Moroccan Lamb Loveliness

I love the rich aromas that cooking a Moroccan inspired dish creates and today's delight is full of spices that will stimulate your taste buds and make your kitchen smell like a spice market. This dish uses delicious Australian lamb, warm, aromatic spices, salty fetta cheese and fresh herbs as a filling for flaky filo rolls. As always, the spice amounts are only a guide. You may want to add a truckload of chilli or just a touch. You may not be a fan of fresh coriander - then substitute some continental parsley. Just taste as you go until you get a flavour balance you are happy with.

The lamb mixture should be cold when you make your rolls, or the pastry will melt and fall apart and it will be a big hassle to handle. I recommend making the mixture well ahead (even the day before) to ensure that you get the best results. These rolls (uncooked) will freeze well - just put a layer of baking paper between them if you are stacking them in layers into containers. Although I used filo pastry, you could substitute puff pastry if filo is hard for you to get hold of.

These are very moreish and tasty, so give them a try.....

You will need: 1 pack Filo pastry, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds,1/2 cup melted butter, 500g lamb mince, 1 large finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup finely diced celery, 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, 2 cups diced cooked pumpkin (cooked until just soft, not too mushy), 1 cup crumbled fetta cheese, 1/2 cup chopped mint, 1 bunch fresh coriander, 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli, 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, a pinch of cinnamon, pepper, salt, a splash of olive oil.

Method: Add a splash of olive oil to a pan and cook the onion, garlic and celery until soft. Add the chilli, coriander powder, paprika, cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon and cook for about a minute. Add the lamb mince and cook it until browned. When it is done, remove from the heat.

Allow the lamb mixture to cool, then stir through the pumpkin, fetta, fresh mint and fresh coriander. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Once the lamb mixture is completely cold, it is ready to use to make you filo rolls/parcels.

Unroll your packet of filo and cut it in half. Each roll will take 3-4 individual sheets. Brush each sheet with a little butter until you have a few layers, place a tablespoon of the lamb mixture onto the pastry and roll up to form a parcel.

When you are done, place the rolls on a greased or lined baking tray. Beat together the 2 eggs and a couple of teaspoons of water. Brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle with the poppyseeds.

Bake in a moderate oven for 20-30 mins, until golden brown.

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Red jewels for dinner....

This morning when I was at the market I was drawn to a basket of beautiful red pomegranate fruit and I decided to make this delicious, tart fruit the centerpiece of tonight's dinner. I just love the beautiful jewel red of the kernels, and the crunch as the seeds explode in your mouth and you get a hit of that gorgeous pomegranate juice. I have ramped up the pomegranate flavour of my dish by also using pomegranate balsamic as a base for the dressing. It you are unable to find this ingredient, try mixing a little pomegranate molasses with a little vinegar. It will be an acceptable substitute for the balsamic.

Pomegranates are used a lot in middle eastern cuisine, so that is my inspiration for tonight's dish. I have combined the flavours of mint, the spice of cumin, cayenne and paprika, the creaminess of whitebeans and organic yoghurt, the crunch of pomegranate and walnuts and teamed them together with fresh scallops and barramundi. One of the real joys of this dish is the fantastic array of textures, as well as the contrasting flavours.

If you think the recipe looks a bit fiddly, don't be put off - although there are a few processes involved they are all very quick. I made this in under half an hour without even trying.

A handy hint for removing the kernels from your pomegranate. (I know some people think they are a bit of a pain in the butt to prepare) Cut the fruit in half. Break it into pieces and put it in a bowl/sink of water. Pull away the pale connective part of the fruit. The ruby red seeds will sink to the bottom and the pith with rise to the top. Skim it off and you are left with perfect kernels.

And before we look at the recipe - a Gourmet Goddess trivia fact - The tattoo you can see a glimpse of in my profile picture includes 5 pomegranates. They are a commonly a symbol for the Goddess in many cultures and pop up as symbols in many different mythologies. And if you look carefully, they are also depicted on the High Priestess Tarot card. See, you are eating fruit with a history!

 Spiced Barramundi and Scallops

with whitebean puree and mint, zucchini and pomegranate salad

You will need:
For the marinade - 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 heaped taspoon paprika, generous pinch cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, salt and pepper

For the bean puree - 1 tin white beans (I used Cannelini) rinsed and well drained, 1 tablespoon thick continental style yoghurt, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper.

For the salad - 2 medium zucchini sliced thinly, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, 2 tablespoons finely sliced spring onions, 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate kernels, 1 tablespoon roughly chopped walnuts ( I always toast them a little in a dry pan first - it makes them crunchier and nuttier)

For the dressing: 2 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, pinch salt, pepper, 2 teaspoons warm water.

Plus 1 small piece of Barramundi per person, 3 Scallops per person

Method: First, combine the marinade ingredients. Cut the fish into large chunks, add the fish and the scallops to the mixture, mix well and set aside.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Combine the bean puree ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy. Set aside.

In a grill pan, cook the zucchini on both sides, until it starts to colour. Allow them to cool a little before mixing them with all of the salad ingredients.

Now cook the fish and scallops - be sure not to overcook them. Scallops literally take about 20 seconds a side. The fish will vary according to how thick it is, but it should only be a minute or so a side, if the pieces aren't too large. Allow the seafood to rest for at least 5 minutes before assembling the dish.

Now you are ready to put the dish together - start with a few spoonfuls of the puree, then combine the salad ingredients and the dressing in a seperate bowl. When combined, put a pile on top of the puree. Top with the seafood. Drizzle over any juices from the seafood and serve right away.

Serves 2 - 4 people.

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Mouthwatering Morocco

You might remember back in June I showed you how to make Moroccan Preserved Lemons. Well, I checked them this morning and they are ready to be used, so today's recipe includes this unique ingredient. I really enjoy Moroccan food for it's aromatic character, beautiful flavours and balanced use of sweetness and sourness. Today's dish has all of these things. It uses roasted spices, dried apricots, chilli and of course the lemony punch of the preserved lemons, to make a Chicken Tagine that can be a midweek dinner or a centerpiece for a full Moroccan style feast.

A Tagine gets its name from the conical earthenware pots used through North Africa to braise meat, grains and vegetables. The principle is that the meal is cooked slowly, and the moisture that collects in the lid runs back into the dish. This results in very tender meat and no loss of precious flavour. More recently, a Tagine has come to mean the dish itself - braised or stewed meat, vegetables and grains that may or may not actually be cooked in a Tagine. I just used a standard heavy based pot to cook my Tagine today.

Although my recipe includes chicken, you can easily adapt this to suit you. You can omit the meat altogether and add more vegetables (carrot, zucchini, eggplant for example) or you could use lamb or goat meat in place of the chicken. If you use lamb or goat, I would double the quoted cooking time. If you use vegetables alone, halve the cooking time. Also feel free to ramp up the chilli content if you like things spicy. I used both fresh chilli and Harissa (Moroccan chilli paste) in my dish. If you cannot buy Harissa where you are, substitute minced chilli or sambal olek. The flavour is different but it still works well. Serve the Tagine with couscous and warm flatbread to soak up all the delicious gravy. My recipe serves 4-6 and freezes extremely well if you want to save some for later.

A note about the preserved lemon - to prepare the presrved lemon, you need to remove all of the pulp and disgard it. You will only use the skin. With a sharp knife, cut off the pith close to the skin. Disgard this also. Wash the lemon skin well - it will be very salty. Then chop the lemon finely. Now it is ready to use.

Chicken Tagine

You will need: 1kg skinless chicken thighs cut into large chunks, 2 diced red onions, 1 diced red pepper, 3 cloves finely chopped garlic, 1/2 cup diced pumpkin, 1 tablespoon pitted black olives, 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained, 1 large sliced red chilli, 2 teaspoons finely chopped preserved lemon, 300g halved dried apricots, olive oil, 1/2 cup plain flour, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1-2 teaspoons Harissa (or minced chilli), 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon corainder seeds, 6 cloves, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 litre chicken stock (or vegetable stock), 1/2 cup toasted skinless almonds, 1 bunch fresh coriander roughly chopped, 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint.

Method: First, toast your spices. In a dry pan combine the cloves, coriander seeds and peppercorns and toast them gently until they start to release their fragrance. When they are done, crush them in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Next, splash some olive oil into a heavy based pot and cook the red onion, peppers, garlic and pumpkin until the onion starts to brown a little. Add the spice mixture, along with the olives, fresh chilli, cinnamon stick, preserved lemon, and Harissa. Cook for another minute or two. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a plastic bag, combine the flour and paprika. Add the chicken and coat the pieces well in the flour mixture. Heat a frypan and add a generous splash of olive oil. Cook the chicken in batches until slightly golden on both sides.

Add the chicken, apricots,honey, chickpeas and stock to the spice/onion mixture. Combine and bring to the boil. Simmer gently uncovered (stirring occasionally) for about an hour. When ready to serve, taste for seasoning and stir through the fresh coriander and mint. Top with the toasted almonds.

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A Taste of Morocco - Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemon is one of my favourite ingredients, with it's exotic, unique flavour and ability to take a simple dish to a whole other level. It is an absolute must when cooking a Moroccan style stew or tagine, but it is also great in dressings and marinades or scattered through a vegetarian cous-cous or with grilled vegetables. The flavour is quite strong, so it is important to excercise a touch of restraint when using this ingredient. Chop it finely and add small amounts to start with. Taste your dish as you go until you are happy with the intensity. When using preserved lemon be sure to remove all of the flesh and scrape away the white pith. You use only the skin of the lemon which contains all the lovely citrus oils. The rest will usually be very salty and is not suitable for use.

If you have ever seen preserved lemons in your grocer or gourmet store you will know that they can be quite expensive. Luckily for us, they are ridiculously easy and inexpensive to make yourself, especially right now when lemons are cheap and plentiful. Just be sure to make them at least 4 weeks before you want to use them - they take that long to be ready. Once they are, they keep for months and you will have this exotic and delicious ingredient on hand to add a touch of Morocco to your cooking.

You will need: Whole lemons (today I used Eureka lemons), bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon (quills or bark - not powder) salt, lemon juice and a jar/jars with tight fitting lids. Avoid using metal lids, as the salt will make them corrode.

Method: Wash the whole lemons in warm water and dry them. Slice them as if you are cutting them into quarters - starting at the non-stalk end - but don't cut right through to the bottom so they stay in one piece. You should be able to open them up like the petals of a flower.

Place a few cloves inside each lemon and then push them into the jar, layering the sea salt, a few cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon. When the jar is full, top up with extra salt and lemon juice and seal the jar tightly.

Store in a cupboard away from direct light for at least 4 weeks. During the preserving time, give the jar a shake every few days to incorporate the ingredients. Top up with extra lemon juice if you need to.

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