Greatest Recipes

——————————-ONE DAY AHEAD——————————- 2 Lamb shanks

1 Veal breast

1 Lamb breast

3 lb Loin of pork, rib or

-shoulder end 2 tb Salt

6 Chiles anchos

3 Chiles guajillos

10 Chiles cascabel

Hot water to cover 18 Peppercorns

4 Whole cloves

1/4 ts Oregano

1/4 ts Cumin seeds, scant ts

1/4 c Vinegar

2 ts Salt

6 cl Garlic, peeled

1/2 sm Onion

——————————-ON SERVING DAY——————————- 1 1/2 c Water

The meat Flour and water paste 2 lb Tomatoes, broiled

-(see recipe) Meat juice 1 c Onion, finely chopped

1/2 ts Oregano

The word birria means something deformed or grotesque, and it is used col- loquially in the northwest to mean a mess or failure. This certainly looks a mess when it is cooked, but it is a very savory one. It is a really rustic dish. Usually a whole goat or lamb, although in some places just the offal, is seasoned with a paste of ground spices and chilies and cooked in a pit barbecue. One day ahead: There will be approximately 6 to 7 pounds of meat. Slash the meats in several places down to the bone and rub the salt well into it. Meanwhile, prepare the chili paste. Heat the comal (or griddle) and toast the chilies lightly, turning them from time to time so that they will not burn. Remove the veins and seeds. Put the chilies to soak in hot water for abt. 20 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to the blender jar, add the rest of the ingredients, and blend to a smooth sauce. Cover the meat thickly with the paste and set it aside to season for about 18 hours. On serving day: Preheat the oven to 350F. Put the water in the bottom of a large Dutch over or casserole with a tightly fitting lid and place the meat on a rack so the it is just about the water. Seal the lid with a paste of flour and water and cook for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours, by which time the meat should be almot falling off the bones. Strain off the juices from the bottom of the pan, cool, and skim off the fat. There should be about 2 cups of juices left-if not, make it up with up to 2 cups of water. Blend the tomatoes to a smooth sauce. Put the sauce and the skimmed juices from the meat into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Serve each portion of mixed meats in a deep bowl. pour 1/2 cup of sauce over the meat and sprinkle with the chopped onion and oregano. Eat with tortillas. Makes 8 to 10 servings. From the Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy

1/4 c Ground hulba (fenugreek)

1 c -Cold water

2 Hot chilis (more if desired)

Salt 1 Tomato; peeled and chopped

1/4 c Chopped onion

-OR- spring onion 2 Garlic cloves; crushed

1/4 ts Hawayij

1 c Finely chopped boiled lamb

-OR- chicken 1 c Boiled lentils

1 tb Chopped coriander leaves

2 tb Clarified butter or oil

1 Bone (or chicken stock)

Place fenugreek in a bowl and add cold water. Leave to soak for 5 hours. Pour off water and beat until frothy with a fork. Remove stalks and seeds from chilis and chop finely (take care in handling them). Blend into fenugreek paste with salt to taste and place in a pot. This is the actual Hulba. Add remaining ingredients except the stock or substitute some of the ingredients with whatever is on hand, e.g. diced boiled potatoes for rice, cooked dried beans for lentils. (For 1 cup cooked lentils, simmer 1/2 cup red lentils in 1-1/2 cups water for 15-20 minutes until thick.) Blend ingredients in pot and add enough stock to moisten. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbling and thick. Add a little more stock during heating if necessary. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve in a deep bowl with khobz, malvj, or the readily available Lebanese flat bread for scooping up the mixture. Serve in individual bowls if preferred. Source: The Complete Middle East Cookbook by Tess Mallos Typos by: Karen Mintzias

Karen Mintzias 2 tb Olive oil

8 Loin lamb chops

18 Sheets commercial phyllo

6 tb Butter; hot and melted

2 c Peas; cooked and drained

16 Potato balls; parboiled

16 Cherry tomatoes; peeled

1/2 lb Kasseri cheese; in 8 pieces

Salt & freshly ground pepper 3/4 c Chopped fresh parsley

1 pn Dried oregano

*Note: 3/4-inch slices leg of lamb may be used instead of lamb chops. In a heavy skillet, heat the oil or butter and fry the lamb over high heat, turning frequently. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, unroll the filo sheets and cover with a damp towel. In a small pan over low heat, have the butter hot without letting it brown. Remove two sheets of filo, brush with hot butter over the first, then cover with the second sheet and brush it with butter. In the center of the buttered filo place 1 lamb chop, 2 tablspoons peas, 2 potato balls, 2 cherry tomatoes, and a slice of kasseri. Sprinkle with salt and pepper,

a heaping tablespoon of parsley, and a pinch of oregano. Fold the filo around the lamb and vegetables like a sealed parcel. Place, seam side down, on a buttered baking pan (approximately 11 x 15 x 3 inches) and set aside while you repeat the procedure with the remaining ingredients to make 8 “parcels”. Brush hot butter on the tops, then bake in a moderate oven

(350 F) for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden in color. Remove from the oven and arrange on a warm platter or on individual dishes. Serve warm, with a fresh-cooked or raw vegetable salad. Note: The vegetables and herbs may be varied. Substitute green beans or lima beans for peas, use thyme or basil instead of oregano. Arni Exohiko is frequently prepared using buttered waxed paper, parchment paper or aluminum foil rather than with filo. From: “The Food of Greece” by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles. Avenel Books, New York. Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

1 Rack of lamb;

Garlic; cloves, sliced Salt & pepper Oil Sauce 2 tb Butter

1/2 c Mint jelly

2 tb Vinegar; i use wine vinegar

1 tb Dry mustard

Hi again. This recipe was given to me by a chef friend at the Haiku Gardens Restaurant in Kaneohe on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. Have made it often. This restaurant is right out of “RAIN”" by Sommerset Maugham. It overlooks an awesome valley surrounded by the Koolau mountains. The royalty, Alii, used the valley as their exclusive summer hide away from the heat of the other side,leeward side, of the Island. I lived very near to it and in the Valley for a number of years. Place slivers of garlic along the bones and the base of the rack. Salt and pepper all over. Heat small amount of oil in a skillet to very hot and quickly brown meaty top side of rack only. Don’t allow it to cook or burn. Place rack in a baking dish. While oven is preheating to 350* to 375*, make sauce. SAUCE: Heat to just below boiling point while stirring constantly Use to baste rack and as a sauce to serve with it. I usually doubled the recipe to have enough. Place baking dish on center rack of preheated oven. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over rack of lamb. Cook for about 20+ minutes but usually not more than 25 minutes per pound. Serve and accept the ovations from family and friends. BTW, this sauce makes a very good barbecue sauce. That’s it, after posting these two recipes for rack of lamb I am out of here to get one for myself.:):) Really. I will post one last one later for you Elaine and other lamb lovers. It is nice to be able to get good lamb all year round now. Enjoy—–GUY FROM: GUY ATTWOOD (NFWF89A)

2 tb Melted butter or peanut oil

3 ea Jalapeno, serrano or Thai

1 x Peppers, seeded and minced

2 ea Clove garlic, minced

1/2 c Coconut milk

2 tb Unsalted smooth peanut butte

2 tb Soy sauce

1 tb Lime juice

2 ts Sesame oil

1 ts Honey

1 ts Habanero sauce or

1 x Favorite red hot pepper sauc

In a saucepan, add the melted butter, chili peppers and garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, beanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey and habanero sauce, and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with grilled chicken, fish or lamb, or serve as a vegetable dip.

3 Extra-large bulbs of fresh

Garlic (approx 6 oz.) 1/4 c Minced fresh parsley

1/4 c Oil

Leg of lamb Separate garlic into cloves and remove skins. Place garlic, parsley and oil in a blender or food processor and mix until a paste is formed. Remove excess fat from meat. Spread garlic mixture on all sides of meat. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes per pound. This garlic mixture can also be used on other cuts of meat.