Lamb And Eggplant Potpie With Feta Potato Crust Recipes

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

EGGPLANT, LAMB AND YOGURT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/240 degrees Celsius.
• Add the eggplant, lamb, onion, oregano, oil, tomato paste, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, red-pepper flakes, 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and a good grind of pepper to a 10-by-13-inch/26-by-34-centimeter (or similar) roasting pan (tin) and mix well to combine. Bake until the mixture is well browned, stirring twice throughout and breaking apart the meat with a spoon, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and continue to break apart the meat very well (don't worry if you break apart some of the eggplant, too). Add the canned tomatoes with their juices, lightly crushing the tomatoes by hand. Stir in the chicken stock and parsley then return to the oven and bake for another 35 minutes, stirring twice throughout, until the sauce is thick and rich and the eggplant is very soft. Remove from the oven and turn the oven temperature up to 475 degrees Fahrenheit/250 degrees Celsius.
• While the casserole is in the oven, prepare the topping: Whisk together the yogurt, yolks, flour, garlic and half the Parmesan with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Once ready, spoon the yogurt mixture over the lamb and eggplant, gently spreading to cover. Top evenly with the remaining Parmesan, feta, pine nuts, parsley and red-pepper flakes.
• Bake until golden and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

ONE-PAN HERBY ROAST LAMB WITH LEMON, POTATOES & FETA

Steps:

• Take the lamb out of the fridge at least 1 hr before cooking to come to room temperature. Score the skin into 3cm diamonds using a sharp knife, but don't cut too deep.
• Cut the garlic bulb in half to expose the flesh of each clove. Set one half aside, then pop the cloves from the remaining half out of their skins. Put these in a small food processor along with most of the mint and parsley, the rosemary, lemon zest, preserved lemon and a large pinch of salt. Blitz the mixture together, or pound using a pestle and mortar, adding half the olive oil once the herbs have started to break down. Pour the marinade over the lamb, massaging it into the cuts. Leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 30 mins, or chill for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the lamb in your largest roasting tin (you'll need space to add the potatoes later). Wrap well with foil and bake for 45 mins.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pan of cold salted water. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Drain and leave to steam-dry for 10 mins.
• Remove the lamb from the oven and lift onto a board. Drizzle the remaining oil into the roasting tin, then tip in the potatoes, fresh lemon slices and the remaining garlic bulb half, rubbing the cut side in the oil. Season and toss to coat the potatoes and lemon slices in the oil and lamb juices. Sit the lamb on top.
• Return to the oven for 35 mins more for medium (a thermometer should read 55C), or 50 mins for well done. Transfer the lamb to a warm platter, cover and leave to rest. Meanwhile, shake the potatoes around in the tin and return to the oven for another 20-25 mins, or until golden and crisp. Swirl the harissa paste through the yogurt.
• Roughly chop the remaining mint and parsley. Scatter the chopped herbs and feta over the potatoes. Carve the lamb and pour any roasting juices into the spiced yogurt, and mix through. Serve the lamb and potatoes with peas or spring greens, and the spiced yogurt sauce on the side for drizzling over.