Spiced Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes Recipes

SPICED LAMB-STUFFED EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, including the stems. Using a sharp paring knife, scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a shell that is 1/3 inch thick and reserving the scooped-out eggplant. Place the eggplant shells snugly in a single layer in a large (10-by-14-inch) rectangular baking dish. Brush the eggplant all over with 1/4 cup olive oil (use it all!) and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 1/4 cup water in the baking dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes, until the shells are tender when pierced with a small knife. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and leave the oven on.
• Meanwhile, for the lamb filling, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender. Cut the reserved scooped-out eggplant into 1/2-inch dice (you should have about 2 cups). Add the eggplant to the onion and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if it seems dry. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground lamb and cook, mashing lightly with a fork, for 5 to 7 minutes, until no longer pink. Add the oregano and cinnamon and cook for one minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, marinara, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Spoon the filling into the eggplant halves in the baking dish. (You may have a little extra filling.)
• In a medium bowl, mash the ricotta, goat cheese, egg yolks, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with a fork. With a spoon, place large dollops of the ricotta mixture on the lamb filling and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is hot and the topping is lightly browned. Serve warm, sprinkled with extra mint.

STUFFED CABBAGE AND SPICED LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Make the lamb spice mix: In a medium saute pan, toast cumin, mustard, coriander, and fenugreek over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder along with peppercorns and pulse until roughly chopped; set aside.
• Make the stuffed cabbage: Using a paring knife, remove center core of cabbage. In a large nonreactive stockpot, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook until outer leaves are bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Lift cabbage from water and remove outer leaves. Return cabbage to boiling water and repeat brief cooking and removal of leaves until all leaves are cooked. Trim thick center vein from bottom of each leaf. Reserve four large outer leaves to line bottom of pan.
• In a medium skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden and tender, about 8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon reserved spice mix and a pinch each of saffron and salt. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl and add cooked rice, currants, pine nuts, and parsley. Season filling with salt and mix until well combined.
• Add 1/4 cup filling to one cabbage leaf. Fold sides of cabbage over filling and tightly roll, starting with the stem end. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
• Line a 5-quart Dutch oven with reserved outer leaves. Place potatoes in bottom of pot and top with stuffed cabbage leaves, tucking tomatoes between them. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of saffron.
• In a medium saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock along with sugar and remaining pinch of saffron. Season with salt.
• Pour tomato paste mixture over stuffed cabbage and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until cabbage is very tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Make the rack of lamb: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season lamb all over with salt and 4 tablespoons reserved spice mixture (1 tablespoon per side), rubbing to evenly coat meat.
• Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium and sear lamb, meat-side down, until golden and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn lamb and transfer skillet to oven. Roast lamb until a thermometer inserted in center reaches 130 degrees (medium-rare). Let rest 5 minutes before carving lamb into individual chops.
• To serve, place stuffed cabbage, along with potatoes and sauce, on a serving platter, and top with lamb. Garnish with mint.

LAMB COOKED WITH TOMATOES & AROMATIC SPICES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a moderate heat until quite hot. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, throw in the cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Tip in the sliced onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add the lamb, turn up the heat a little and fry for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned.
• Stir in the garlic and ginger, ground coriander, cayenne, turmeric, potatoes and 1 tsp salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, then pour in 300ml/1⁄2 pint boiling water, to just cover the meat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the lamb is tender. Add more water if needed to make a gravy. (Make to here up to 2 days ahead; cool, then keep covered in the fridge.)
• If made ahead reheat for 10 minutes until bubbling then swirl in the yogurt and garnish with coriander.

SPICED LAMB STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Remove a thin slice from the top of each tomato.
• Using a grapefruit knife, cut out the centers of the tomatoes, scrape out pulp and seeds, sprinkle insides with salt and turn upside down to drain.
• Place a large non stick skillet over high heat, add lamb and onion, stir breaking up clumps until lamb is barely pink, drain any excess fat.
• Reduce heat to medium low, add sugar, allspice, cayenne, lemon juice and simmer 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low add ricotta, garlic, salt and pepper and simmer 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in dill.
• Stuff tomatoes with lamb mixture and bake 20- 25 minutes.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH SPICED LAMB AND RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut off top third of tomatoes; chop tops and reserve. Scoop out seeds, juice, and pulp from tomatoes and discard.
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add lamb and sauté until browned, about 7 minutes. Add chopped tomato tops, wine, mint, 2 tablespoons parsley, and cinnamon. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes. Stir in cooked rice.
• Place tomatoes in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon lamb mixture into tomatoes. Sprinkle each tomato with 1/2 tablespoon breadcrumbs, then 1 tablespoon cheese. Bake until heated through and cheese begins to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH SPICED TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, mix together the onion, cream, egg yolks, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper and cayenne. Put the lamb in the bowl, and season it aggressively with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and parsley, and combine the mixture well. Shape the meat into balls that are a little larger than golf balls.
• Grease a baking pan with olive oil, and put the meatballs onto it, spaced evenly. Place beneath the broiler, and cook, turning once or twice, until the meatballs are well browned, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, then set meatballs aside. Turn oven to 400.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill, or whizz them quickly in a food processor. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat for a minute, then add olive oil, rosemary and red pepper and shake to combine. Cook for another minute, then add onion, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and bay leaf and sauté until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, orange juice and peel, along with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, until reduced by a third. Adjust seasoning.
• Pour the tomato sauce into a large baking dish that you can put on the table. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce, putting them about ½ inch from each other. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are cooked through.
• Top with crumbled feta and scattered mint.

STUFFED TOMATOES WITH LAMB MINCE, DILL & RICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out most of the pulp with a teaspoon, being careful not to break the skin. Finely chop the pulp, and keep any juices. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a little sugar to take away the acidity, then place them on a baking tray.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and garlic, then gently cook for about 10 mins until soft but not coloured. Add the lamb, cinnamon and tomato purée, turn up the heat, then fry until the meat is browned. Add the tomato pulp and juice, the rice and the stock. Season generously. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside to cool a little, then stir in the herbs.
• Stuff the tomatoes up to the brim, top tomatoes with their lids, drizzle with 2 tbsp more olive oil, sprinkle 3 tbsp water into the tray, then bake for 35 mins. Serve with salad and crusty bread, hot or cold.

LAMB-STUFFED TOMATOES, MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE

Steps:

• Stand tomatoes on stem ends. Cut off top 1/4 of tomatoes (reserve tops for another use). Using melon baller, scoop out seeds and pulp from tomatoes. Sprinkle insides of tomatoes lightly with salt. Place tomatoes, cut side down, on paper towels and drain 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Mix lamb and all remaining ingredients in large bowl to blend. Fill tomatoes with lamb stuffing, mounding slightly at top. Arrange tomatoes in prepared dish.
• Bake tomatoes until stuffing is cooked through and meat thermometer inserted into center of stuffing registers 160°F, about 1 hour. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Serve tomatoes warm or at room temperature.