Moroccan Meatballs with Chickpeas

one of the recipes from the SMH's good living (a jill dupleix recipe). i would like to convert to thermomix...

2 thick slices white bread, crusts removed (obviously i would need to convert to GF too ;))
100ml milk
500g lean minced lamb
1 small onion, grated
2 tspn chopped parsley leaves
2 tspns chopped coriander leaves
2 tspn ground cumin
2 tspn ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt

chickpeas:
2 tspn olive oil
1 onion, halved & finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 400g tinned tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup water
400g tinned chickpeas, drained
2 tspn finely chopped parsley
2 tspn finely chopped coriander
1 tspn ground cumin
1 tspn paprika
1 tspn ground ginger
1/2 tspn salt

heat oven to 200'c. soak bread in milk for 5 mins then squeeze out excess milk. mix bread with meat in a bowl. add onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and salt and knead with hands until well mixed.
roll meat into golf ball sized balls, placed on oiled baking tray and bake for 15 mins until lightly browned
to make the sauce, heat oil in frypan and cook onion for 5 mins. add farlic, tomoatoes and their juices, tomato paste, water and bring to the boil. add chickpeas, parsley, coriander, cumin, coriander, cumin, paprika, ginger, and salt, stirring and simmer for 15 mins. add meatballs and simmer for 10 mins until sauce thickens.

makes 16-18 meatballs, serves 4

Lamb Shanks in Plum, Cranberry & Red Wine Sauce (GF, SC/CP)

Based on the recipe on eb, but with a few major differences due to lack of ingredients lol the Lamb Shanks really ended up way too fatty for us despite being baked on a rack first, cooked the day before and all fat skimmed off tonight, so if anyone has any less fatty suggestions for a replacement please let me know :)

Special thanks to Lana who gave me the delicious plum sauce that saved me when i didn't have enough cranberry sauce! (we swapped for lemon butter & nectarine & peach jam ;))

Lamb Shanks in Plum, Cranberry & Red Wine Sauce

6 lamb shanks, fat trimmed as desired
2 tablespoons buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon chicken stock powder ( i use GF massel brand)
1 cup red wine (i just use an aldi cheapie)
1/2 jar cranberry sauce
around 2/3 cup plum sauce
1 tablespoon thyme or rosemary leaves
1/3 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1-2 cups water as required
* check all ingredient lists to ensure they are gluten free

bake lamb shanks for about 20-30 mins in a 200+'c oven - i bake mine on a rack over a tray full of water, helps make them more tender as well as making cleanup easier!

place all other ingredients except water in slow cooker (crock pot) and mix well. add shanks and turn cooker onto high. cook for 2 hours then turn down to low. at this time take lid off and stir sauce to mix flour through. add as much water as you need (i had to add about 1 1/2 cups, i didn't seem to get much extra liquid from the shanks, probably because they were baked)

cook for about 5 hours until shanks are practically falling apart.

serve if desired or if you'd like to get rid of still more fat...

place shanks in a microwavable container and place in fridge. pour the sauce into a smaller container. the next night remove the solid fat from the top of the sauce. spoon it over the shanks and heat for about 20 minutes at half / medium / 50% power.

serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veg, including a green veg

Today's Rice Noodle version... (Gluten Free)

YUM!

1 packet rice noodles, cooked according to directions
2 medium carrots grated
1/2 - 1 lebanese cucumber, finely sliced and then julienned
some lettuce, shredded
1/2 red capsicum, cut into fine julienned pieces
several sprigs of fresh mint, shredded
1/2 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
several cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 lamb fillets, sprinkled with Five Spice Powder, fried or BBQ grilled on a high heat, then sliced
tamari, to taste
(also yummy but not suitable for us would be a little hoisin sauce and / or sweet chilli sauce or jam)

mix well and serve!

Links - Meat Dishes #2

link to first lot

homemade breakfast sausage

asian peanut butter pork - slow cooker

Chicken & Cider Stew w/ Apple & Potato Mash

five spice pork belly

gosht do piaza (lamb with double onions)

dal gosht - spiced lamb with lentils

mongolian beef

chicken stewed in wine, garlic & cinnamon

caldo gallego (spanish soup with bacon & chorizos)

honey ginger chicken

truman capote's chicken hash

chicken with bacon, rosemary and lemon

leek and cheese (and mince) soup

Christmas BBQ Lamb Cutlets

i know that lamb cutlets are generally horrendously expensive but that makes them a lovely treat for christmas! this recipe is really yummy - just don't burn them lol

CHRISTMAS BBQ LAMB CUTLETS
(For 18 cutlets)


1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic crushed
4 small red chillies, halved, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
18 trimmed lamb cutlets

Combine ingredients and marinate cutlets overnight

Grease bbq plate and preheat to medium high.

Cook cutlets, basting occasionally with marinade, for 4 mins on each side for medium.

Serve immediately

(i've tagged this gluten free as i'm assuming cranberry sauce is GF. will confirm later)