Spiced Kefta with Lemon

Kefta are Lamb meatballs, flavoured with Onions, Herbs and Spices. This is a North African dish and is a good one to try if you have friends round. You can serve the dish in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in.







You need:

450g Minced Lamb
2 Onions - grated or blitzed to a puree
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Fresh Chilli - finely chopped
20g Butter
2 tablepoons Olive Oil
25g Fresh Root Ginger - finely chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley - chopped
25g Fresh Coriander - finely chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Lemon - quartered
300ml Cold Water
Salt and Black Pepper
Pinch Saffron if available - if not use Turmeric or Paprika for colour

In a large mixing bowl, add half the Onion to the Lamb, along with the Cinnamon, Parsley, Cumin and Cayenne. Season well with Salt and Pepper, then get your hands in there and mix everything well for about 5 minutes. Shape the Lamb into small balls - about the size of a walnut.

Take a heavy based pan (with a lid) and melt the Butter with the Olive Oil. Add the remaining Onion, the Ginger, Chilli and Saffron (or Turmeric/Paprika)if using. Cook gently until the Onions begin to colour, about 10 minutes, then add the Coriander and Lemon juice.

Pour in the water, then bring to the boil and add the Lamb meatballs. Reduce to a simmer and cover the pan. Poach the meatballs gently for about 20 minutes, turning every few minutes. Remove the lid, tuck the Lemon quarters into the pan and then simmer lid off fo a further 10 mins to allow the sauce to reduce.

Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices, or with Cous Cous or rice.

Feeds 4

Moroccan Style Lamb

This is a really good recipe to make in bulk. The flavour improves with time and you can easily freeze it if you like. Another one for the slow cooker or crock pot if you have one.....








You need:

2 Onions - sliced
1 tablespoon Root Ginger - finely chopped
1kg Lamb - cubed and boneless
2 tablespoons Ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablespoon Ras El Hanout seasoning (or use a little ground cinnamon if you like)
1 tablespoon Ground Coriander
500 ml smooth Passata
400g Sweet Potato - cut into chunks
100g Dried Apricots - roughly chopped
100g Dried Dates - pitted and roughly chopped
Bunch Fresh Coriander - chopped
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pint water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the Oil in a large pan and then add the Onions. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the Ginger, then add the Lamb. Fry, turning often, until browned on all sides. Now add the Ground Coriander, Ras El Hanout, Paprika, Cumin and stir well. Cook for 1 minute

Add the Passata and 1 pint of water. Season well, then stir everything together and bring to the boil. reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for at least 2 hours. If using your slow cooker, cook on low for around 5-6 hours or until the lamb is tender.

After about 2 hours, add the Sweet Potatoes and the Dates and Apricots, then cook for a further 30 minutes. If using your slow cooker, cook for another hour or so.

Spoon into a large serving bowl and scatter with the freshly chopped Coriander.

Serve with Couscous

Feeds 4 easily

Lamb Curry

This curry is easy to make and can be left for a couple of hours to cook in the oven or slow cooker. You can use pretty much whatever you like to bulk it out, celery, carrots, beans. All good....








You need:

1 Onion - chopped
500g Diced Lamb
2 tablespoons Curry Paste - I used Balti, but up to you
400g tin Chopped Tomatoes
1 stick Celery - finely chopped
250ml Beef or Lamb stock
large bunch fresh Coriander - chopped
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
250g Button Mushrooms - sliced
1 Red Pepper - sliced
1 Yellow Pepper - sliced


If using the oven, pre-heat to 170c. In a large pan, heat the Olive Oil for a minute or so over a medium heat. Add the Onion, Peppers and Celery (or carrots, or whatever) and cook for 3 - 4 mins until they begin to color. Add the Lamb and cook for a further 5 or 6 minutes, turning often until browned. Now add the Curry Paste and stir well. Cook for another minute or so to cook off the rawness, then add the Tomatoes and Stock together with the Mushrooms. Bring to the boil, then transfer to a casserole dish and cook in the over for 2 hours or so. OR...transfer to your slow cooker and cook on Low for 3-4 hours or until the Lamb is melt in the mouth tender.

Serve with boiled rice or couscous (as i did), pickles, Naan bread etc.

Feeds 2

Fire Fry

Here's a really hot one for a cold(ish) early Spring day. Up to you which chillies you choose for this dish, but the hotter you can stand, the better.







You need:

225g Lean Lamb fillet - cut into 3 inch long strips
120 ml Natural (plain) Yogurt plus same again to serve
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1 teaspoon fresh Root Ginger - grated
2 cloves Garlic - crushed
1 teaspoon hot Chilli Powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Onions - finely chopped
300 ml Water
2 tablespoons fresh Coriander - chopped
1 Bay Leaf
2 Red Chillies (hot as you can stand) - deseeded and shredded
2 Green Chillies (hot as you can stand) - deseeded and shredded

In a bowl, mix together the Yogurt, Ginger, Garlic, Chilli Powder, Cardamom, Salt and Garam Masala. Add the Lamb strips and stir well to coat with the marinade. Cover with some cling film and leave in the fridge for about an hour, longer if you can!

In a large frying pan or a Wok, heat the Oil and fry the Onions for approx 5 minutes until they soften and begin to brown. Now add the Bay Leaf, followed by the Marinade and Lamb mixture.




Mix everything together well and cook over a medium heat for about 3 or 4 minutes.


Pour over the water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the water to evaporate and reduce, but not completely. When you still have approx 2 or 3 tablespoons of water left in the pan, it will have turned into a nice thick sauce.

Scatter the Lamb with the sliced Red and Green Chillies and the chopped Coriander.

Serve with boiled white rice and some of the Plain Yogurt to cool it down!

Feeds 2