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Menu Plan for the week of Oct. 25, 2013: Day 2 Recipes

Braised Lamb with Chickpeas and Butternut Squash
Rosemary Braised Potatoes

Cooking time:  70 minutes for menu (30 min. break)    Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     Any leftover chickpeas and / or tomatoes can go in the soup tomorrow.

Braised Lamb, Chickpeas, Butternut Squash     Preparation, cooking time: 75 minutes
     This is meant to be like a tagine - which is the name of both the method/type of cooking and the conical-shaped dish they are made in.  This should be thick and chunky, with little visible liquid remaining.

12oz (360gr) boneless lamb, shoulder or leg, pieces or lamb ribs 20oz (600gr)
3/4 cup (6oz, 180gr) chickpeas
1 1/2 cups (7oz, 210gr) cubed butternut squash
14 - 16 Greek olives  (1.5oz, 45gr)
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1/3 (3oz, 90ml) cup white wine
1 cup (8oz, 240gr) chopped tomato 
3 bay leaves
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp paprika

Slice shallots; mince garlic.  Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Pit olives if needed and roughly chop.  Cut lamb into large pieces and trim excess fat.
Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid.  Add lamb and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.   Add the shallots, garlic, paprika, sauté until tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.  Return the lamb to the pot, add herbs, olives, wine, tomato, chickpeas and squash.  Cover, turn heat to low and braise for 60 minutes.   When done, spoon meat and vegetables onto a platter and serve.

Rosemary Braised Potatoes                            Preparation and cooking time:  40 minutes
   An Italian winter classic: potatoes braised in white wine with rosemary and just a bit of tomato added at the end to add interest to both the flavor and the color.

10oz (300gr) potatoes, about 2 medium
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp rosemary
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) white wine
2 tsp tomato paste
3 tbs chicken stock

Scrub and slice potatoes thickly, 1/4" (.5 cm). Peel and slice garlic as thinly as possible.  In a medium saucepan, sauté potatoes and garlic in olive oil until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.  Add wine, rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until wine is almost absorbed, 15 - 20 minutes.  Mix the stock and tomato together and stir in. Simmer until thick and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes longer.

Cooking Schedule: 70 minutes for menu Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, medium saucepan, deep skillet or Dutch oven with lid Heat oil in Dutch oven Add lamb, brown Slice shallots, mince garlic Turn lamb Open, drain tomatoes Chop 1 cup, reserve rest for later Open, drain, rinse chickpeas, save extra Remove lamb Add shallots, garlic, paprika, sauté Clean, cut butternut squash

Pit olives, chop Return lamb to pan Add all remaining ingredients, reduce heat, braise    Once certain it's simmering - take a 20 minute break...    Break over.... Mind the lamb - give it a gentle stir if needed Slice potatoes Slice garlic Sauté potatoes, garlic Stir potatoes, add wine, rosemary, simmer      Pause while stuff cooks Add stock, tomato, to potatoes, stir, simmer      Pause again while stuff cooks Serve lamb, vegetables, potatoes

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By Katie Zeller

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