Vicky's Improvised Morrocan Lamb Curry

I fuck around a lot in class. Everyone thought this turned out phenomenal... it was supposed to be a generic lamb curry but I took it to the next step!

NOTE: for vegetarians, or lamb haters, this would also be great with chickpeas, or cauliflower, chicken, seafood, whatever. enjoy!

YOU NEED:

1 pound chunks of lamb, shoulder is fine

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons grated ginger

3 tablespoons curry powder

4 chopped tomatoes

tomato juice and water just to cover

cardamon pods

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons tomato paste

some cinnamon, allspice, turmeric,  salt, and pepper to taste

1 or 2 large onions, chopped finely

fat rendered from lamb or ghee

red pepper flakes or hot sauce, to taste

1. start by browning the lamb in a pan in a bit of ghee [butter]

2. remove, keep fat if you want, add in chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, then lamb back in.

3 toss in mix of spices. add more as you need. add tomato paste.

4. add in some tomato juice, stock, or water until lamb is almost covered.

5. let cook for an hour until reduced, tasting and adjusting as you go.

serve on rice with chopped mint!

Cassoulet

This french/spanish dish is surprisingly easy! Very hearty and full of protein.

YOU NEED:

beans, soaked overnight, in cold water [black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, a mix, etc]

meat [sausage and/or bacon, duck and lamb work too]

onions and celery, diced

tomato paste

garlic paste

cayenne 

chicken stock

tomato diced

red pepper diced

green pepper diced

1. diced everything. 

2. preheat oven to 400 F.

3. in a deep saucepan, fry bacon and meat. render the fat. put meat aside, keep fat in pan.

4. fry onions and celery in fat, add garlic, a bit of oil if needed.

5. add beans, tomato paste, cayenne, pepper [NO SALT] and keep frying.

6. add chicken stock, just slightly covering, bring to a boil. 

7. add in some thyme stems, bacon rind and a bay leaf [you will remove this before serving] and put in oven for an hour.

8. after an hour, return to stovetop and simmer. check if beans are cooked through. right before serving, add tomato, peppers. remove bay leaf, rind, and thyme stems, and salt to taste

9. serve!