Lamb Meatballs with Couscous and Feta

We are slowly finishing up the lamb we bought last year. Deirdre found this recipe and we both thought it would be yummy. We were right.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 small red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup couscous
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 plum tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

Pre-heat a broiler. In a bowl, combine the lamb, apricots, coriander, chopped red onion and salt and pepper to taste. Form the mixture into meatballs, approximate 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place the meatballs on a broiling pan. Broil until cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the couscous per the directions on the box.

Again while the meatballs are cooking, mix the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

When the meatballs are done, spoon the couscous onto a plate, serve the meatballs on the couscous, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and Feta cheese. Drizzle with the dressing.

Cook's Notes:

This was an incredibly easy meal to make. I used my food processor to chop the apricots and the red onions. It was nothing short of delicious. Here are a few images of the preparation and the meal.

Here are the lamb meatballs on the broiler pan:

From 8-28-2011

The sliced plum tomatoes:

From 8-28-2011

More meatballs:

From 8-28-2011

Placing the meatballs on the couscous:

From 8-28-2011

Drizzling the dressing on the meatballs, tomatoes, couscous, onions and cucumbers:

From 8-28-2011

We will definitely make this meal again. However, next time, I might add some Feta cheese to the ground lamb. Updates to follow as conditions warrant.

Basil-Garlic Grilled Pork Chops

In preparation for the whole pig we recently purchased, we have been trying new pork chop recipes. If you like limes and basil you need to try this recipe.

Basil-Garlic Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 (8 ounce) pork chops
• 1 lime, juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Toss the pork chops with the lime juice in a bowl until evenly covered.

Toss with garlic and basil. Season the chops to taste with salt and pepper.

Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Cook the pork chops on the preheated grill until no longer pink in

the center, 5 to 10 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer

inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Cook's Notes:

We like limes so I juiced two limes for this recipe. Also, I placed the marinade and the piggies in a zip-lok bag and marinated the chops over night. The chops were nothing short of delicious.

Breakfast

This is new for us.  I don't know that I have ever posted a breakfast recipe.  And we are on a huge feta cheese kick right now.  So I had all the ingredients for a terrific breakfast, sans Paul, because well, he doesn't eat eggs.

2 eggs, beaten
a few cherry tomatoes (as many or as few as you wish), quartered
a dash of white wine
a shake of basil
feta cheese

Heat up a tablespoon or so of olive oil and warm up the tomatoes.  Over medium heat, add the egg mixture and let it cook until it starts to firm up.  Add the cheese.  Cook until done, depending on how you like your eggs.

You see how my cooking style differs wildly from Paul's precise measurements. I'm a 'this looks good' kind of cook.   Oh, and this is a "Samson Approved" breakfast dish.  I like it too.

Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary and Vinegar Marinade

Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary and Vinegar Marinade

6 servings

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

2 cups olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 pounds flank steak

1. In a large bowl combine the red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar,

Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard, rosemary,

both olive oils, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together until

thoroughly blended. Reserve once cup of marinade for later use.

2. Add the steak to the remaining sauce in the zip-lok bag and

marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. Prepare a fire in the grill. Cook the flank steak to desired

doneness. 4-6 minutes per side for medium rare.

3. Remove the steak from the grill and place on a cutting board.

Loosely cover the steak with aluminum foil and allow the steak to

rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice the steak along the grain

into half-inch slices. Serve at once with the reserved sauce.

Cook's Notes: I made the marinade on Friday night and placed the steak and the marinade in a zip-lok bag. The steak marinated overnight and cooked it last night for dinner. The marinade permeate the steak and I will definitely make this again. I drizzled a little of the reserved marinade over the sliced steak and it complimented the meat well.