Lamb

The Hirshon Drambuie Roast Lamb With Gravy And The Hirshon Mint Sauce

April 15, 2017 by The Generalissimo Leave a Comment

Lamb With Gravy And Mint Sauce Image Used Under Creative Commons License From mattawamum.com

Citizens, a very happy Easter Sunday to all of you who celebrate the holiday!

As Easter is a celebration across many cultures and countries, I, the masterful and incomparably versatile TFD, have created this recipe without borders!

It uses ingredients from Europe, Asia, the Americas and more with the meat most associated with this pastoral holiday (pun intended) – lamb! Truth be told, I created this recipe by foraging through my fridge, liquor cabinet and spice rack, but the result is not just good: it’s one of the best recipes I’ve ever created! 🙂

I’ve paired this succulent boneless leg of lamb with a classic English mint sauce and a French-inspired Demiglace gravy. Fear not, noble Scots, your noble Drambuie liqueur, made from whisky, honey and herbs is the primary flavor of the lamb!

Mint sauce is a sauce traditionally made from finely chopped peppermint leaves, soaked in vinegar, and a small amount of sugar.

Occasionally, the juice from a squeezed lime is added. The sauce should have the consistency of heavy cream. In British and Irish cuisine, it is traditionally used as a complement to roast lamb (but usually not other roast meats) or, in some areas, mushy peas.

Mint sauce can be used in some recipes in place of fresh mint. It can be eaten on toast or bread, and can be added to yogurt to make a mint raita. “Sweet and sour” sauces such as mint sauce were common throughout Medieval Europe (with the use of mint being more common in French and Italian cuisine of the period than that of the English).

However, they eventually became less common and mostly died out as Europe entered the Modern Era.

My Citizens, I wish you a meaningful Easter Sunday and a delicious feast upon your return from Church with my magnificent recipe!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Drambuie Roast Lamb With Gravy And The Hirshon Mint Sauce

Ingredients

1 5 ¼ pound boneless leg of lamb
Marinate said leg for 8 hours in the following:
2 cups Drambuie
4 cups unfiltered Apple cider
1 tbs. dried marjoram
2 Bay leaves
1 tbs. Lavender
½ tbs. smoked salt
1 tbs. horseradish mustard
4 'petals' Star Anise (from a single Star)
1 VERY large head garlic
½ bunch fresh thyme
½ bunch fresh chervil
Leaves from one stem of Rosemary
7 leaves fresh Sage
½ bunch curly parsley (leaves and a bit of stem)
leaves from ½ a bunch fresh oregano
All ground together in the blender.
For stuffing in the lamb, combine the following in the blender:
Mixed herbs paste (leftover from making the marinade the night before)
3 Anchovy fillets
Enough Drambuie to reduce to a smooth paste
For the gravy and cooking:
1 small tub Perfect Addition demiglace
Goose fat (preferred), duck fat or grapeseed oil
Potato starch or cornstarch
Hirshon Mint Sauce
3 bunches mint, leaves and a bit of stem
About 5 stems parsley (helps to keep the green color, mint tends to go brown without something to 'fix' the color)
8 packets Turbinado sugar
¼ cup white vinegar
½ cup water
about 4 tablespoons limeade (I just had some in the fridge, lime juice would work just as well)

Instructions

After 8 hours of marinating, drain the lamb, reserve and strain the marinade (reserve the solids), put into a large pot or wok, reduce by 20%, add demiglace and reduce by about 50% or until thick. Reserve. Wrap meat in plastic wrap.
The next day, cut 3 deep slits in the top of the lamb.
Combine the following in the blender:
Mixed herbs (leftover from making the marinade the night before, but try and remove the rosemary in this)
3 Anchovy fillets (TFD prefers Ortiz brand)
Enough Drambuie to reduce to a paste
Stuff the paste into the slits, then rub the entire leg with Goose fat, and lots of it.
Put into a preheated 450 degree oven for about 7 minutes, then reduce to 375 and cook for 1 ¾ hours, or until it reaches 140 with a meat thermometer.
Check this carefully at the 1 ½ hour mark, as you want most of the lamb rare to medium-rare. Allow to rest 15 minutes, then carve and serve with gravy and mint sauce.
Heat the gravy in a saucepan, add sufficient potato or cornstarch (mixed with some gravy, do not put directly in or it will lump up) to thicken.
For the mint sauce: blend all ingredients.

https://www.thefooddictator.com/hirshon-drambuie-roast-lamb-gravy-hirshon-mint-sauce/

The Hirshon Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Olives – تاجين، ب، الزيتون

April 3, 2017 by The Generalissimo 2 Comments

Lamb Tagine With Olives Image Used Under Creative Commons License From myrecipes.com

Citizens, the tagine is one of the world’s great stew dishes, as well as the name of the cooking utensil it is cooked in!

Tagine is an ancient originally North African Berber dish – it’s a succulent stew made of meats and vegetables and traditionally cooked in a conical clay pot to allow the steam to rise, condense, and drip back down to the stew.

The traditional method of cooking is to place the tagine over coals, and typically the dish includes meat, chicken or fish, and most often vegetables or fruit. As this meal takes a long time to prepare, preparation of the lunch tagine begins as soon as breakfast is over.

There are several theories on the origin of the word tajine:

from Berber tajin meaning “the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked”.
from Persian tah-chin ته چین meaning “laid at the bottom [of the pan]”, referring to the way it is cooked. Tahchin is a Persian food made with rice and meat (chicken or beef). (See Tunisian tajine below and Persian tahchin)
from Persian tayān تیان meaning skillet or large pan. This word is Arabicized as ṭājin (طاجن) and ṭayjin (طيجن) and ṭajīn (طجين).
from Ancient Greek: τάγηνον (tagēnon), “frying-pan, saucepan”.

The traditional tagine pottery, sometimes painted or glazed, consists of two parts: a circular base unit that is flat with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to return all condensation to the bottom.

Tagine is traditionally cooked over hot charcoal leaving an adequate space between the coals and the tagine pot to avoid having the temperature rise too quickly. Large bricks of charcoal are used, specifically for their ability to stay hot for hours.

Other methods are to use a tagine in a slow oven or on a gas or electric stove top, on the lowest heat necessary to keep the stew simmering gently. A diffuser, a circular utensil placed between the tagine and the flame, is used to evenly distribute the stove’s heat.

European manufacturers have created tagines with heavy cast-iron bottoms that can be heated on a cooking stove to a high temperature, which permits the browning of meat and vegetables before cooking.

Tagine cooking may be replicated by using a slow cooker or similar item, but the result will be slightly different. Many ceramic tagines are decorative items as well as functional cooking vessels. Some tagines, however, are intended only to be used as decorative serving dishes.

Moroccan and Algerian tagine dishes are slow-cooked savory stews, typically made with sliced meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables or fruit. Spices, nuts, and dried fruits are also used. Common spices include ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron. Paprika and chili are used in vegetable tagines.

The sweet and sour combination is common in tagine dishes like lamb with dates and spices. Tagines are generally served with bread. As the domed or cone-shaped lid of the tagine pot traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a minimal amount of water is needed to cook meats and vegetables. This method of cooking is practical in areas where water supplies are limited or where public water is not yet available.

My version of this ancient dish is made with lamb, olives and a good hit of lemon – it is both delicious and ruthlessly traditional, I hope you enjoy it, my Citizens! It incorporates my ultimate Ras-el-hanout spice blend, but I also provide a simpler blend if you so choose!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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Ingredients

Spice Blend: either:
2 teaspoons paprika
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 large pinch saffron
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
or preferably use 8 teaspoons of the Hirshon Ras-el-Hanout blend & a large pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 cloves minced garlic
Tagine:
5 carrots, peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise into thin strips
1 cup grated yellow onions, rinsed and squeezed dry
1 lemon, zested
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups dark veal or chicken stock
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1" piece of peeled fresh ginger, grated
1 pound cracked green olives, drained and pitted - TFD prefers castelvetrano olives
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅔ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Couscous, cooked to your preferred recipe

Instructions

In the cup of a small food processor, combine the spice blend plus the garlic and grated ginger and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Process until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, toss the shoulder with the above mixture. Mix well.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in large cast iron or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the lamb and sear for 2 to 3 minutes, in 1/3 batches, and remove.
Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and grated ginger; continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the pot (add extra oil if needed) and stir in the lemon zest, broth, tomato paste and honey.
Season with pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock. Add the herbs and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Remove any scum that has risen to the surface of the liquid.
Add the olives to the cooking liquid, increase the heat to high and boil for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is similar to a thick gravy. Stir in the lemon juice in portions to taste and re-season if necessary.
About 30 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and remove the lamb from the pot. Place the meat in a shallow ovenproof serving dish and cook until the meat is lightly crisped, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the lamb with the couscous and the sauce. Garnish with parsley.

https://www.thefooddictator.com/hirshon-moroccan-lamb-tagine-olives-%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%ac%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%8c-%d8%a8%d8%8c-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b2%d9%8a%d8%aa%d9%88%d9%86/

The Hirshon Turkish Sultan’s Delight – Hünkâr Beğendi

March 7, 2017 by The Generalissimo Leave a Comment

The Hirshon Turkish Sultan’s Delight - Hünkar Beğendi

Hünkar Beğendi Image Used Under Creative Commons License From bikepcedaha.com

Citizens, the glorious cuisine of Turkey is sadly less known in the West than it deserves to be – I consider it one of the finest I’ve ever sampled and its roots in the Ottoman Empire mean that Turkish “royal” cuisine is amongst the most lavish and rich you’ll find anywhere in the world!

This dish exemplifies that philosophy – Turkish Sultan’s Delight (Hünkâr Beğendi in Turkish) combines some of the most spectacular flavors, textures and richness you’ll ever find in any dish!

Hünkâr beğendi, or simply beğendi (the name means that the sovereign/sultan liked it), is an Ottoman cuisine dish dating back hundreds of years. It is made from smoked and spiced eggplant, which is grilled, then pureed, and stirred with milk, melted butter and roasted flour. Finally, the mixture is topped with cubes of sautéed lamb.

As noted on the blog almostturkish.blogspot.com:

I have heard two different stories surrounding the name of this dish, Hünkar Beğendi, which literately translates as “the Sultan liked it.” The first one is that the dish was created for Sultan Murad IV (1612-1640) and obviously he liked it. Where the dish was created–in the palace kitchens or in the kitchen of a moderate house that Murad IV spent a night on his way back from a hunting trip–is not clear.

The second rumor is that the same dish was served for Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, in Sultan Abdülaziz’s Beylerbeyi Palace in 1869, and she liked it so much that Abdülaziz promised her to ask his chef to give Eugenie’s cook the recipe. And the rumor goes that Abdülaziz’s chef was reluctant to share his recipe.

No matter what its origin, this is a much beloved recipe in today’s Turkey and I hope it finds a suitably resplendent home in your kitchen, my Citizens! 🙂 I have made several duly noted tweaks to the recipe that I find improves the already wonderful recipe even further – feel free to disregard my changes to make the canonical version!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Turkish Sultan’s Delight - Hünkâr Beğendi

Ingredients

2 ¼ pounds trimmed, boneless lamb leg meat, diced into 3 cm (1") pieces
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp capsicum paste (optional but TFD preferred, this is the Southern Turkish way – replace with tomato paste if not using)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 onions, finely chopped
3 bay leaves, Turkish of course!
2 tbsp olive oil, preferably Turkish
1 tbsp. Urfa Biber pepper flakes (totally optional, TFD addition)
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, finely chopped (TFD alteration, original called for green)
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
3 tbsp butter
1 cup lamb stock (preferred), chicken stock or water
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
Eggplant pureé
4 large eggplants
½ a stick of butter
¼ cup plain flour
1¼ cups whole organic milk
½ cup grated Turkish hard mature cheese (kasar) or kashkaval cheese (see Note)

Instructions

Place the lamb in a large bowl. Add the tomato and capsicum pastes, garlic and half the onion and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 6–12 hours to marinate.
Place a saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, and sauté the remaining until golden and tender. Add the lamb, green capsicum and tomato, butter and stock or water. Increase heat to high, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and sinner gently for 45 minutes, or until the lamb is tender, season to taste.
To make the eggplant puree, place the eggplant on open fire such as a charcoal barbecue, or gas stove. If using a gas stove, line the stove with foil to protect from dripping juice.
Place the eggplant on a heavy metal rack and cook on high heat, turning occasionally until the skin of the eggplant is burnt and the flesh very tender (approx. 30 mins). Set the eggplant aside to cool, then cut in half lengthways, scoop out all flesh and mash.
In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt 50 g butter, add flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then add mashed eggplant. Cook, stirring often for 6–7 minutes, or until thickened, adding kasar cheese in the final two minutes. To serve, divide the eggplant puree among plates, top with the lamb and scatter with parsley.
Note: Capsicum paste and kasar cheese are available in Turkish food stores.

https://www.thefooddictator.com/hirshon-turkish-sultans-delight-hunkar-begendi/