Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Moroccan Spiced Lamb


Holiday Spices with a twist? You got it ! 

Pack a punch of flavor without a ton of prep with this recipe



Ingredients: 
Lamb Loin Chops (1-2 per person depending on size)
Moroccan Spice Blend
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
pistachios
Red Cabbage (Shredded)
Brussel Sprouts (Shredded)

Moroccan Spice Blend: 
Paprika
Cinnamon
Cumin
Ginger
Coriander

Dressing:
1/2 c Yogurt
1 tsp Honey
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 drizzle of olive oil
pinch of Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste


Directions: 

Preheat pan or plancha if cooking indoors, or grill if it's warm enough outside where you are! Start by seasoning the meat with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and rub spice blend on all sides until well coated. 

Prepare dressing in large bowl, whisking until all ingredients are blended, add shredded cabbage and brussel sprouts, toss until coated

Once the pan is nice and hot, add lamb and don't fuss with it until it is nice and seared (about 4-5 minutes per side depending on how thick it is)

Be sure to sear on top, bottom, then sides. Once the meat starts to firm up around the edges, but still kinda squishy in the middle it is about medium rare which is when I would take it off the heat, cover in foil on cutting board, and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving / cutting into it. The resting time will continue the cooking process a bit more, and lamb can be tough if overcooked. 

Plate with salad and garnish with pistachios


ehhh Voila! 




Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Spicy Shrimp & Ravioli



If you are feeling the frost of winter, you understand the comfort a dish can bring. This recipe is packed full of flavor!




Serves: 3-4
Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients: 

1 package of spinach ravioli (or ravioli of your choice) 
2 carrots (grated)
1 red bell pepper (grated)
1 shallot (finely diced)
1 bunch of fresh basil
1 LB of Shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 Tbsp butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
1/4 c Dry Sherry or white wine

Shrimp Spice mix: 
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Red chili flakes (to desired level of heat)  
1/2 tsp each: paprika, ground coriander, ground ginger, cumin 
1 dash cinnamon

Directions: 

Get a pot of water boiling, wash and prep all veggies

Add spices to shrimp and toss until coated, let marinate
 
In a preheated large skillet add a drizzle of Olive Oil, then immediately add grated carrot, bell pepper, and shallot. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stirring until softened (around 4-6 minutes). Put into bowl and set aside, wipe out pan. 

Follow package directions on ravioli of your choice.

As soon as the ravioli gets dropped in the boiling water, add shrimp to preheated skillet, let the spices toast and shrimp sear, after 1-2 minutes add butter and toss shrimp until fully cooked (about 2-3 minutes per side if your pan was hot enough). Take shrimp out and set aside, leaving fond in pan. add another pat of butter along with dry sherry and 1/4 c of water season to taste, and let simmer until liquid reduces and ravioli is done. 

Drain ravioli well and add to sauce, tossing until coated. 


Plate your grated carrot, ravioli, shrimp and garnish with fresh chopped basil