Moroccan Lamb Stew ( Tagine )

Marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground ginger, turmeric, paprika and salt
Juice of an orange.

Combine ingredients in a non-metal bowl
Cut 1 kg of lean lamb ( e.g. lamb steak or shoulder) into 2.5cm cubes

Add to marinade, mix well, cover and leave in fridge overnight.



TAGINE:
The 1 kg lamb in the marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion in wedges
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Moroccan seasoning or 1 teaspoon of allspice.
300ml chicken stock - powder dissolved in hot water is fine.
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice.
1/2 teaspoon chilli paste
1/2 cup water
A bunch of small carrots or 1 large carrot
2 tablespoons honey
8 - 10 dried dates - pitted
44g tin chickpeas, drained
1/4 or more cup of chopped coriander leaves ( cilantro )

Method:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stove top pot, add more oil as necessary.
Cook lamb in batches until browned on all sides, reserving marinade - Use a slotted spoon.
Remove meat to a large dish
Add more oil and cook onion, garlic and spices over medium heat, about 5 mins
Return meat to pot with reserved marinade, large carrot in chunks ( if using ) honey, lemon juice, zest
Add stock and water.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer - covered for 1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add baby carrots if using, dates, chickpeas and season with salt and pepper - be sure to taste it first.
Cover and simmer 30mins
Serve well sprinkled with coriander ( cilantro )
Serves 6 - 8 with pilaff, olives, green beans and/or green salad with cucumber and a yoghurt dressing.

This has a lovely, complex, sweet and sour most delicious flavour.
Could be served with Turkish pide bread - see recipe.

BULGUR  PILAF

Serves 4 -6
500ml chicken stock
250g coarse - ground bulgur - the real nice stuff from the Persian shop!
30g butter
30g currants -soaked in water - then drained
50g toasted slivered almonds or pinenuts
Salt and pepper.

Bring stock to the boil
Add wheat.
Stir well, cook covered on low heat for 15 mins - add a little water if dry.
Stir in butter.
Remove from heat, leave lid on for grains to swell - 5 to 10 mins
Add currants and nuts -fold them in.
Add salt and pepper to your taste.

This is way more delicious than rice and healthier than couscous.

Chocolate and Croissant Custard Pudding.

Hi, 
It's not true that there are too many dessert recipes! You can never have enough simple and successful ones.
This recipe is almost too easy but makes a classy pudding that can be eaten as cake, with coffee, the following day - if there is any left over.

1 Tablespoon softened butter

4 croissants -can be a little stale

60g very high cocoa content dark chocolate

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence 

1/4 of a cup brown sugar

1 cup milk 

1 cup cream - could use light cream or even 2 cups of light cream and no milk.

Extra cream to serve - whipped cream is best for this.

Preheat oven to 160C Grease a baking dish with the butter.

Slice the croissants length -wise and lay half in the dish.

Roughly chop chocolate. Scatter HALF over the first measure of croissants in the dish

Top with the remaining sliced croissants.

Beat the eggs, vanilla, sugar, milk and cream together and pour over the top of the layers.

Leave to stand for at least 20 minutes so the liquid is absorbed

Scatter the other half of the chocolate evenly over the top.

Sprinkle lightly with a little sugar [optional ]

Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Serve hot with extra cream 

Voila!

Serves 6.

French Pear and Almond Tart

Hello again,
this recipe is well tested and scrumptious. However, it doesn't follow the rule I usually have for food - that it be extremely healthy for you. This is treat food.
Useful for a special occasion - not everyday fare. 
Of course it contains goodness - eggs, fruit and almond meal. You could use wholemeal pastry and serve it with yoghurt to healthify it.

Pear and Almond Tart.
Use your own sweet short pastry or use this crispy and delicious one.
Pastry: 5 oz or just under 150g plain flour
           1 Tablespoon icing sugar
           110g or 3.9oz cold butter
           Approx 4 Tablespoons cold water

1. Put first 3 ingredients in a processor-pulse/mix until fine
2. Add water a little at a time-pulsing, when mix begins to form a ball-stop!
3. Lift out, press together gently into a ball.
4. Roll out with a pin, giving the pastry a quarter turn each time so as not to stretch it. It needs to fit a25cm or 10" tart tin-not ceramic!
5. Pastry needs to reach 2.5cm up the side of the tin.

Chill for at least 30 min-it could be left all day in the fridge, covered by a plastic bag or wrap.
Pears
3 beurre bosc or similar- cut in half length-wise- remove core gently using a grapefruit knife- or leave until they are cooked to do this.
Poach gently in water that just covers them, add a teaspoon of honey, a few drops of vanilla and a squeeze of lemon.
Simmer-don't boil, until just tender-not over-soft
Leave them to cool completely in the juice. This can be done the night before.
Remove, drain and pat dry before using them in the tart. If you are in a hurry you could use a can of pear halves.

Preheat oven to 160degC
Filling:
50g butter
100g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
2 eggs
1 Tblspn rum or brandy
1 teaspoon almond extract.

Place butter and sugar in a bowl and use electric beaters to mix until pale in colour and fluffy in texture.

1. Stir in ground almonds, then eggs, brandy and essence - beat well.
2. Spoon mix into tart and flatten a little.
3. Place dry pear halves cut side down onto a board, if they are a little too thick carefully trim a thin slice from the underside. Put a few shallow slits in the pairs and lift them, using a slice, onto the almond filling, thin end to the centre. Press them in a little, gently.
4. Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes until the filling and pastry are golden
5. Serve warm with vanilla cream-beaten cream with a teaspoon of icing sugar and  3 drops of vanilla essence. Or Greek yoghurt and cream mixed together. Or creme fraiche.

Best eaten on the day. Dust with icing sugar.

Delish Coconut Chicken Curry.

A truly delicious curry - not too hot but extremely tasty - serves 4 - Can be made the day ahead and reheated gently in the oven or stove top. Make sure it stays in the fridge overnight. Serve with rice or Indian breads and side dishes.

4 tablespoons mustard oil or other oil or ghee.
2 medium onions - chopped.
small piece of ginger - peeled and chopped
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
8 chicken pieces - legs, drums or thighs - large pieces with the bone in, skinned
12 cardamom pods - smashed with the seeds extracted - husks discarded
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric 
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chilli powder or cayenne pepper if chilli isn't tolerated
half a can of crushed tomatoes [ 200g ]
1 tablespoon tomato paste
finely grated zest of one lime [ or lemon ](optional, this will make it a little sour)
2 tablespoons of lime juice [ or lemon ]( optional, this will make it a little sour)
165 ml - 200 ml coconut cream

1. Fry onions, ginger and garlic in 2 tablespoons heated oil, gently for 15 minutes in a large frying pan.
2. In another pan with the other 2 spoons of heated oil brown the chicken all over, in batches. - Make sure it is slowly browned not burnt.
3. Put cardamom seeds, cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and crush, add turmeric, fenugreek, salt and chilli or cayenne.- Fry gently for five minutes, stirring, - in the pan with the onion mixture.
4. Add tomatoes, paste and zest and juice. Bring to gentle boil - add coconut cream, stir, add chicken pieces.You need the bone-in chicken in order to give it the long cooking time to break down the tomatoes etc.
5. Cover pan with lid and cook gently for 45 minutes. Serve hot. Savour!