Category: Lamb

Lamb Merguez, Cous Cous, Spiced Carrots, and Lemon Yogurt Tahini Sauce

This meal was just constructed and subsequently devoured. I feel compelled to write about the experience while basking in the aftermath of its epic-ness. There’s nothing overly complicated about this food, it’s just simple and fucking tasty. In my opinion, that is the epitome of good food.

The ingredients are Moroccan inspired. I love Moroccan food. The flavours are bold, exotic, spicy, refreshing, and soulful. Try this recipe if you find yourself making the same things over and over again, it will knock your panties off! If you end up making this over and over again, well then I can’t help you, but I also can’t blame you.

If you happen to live in Vancouver, travel to Granville Island to obtain the Merguez sausage from Oyama Meats. These guys know what they’re doing.

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Ingredients:

Spiced carrots:

4 large carrots, peeled and quartered

One handful of parsley, minced

Half a clove of garlic, minced

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

0.5 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of salt

Lemon yogurt tahini sauce (AKA holy shit this stuff goes with anything):

2 tbsp greek yogurt

2 tbsp sesame tahini

1 tbsp runny honey

Juice of one lemon

Half a garlic clove, minced

Cous Cous:

1 cup cous cous

2 cups water

1.5 tbsp butter

Half a handful of parsley, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

Pinch of salt

4 lamb merguez sausages, from Oyama if you live in Vancouver

One poached egg

Pea shoots or parsley for garnish

Directions:

Spiced Carrots:

  1. Place 1 cup of water in a small saucepan, add carrots and bring to a boil until the carrots are cooked. About 8-10 minutes.
  2. While the carrots are cooking, combine the spices in a bowl.
  3. Drain the cooked carrots, and add to the spice bowl. Toss to incorporate, then add the rest of the ingredients. Let sit for an hour or make the day before and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.

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Lemon Yogurt Tahini Sauce:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. It is now ready to serve.

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Cous Cous:

  1. Place the cous cous and water in a saucepan with a half tbsp of the butter and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
  2. After five minutes, fluff up the cous cous with a fork, and add the parsley, butter, lemon, and a pinch of salt to taste.

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To finish:

  1. Cook merguez on a cast iron pan over medium high heat until cooked through.
  2. Serve sausage over bed of cous cous, with a poached egg and parsley or pea shoot garnish. Serve carrots and lemon yogurt tahini sauce on the side.

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Pairs well with mint tea. If you’re looking for wine, go with Stag’s Hollow Pinot Noir.

Enjoy!

 

Sous Vide Lamb Belly with Mint and Pea Puree

This dish epitomizes spring on a plate. This was the intention prior to making lamb belly for the first time; I knew the flavour combinations I wanted to incorporate, I just didn’t know how to execute it. To see the ingredients come together so harmoniously after the creative process of getting there from a relatively vague initial concept, is what makes me really love cooking.

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Sourcing the lamb belly may be a bit difficult at the run of the mill grocery stores, but if you go to any good butcher they will be able to help you out. If you go to an exceptionally good butcher, like Windsor Quality Meats, they will pull out a hanging lamb from the back and cut off the belly in front of your eyes.

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Ingredients:

For the lamb, start the prep 48 hours ahead:

1 side of lamb belly, about 2-3 pounds

4 tbsp kosher salt

2 tbsp sugar

Zest of two lemons

A couple sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

Game plan for the lamb, start 36-24 hours in advance. 48 hours lines up nicely for timing if you start the cure in the evening.

Directions:

1. Mix the salt, sugar, rosemary, and lemon zest in a bowl. Sprinkle a layer in a baking dish, then set the lamb on top, then cover with the rest of the mixture. Firmly press the curing mixture into the lamb. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2. Thoroughly rinse the curing mixture off the lamb, then set on a cutting board and cut it in half into two broad strips. Do not season the lamb with any more salt, it will be perfectly seasoned at this point already.

3. Roll up each strip of lamb belly like a jelly roll, press down to ensure it is packed tightly together, then tie with kitchen twine. You want the rolls to be as tight as possible with no air gaps.

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4. Place each roll of lamb into a ziplock bag. Add a glug of olive oil to each, just to take the space of any small air pockets. Remove the air with the water pressure method, or vacuum seal if you have one.

5. Cook the lamb in a 70 degree water bath for 12 hours.

6. Remove the lamb and transfer to an ice bath the cease cooking. It is now ready for finishing, or you could hold it in the refrigerator until use. To finish, cut off 3/4 inch slices of the lamb belly, and sear in a very hot pan with a bit of oil until some nice colour and texture develops, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat for the other side, then serve.

For the mint and pea puree:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup freshly shelled peas

3-4 sprigs of fresh mint leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp good olive oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

1/2 cup of water, to bring puree to the desired consistency

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the water in a food processor. Pulse until it turns into a fine puree.

2. Slowly add water and continue to puree until the mixture is about the same consistency as cream.

To plate, pour the mint and pea puree onto a white plate to make a pancake size circle. Top with a garnish of fresh spring vegetables. I chose simple parboiled potatoes and carrots, finished with a quick pan sear. As a finishing touch, I sprinkled with fresh peas and fava beans in order to really get the feel of spring on the plate. Top the vegetables of your choosing with the beautiful seared lamb belly and serve right away.

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Enjoy!