aïoli on each surface of the cut bun. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomato, if desired. Place the patties in the buns and serve.

Heat Scale: Mild

avocado and corn tostada

Avocado and Corn Tostadas with Spicy Chile Sauce

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Albuquerque-area resident and vegetarian cookbook author Nanette Blanchard has self-published a booklet of her favorite southwestern plant-based recipes. Fiesta Vegan: 30 Delicious Recipes from New Mexico contains her take on traditional recipes such as Posole, Calabacitas, Sangria, and Capirotada. Each of the recipes includes a color photo and a nutritional analysis. Fiesta Vegan also offers a list of online sources for specialty ingredients and recommendations for New Mexico stops for food-lovers. The 40 page booklet is available either in print or as a .PDF download. You can also find a Kindle version without photos; information on all the booklet versions is on her web site here. Blanchard also maintains a food blog, Cooking in Color.

If you can’t find prepared tostada shells you can simply serve this recipe on top of your favorite brand of tortilla chips. The Spicy Chile Sauce is also a great accompaniment to your favorite scrambled tofu recipe.

Ingredients

Spicy chile sauce:

2 (8 oz.) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce

½ c. water

1 Tbsp. agave nectar

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes

2 tsp. piquin chile flakes or any crushed hot red pepper flakes

¼  tsp. sea salt or to taste

 

For tostadas:

8 tostada shells

3 c. shredded Romaine lettuce

1 (15 oz.) can no-salt-added pinto beans such as Eden Brand, drained and rinsed

2 avocados, sliced

1 c. frozen corn, thawed

2 Tbsp. pickled jalapeño rings

¼ c. sliced black olives

Fresh  lime slices for garnish

 

Instructions

To make Spicy Chile Sauce: Put all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium/low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until thick and the flavors have all blended.

To assemble tostadas, place 2 tostadas per person on plate. Add ¼ of the Romaine and pinto beans. Top each with about 1/3 c. of the Spicy Chile Sauce and top with avocados, corn,jalapeños and black olives. Garnish with fresh lime slices.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1036 Calories; 30g Fat (37.7% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 95g Carbohydrate; 18g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 503mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 4 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 6 Fat.

lamb vindaloo

Lamb Vindaloo

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Vindaloo, one of many types of curry, originated in the western region of India. It is derived from a Portuguese dish “carne de vinha d’alhos,” pork marinated in wine and garlic. It can be prepared with beef, chicken, lamb or seafood; although not traditional, potatoes sometimes are added. Almost universal on Indian restaurant menus, Vindaloo is one of the hottest curry dishes. Traditionally, it is extremely hot, so adjust the amount of chiles to your tolerance level.

This recipe has three steps: preparing the marinade, making the curry paste, and cooking the curry. The curry paste and marinade may be made one day ahead.

Ingredients

Curry Paste

1/4 cup whole grain mustard

2 to 4 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (or four to six dried chiles)

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

Marinade

1 yellow onion

3 tablespoons coriander seed

4 to 6 dried Kashmiri or Thai (hotter) chiles

1 tablespoon cumin seed

8 cloves garlic (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)

1 (two-inch) stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 (one-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup white vinegar

 

2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into two-inch cubes

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 yellow onions, halved and sliced thinly

8 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)

1 (13 1/2-ounce) can coconut milk

Instructions

Prepare the curry paste by combining all of the ingredients in a glass bowl.

Prepare the marinade by grinding the coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, fenugreek and fennel in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Process the chiles with the garlic, onion and ginger to form a paste. Place the meat into a container. Pour the marinade over the meat and marinate, refrigerated, for at least three hours or overnight. Remove the lamb from the marinade and drain. Combine the curry paste with the vinegar. Rub the paste onto the meat.

Put oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry until it is dark brown but not burnt. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add the meat, stir and brown for about five minutes. Pour in the coconut milk. Add more water, if necessary, to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about an hour or until the lamb is tender. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if necessary.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over hot Basmati rice with mango chutney and Naan bread.

Yield: 2 servings with leftovers
Heat Scale: Very hot

lamb shanks

Greek-Style Braised Lamb Shanks

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Lamb shanks are comfort food… succulent lamb with rich, vegetable-laden, savory gravy. Shanks are much less expensive than chops or roasts, so they are a good value. Each shank makes one serving. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable or salad.

Ingredients

2 lamb shanks (each about 1 1/4 pounds)

Olive oil

Coarse kosher salt

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

2 cups red wine

2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

10 to 12 thyme springs tied together in a bundle

3 to 4 cups water or beef stock

4 bay leaves

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Gremolata, for garnish (recipe follows)

Gremolata:

1 orange, zested (about two tablespoons)

1 lemon, zested (about one tablespoon)

1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish

1 small garlic clove, minced

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all the gremolata ingredients and set aside until ready to use. (Gremolata is best made fresh, as it will only keep for one day.)

Trim the silverskin and excess fat from the shanks.

Coat a Dutch oven generously with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Brown the shanks well on all sides.

Remove the browned shanks from the pan and transfer them to a plate. Discard any excess fat from the pan. Add a little more oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the vegetables. Season with salt. Sauté the vegetables until they are slightly browned and aromatic, about 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and brown, stirring, for five minutes. Stir in the wine, rosemary, oregano and thyme bundle. Stir frequently and cook until the wine has reduced by about half.

Return the shanks to the pot and pour in three to four cups of water or stock. The shanks should be submerged, if they are not, add more water. Add the bay leaves and mint to the pan, cover and return to stovetop or put in a preheated 400 degrees F. oven. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the shanks are tender. Turn the shanks over halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes or so. If the liquid has reduced too much add more water or stock. Skim the fat frequently.

If cooking in the oven, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to further brown the shanks. Transfer them to a warmed plate and tent with foil. Strain the liquid, reserving both the sauce and vegetables. Remove the thyme springs and bay leaves. Purée the vegetables in a blender, adding a little sauce if needed; return the sauce and puréed vegetables to the pan and add mushrooms. Cook for three or four minutes. Place the shanks on a warmed serving plate. Drizzle some of the sauce over the shanks and serve any remaining sauce on the side. Garnish with Gremolata.

Heat Scale: Mild