Lamb Patties braised with Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes

Lamb patties:
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from crustless French bread ground in processor)
1/4 cup water
1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Eggplant mixture:
1 large eggplant (1 to 1 1/4 pounds), unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse kosher salt
1 large red bell pepper, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/3 cups dry white wine
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped seeded peeled red heirloom tomatoes
2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram

Polenta:
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)*
Grated pecorino cheese


For lamb patties:
Combine breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup water in small bowl. Soak 5 minutes. Squeeze all water from crumbs. Place crumbs in large bowl. Add lamb and remaining ingredients; mix gently to combine. Shape into 12 oval patties, each about 2 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch thick.

For eggplant mixture:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cubed eggplant and 4 tablespoons oil in large bowl and toss to coat. Spread eggplant out on rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Bake 12 minutes. Turn eggplant over and bake until soft, about 12 minutes longer.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb patties and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer lamb patties to plate. Add bell pepper strips to drippings in skillet; sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Transfer bell pepper to plate with lamb.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and chopped onion to same skillet. Cover and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add wine and garlic. Cook, scraping up browned bits, until wine is reduced to glaze, about 7 minutes. Return lamb and bell pepper to skillet; add eggplant, tomatoes, and marjoram. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until lamb is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. If sauce is thin, simmer uncovered until thickened to desired consistency. Season sauce to taste with coarse salt and pepper.

Polenta:
Bring 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until polenta is very thick, whisking often, about 20 minutes.

Spoon polenta into shallow bowls. Top with lamb and vegetables. Sprinkle with pecorino cheese.

Beef Kofta

Here is a different take on the traditional recipe that calls for ground lamb.  I had some beef in the freezer and just switched it up, also swapping pistachios for the pine nuts.  Still an excellent preparation and makes me long for the warm shores of the Aegean.

1 pound ground beef (can use lamb)
4 teaspoons following Spice Mixture;
2 teaspoons plus a pinch coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon clove
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a small mixing bowl combine all the spices for the mixture above, reserve on the side.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the oil.  Make sure to include the spice mixture you just made. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a wooden spoon. Form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls, and flatten the balls into ovals or football shapes, about 1/4 inch thick.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half the patties. Cook until the first side is golden brown, about 3 minutes; flip the patties, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Wipe the skillet with a paper towel; heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Repeat the process with the remaining patties. Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt sauce on the side.

Tzatziki Sauce

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1 cup greek yogurt, strained

1 cup sour cream

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Weekly Menu June 1st - June 7th

Saturday-
"Crust-less" Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti Squash
Grilled Eggplant

Sunday-
Patio Dinner Party
Kona Rubbed Ribeye Steaks
Morel Cream
Fingerling potatoes with Shallots and Wild mushrooms
Green Goddess Chopped Salad
Fresh Strawberries with Brown Sugar and Sour Cream
Artesian Chocolate Shards

Monday-
Grilled Ahi Tuna drizzled with a Garlic Balsamic Dressing
Baby Arugula and Radish Salad, crumbled Goat cheese

Tuesday-
Curried Red Lentil and Vegetable Stew
Basmati Rice

Wednesday-
Grilled Chicken, Rum Barbecue Sauce
Sweet Baby Corn
Green Beans

Thursday-
"Clean out the Frig Night"

Friday-
Lamb Patties Braised with Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes
Polenta

Weekly Menu May 10th - May 17th

Friday-
Martinis
Shrimp Cocktail
Grilled NY Strip Steaks
Sautéed Mushrooms
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Baked Potatoes
Mini Ice Cream Sundaes, Saunder's Hot Fudge

Saturday-
"Jeanne's Birthday!" Dinner at The Root

Sunday-
"Mother's Day"
Pan Seared Shrimp with Pasta and Garlic
Baby Arugula Salad with Lemon Honey Dressing
Warm Apple-Blueberry Cobbler

Monday-
Spanish Rice with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables

Tuesday-
Grilled Beef Kofta with Tzatziki Sauce
Onion, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Wednesday-
Carolina Style Pulled Pork
Cole Slaw

Thursday-
Smorgasbord Night- "Let's clean out the Frig"

Friday-
Homemade Pizza Night

Thai Shrimp with Coconut and Kaffir Lime, Jasmine Rice

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 medium carrots, trimmed and shredded
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste, recipe follows
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar or light brown sugar
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Kaffir Lime leaves whole (a good substitute, if you don't have Kaffir lime leaves, is a small bay leaf, zest of half a lime and 1/8 teaspoon of lemon-thyme per leaf needed.  this produces an amazingly close flavor profile)
3 tablespoons chopped Thai basil leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Cooked jasmine rice, accompaniment
Sprigs fresh cilantro, garnish


In a large wok or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, bell peppers, carrots, and garlic, and stir-fry until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the curry paste and Kaffir lime leaves, cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stirring, add the fish sauce and sugar, then the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and cilantro.  Remove Kaffir leaves prior to plating.

Serve over jasmine rice, garnished with cilantro sprigs.

Curried Cider-Braised Pork Chops

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
4 thin boneless pork chops or 2 thick bone-in pork chops
2 cups chopped onions
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to skillet and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer pork to plate. Add onions, celery and bay leaf to skillet. Sauté until onions are golden, about 6 minutes. Mix in curry powder. Add cider and boil until sauce is slightly reduced, about 6 minutes. Return pork and any accumulated juices to skillet. Simmer just until cooked through, about 3 minutes for boneless chops and 5 minutes for bone-in chops. Season with salt and pepper.  Serve and Enjoy!

Weekly Menu April 28th - May 3rd

Saturday-

Curried Cider-Braised Pork Chops

Thyme Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

Sunday-

Thai Shrimp with Coconut and Kaffir Lime over Jasmine Rice

Monday-

Corn Pasta with an Eggplant and Roasted Vegetable Ragù

Chopped Salad with Italian Herb Vinaigrette

Tuesday-

Black Bean Burgers with Avocado and Sprouts

Arugula Salad with Red Onion and Apples, Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Wednesday-

Oven Roasted Chicken with Sautéed Wild Mushrooms

Rosemary Red Bliss Potatoes

Green Beans and Shallots

Thursday-

Roasted Vegetable and Smoked Bean Enchiladas

Garden Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing 

Friday-

"Smorgasbord Night"