Lebanese Feasting: Spicy Lamb Tart

Time for the main course element of this week's Monday Menu, Spicy Lamb Tart.

I don't ordinarily have much use for lamb mince, favouring lean beef is ever the need arises for it within a dish. However, the lamb definitely adds the perfect flavour to this tart (recipe adapted from Delicious Magazine 2010).

This dish has layers and layers of flavour from the pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, chillies, allspice and herbs that are added throughout. Whilst that means it does take a little time to get ready, it's not complex and the aromas and taste are definitely worth it.

I bought my pomegranate molasses some time ago from Sainsburys (look for it in the 'World Foods' section). If you buy some for this recipe and have no idea what to do with it afterwards, there are some good recipes here.

This tart will feed 4 people with sides of fragrant rice and a green salad.

Enjoy cooking,
Helen x

Spicy Lamb Tart

Ingredients

• 375g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 tbsp polenta
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 400g lean lamb mince
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 red chilli (chopped)
• 1 green chilli (sliced)
• 25g pine nuts (toasted)
• 200 ml chicken stock
• Bunch of flat leaf parsley (chopped)
• Bunch of coriander (chopped)
• Handful pomegranate seeds
• Olive oil

Step 1: Preheat oven to 180c/GM 6

Step 2: Sprinkle polenta on a baking tray and lay pastry over the top. Score a border about 3 cm in from the edge and brush with beaten egg (try not to get egg in the scored line). Place in oven for 15 minutes until pastry is light-gold in colour (not brown) and remove.

Step 3:  Whilst pastry is in the oven, soften the onion in a glug of olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the lamb and cook through until browned (about 5 minutes). Then add spices, pine nuts, molasses, stock and chopped chilli. Simmer for 10 minutes until stock has reduced and sticky lamb mix remains.

Step 4: Add chopped herbs (reserving some parsley) to the lamb and spread over centre of the golden pastry, laying the sliced chilli on top.

Step 5: Return tart to the oven for 10 minutes more, until pastry is a deep golden colour. Remove and top with pomegranate seeds and remaining parsley.

Step 6: Slice and serve with chosen accompaniments.

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Fragrant Lamb & Cherry Stew served with Lemon Cous Cous

Good grief! A recipe not about cake! Can you cope?

This is about as close to savoury as I go. A sweet, sticky lamb dish bursting with juicy cherries.

Generally, I'm not a huge fan of lamb. I'm happy to eat it, but would rarely choose it from a menu. I find it a little fatty and there always seems to something more exciting on a menu that gets my vote. The only thing that might swing me is slow cooked lamb, falling away from the bone and melting in the mouth. The sort of dish that takes overnight slow-cooking that I do not have the patience to carry out.

This recipe however, manages the same, soft melting lamb in considerably less time! The vast amounts of spring onion and parsley make this a really fresh, rather than heavy meat dish which I love. Part of my wants to call it a salad, but I think it might be stretching it slightly....

The recipe is inspired by Silvena Rowe's dish in her book Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume (gorgeous from start to finish). I've amended it by adding more cherries and lemons, to create a more sticky dish, to accommodate my sweet tooth. If you can't get hold of dried cherries, I'd substitute them for cranberries.


Lamb and Cherry Stew served with Lemon Cous Cous (serves 4)

•  800g lamb shoulder (cubed - I did mine from a joint so I could remove all the fat)
• 4tbsp olive oil
• 24 spring onions, sliced
• 4 lemons, zested and juiced
• 300ml lamb stock
• 150g dried cherries (I bought bags from dried fruit snacking section of Sainsburys)
• 1 large bunch flatleaf parsley
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
• Green beans (to serve)
• Cous cous (to serve)
• Handful pistachio nuts (to serve)

Step 1: Heat oil in casserole dish and brown lamb

Step 2: Add spring onions to casserole and cook for 5 minutes

Step 3: Add stock, cherries and half of the lemon zest and juice. Simmer for 90 minutes until lamb is tender

Step 4: Leave to rest and make cous cous. Pour sufficient for 4 people into a bowl and cover with water. Leave for 5 minutes and stir through remaining lemon juice, zest and seasoning to taste. Scatter with pistachio nuts

Step 5: Boil green beans in boiling water for 3-5 minutes and refresh under cold water

Step 6: Stir torn parsley leaves and toasted pine nuts through stew and serve

Hope you enjoy,
Helen x

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