An enormous heartfelt thanks for the messages of support following the news of Dozer’s condition. I don’t have the words to properly express how much it meant to me and never imagined I would find myself in a position where I felt such overwhelming support from all corners of this big wide world. I will continue to provide updates on his progress in the Life of Dozer section, and hope to have good news in the coming weeks. ~ Nagi x

This tray bake dinner combines beautifully spiced lamb kofta meatballs with colourful roast vegetables for a Middle Eastern dinner that’s as versatile as it is delicious. Stuff into warm flatbreads, make couscous or rice bowls, or serve with roasted cauliflower for a substantial low-carb salad meal!

Lamb kofta meatballs tray bake

There’s a lot less sheet pan dinner recipes on my website than one would expect for someone who tells “everyone” that she mostly shares dinner recipes. It’s because I’m a little fussy about them. I find that if you toss everything – meat and vegetables – in the same seasonings, everything comes out tasting the same-same.

Which is fine every now and then. But I get bored quickly.

But this meatball tray bake? Anything but boring!! Think – your favourite boldly spiced lamb koftas, in meatball form, with a pile of colourful capsicum and red onion. All baked on the same tray. The smell when this is in the oven is incredible!! It’s the cinnamon. Signature Middle Eastern spice.

Stuff in warm pita breads, make rice or couscous bowls or a big low-carb warm salad!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this tray bake dinner.

Kofta meatballs

These are the same ingredients used in skewered lamb koftas.

• Lamb mince (ground lamb) – While lamb is a favourite in Middle Eastern cuisine and just goes so well with the spice mix, these meatballs are also terrific made with beef. Chicken and turkey would also be good but you’ll need to add a little extra breadcrumbs else the mixture is too loose.

• Onion – Use a box grater to shred it so you don’t need to cook the onion separately before adding into the mixture. Also, the onion juices just make the meatballs tastier!

• Panko breadcrumbs – Adds bulk and absorbs moisture so the mixture isn’t too wet to form meatballs. Panko breadcrumbs are easy to find these days in the Asian and breadcrumb aisle of grocery stores. Ordinary breadcrumbs (smaller and finer, like sand) can also be used but the meatballs will not be quite as tender.

• Garlic – Very rare to find savoury dishes on my website that don’t involve garlic!

• Spices – Classic Middle Eastern spices: cumin, coriander, paprika (I use regular but smoked would be lovely), cinnamon (Middle Eastern secret ingredient!) and cayenne pepper. These meatballs are mildly spicy so feel free to reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.

• Coriander/cilantro – For a hint of freshness and for visual purposes too. Substitute with parsley.

The vegetables

For the vegetables, you could really use any roast-able vegetables you want. I opted for capsicum / bell peppers for a splash of colour and also because I like that they are easy to cut into strips for easy of stuffing into flatbreads.

Sauce options

The meatballs are pictured in post drizzled with Tahini Sauce which is a widely used sauce in Middle Easter cuisine. The nutty flavour and creamy texture goes so well with the spice flavour of the meatballs and just adds that extra touch to take this from tasty to OMG gawd this is soooo gooood!! (Which is the bar to which I aim!)

Being a sauce I use quite regularly in Middle Eastern recipes, I finally got around to writing it up as a separate recipe, so find the Tahini Sauce recipe here. The other sauce option is Lemon Yogurt Sauce which is also on-point for Middle Eastern food – use the sauce in this recipe.

For the simplest option (and we all have those days), just a dollop of plain yogurt will work fine, or even a squeeze of lemon juice.

How to make Lamb Kofta Meatball Tray Bake

The only difference between making normal Moroccan meatballs and this one is that you don’t need to deal with cleaning up the stove splatter. I know which one I’m making tonight!

1. Toss the vegetables with salt, pepper and olive oil.

2. Mix the lamb kofta meatball mixture in a bowl with your hands. Mix well to ensure the spices are dispersed evenly throughout.

3. Roll 16 meatballs. They are slightly on the large side to ensure they don’t dry out when cooked in the oven.

   PRO TIP: I use an ice cream scoop with a lever to portion out the mixture. Then I roll the balls. This is the most efficient way I have come up with to make meatballs – without resorting to $5,000 meatball making machines (oh yes, they exist!)

4. Spray the meatballs generously with oil so they will brown in the oven.

5. Scatter the vegetables around the meatballs.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, then finish with 5 minutes under the grill/broiler to get a bit of colour on the meatballs. 20 minutes is all the cook time we need for meatballs to cook them through without overcooking them which will make them dismally dry on the inside.

   You’ll also get some nice charring on the edges of the capsicum, reminiscent of the flavour we would’ve achieved if we had cooked these over charcoal which does not happen midweek around these parts!

How to serve baked lamb kofta meatballs

I promised you versatile, and here’s proof!

1. Wraps / pita pockets (pictured at top of post) – Stuff the meatballs and vegetables into warm wraps or pita pockets and drizzle with Tahini Sauce or Lemon Yogurt Sauce (use the one in this recipe). Shredded lettuce and tomato slices are great extras to bulk it out and (happily) cram extra vegetables into your meal.

2. Bowls (pictured above) – Make bowls with a mound of steaming basmati rice or couscous (very on-theme!).

3. Warm salad – Make roasted cauliflower (without the parmesan) and pile onto a plate. Top with the meatballs and all the vegetables, finish with a dramatic, generous drizzle of the tahini sauce and a shower of toasted pinenuts or almond flakes and fresh coriander/cilantro. Stand back and admire the glittering pile that is your dinner that happens to be low-carb and nutrition packed!

And as I describe that cauliflower salad to you, I’m kicking myself for not having shot it! It was so, so good. Next time! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Tray bake dinner: lamb kofta meatballs

Recipe video above. This easy sheet pan dinner combines beautifully spiced lamb kofta meatballs with colourful roast vegetables for a Middle Eastern dinner that's as versatile as it is delicious. Stuff into warm flatbreads, serve with couscous or rice bowls, or add a side of roasted cauliflower for a substantial low-carb dinner.

Less messy and healthier than pan frying – less oil! Tip: make meatballs on the large side so they don't dry out in the oven.

Course Mains, One Tray Dinner, sheet pan dinner

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Baked meatballs, kofta meatballs

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Nagi

Ingredients

KOFTAS

• 1/2 onion , grated using a box grater
• 500 g / 1 lb lamb mince (ground lamb), or beef
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (sub regular breadcrumbs)
• 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
• 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro , finely chopped

KOFTA SPICES

• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp paprika (plain, sub smoked)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (a bit spicy, reduce to taste or leave out)
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/2 black pepper

VEGETABLES

• 1 large red capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
• 1 large yellow capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
• 1 red onion , cut into thin wedges
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp each cooking/kosher salt and pepper

SERVING (wraps option)

• Olive oil spray (for the meatballs)
• 4 flatbreads or rice, couscous or cauliflower rice
• 1 quantity Tahini sauce or lemon yogurt sauce (or even just plain yogurt)
• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (or other leafy greens)
• 2 tomatoes , halved, cut into thin slices
• 1 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped, optional (for sprinkling)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
• Kofta meatballs – Place the Kofta ingredients and spices in a bowl. Use your hands to combine thoroughly then roll 16 large-ish meatballs (I scoop all mixture onto a tray, then roll into balls). Spread them out on a large tray.
• Vegetables – Toss the vegetables with the oil, salt and pepper. Scatter around the meatballs.
• Bake – Spray the meatballs with oil. Bake for 15 minutes then switch the oven to the grill/broiler on high. Cook for a further 5 minutes to get some colour on the surface.
• Serve – Sprinkle with the chopped coriander then serve! To make wraps, stuff with lettuce, tomato, meatballs, and the cook capsicum and onion. Drizzle with lots of tahini sauce then tuck in! Other ideas: rice or couscous bowls or big salads – see below.

Notes

SERVING OPTIONS

• Wraps – Stuffed in pita bread or flatbreads with lettuce, tomato, drizzled with tahini or yogurt sauce.
• Bowls – Make bowls with couscous, rice, cauliflower rice or grains/beans (eg lentils – cook using this method).
• Warm salad – a substantial low-carb dinner with a side of roasted cauliflower (bake prior to meatballs).

---

NOTES

1. Meat – Lamb is a natural choice for Middle Eastern food but the spice mix is really good with beef too. Chicken will also work but you’ll need to increase the panko else the mixture is a little loose.

Life of Dozer

Unsurprisingly, after telling you about Dozer’s laryngeal paralysis condition and surgery, I expect the Life of Dozer section will be focussed on his recovery for the next little while. I want to share the facts but I also want to add a sprinkle of fun. Because even in the fog of worry, there have been moments of laughter!

The serious stuff

So, I’m not going to lie. Dozer’s post surgery recovery has been a little slower and more worrying than expected. For 2 days after his operation, he was very wobbly on his feet and needed help to get up, walk and pee. He would collapse after walking a metre or two, and get very agitated when he couldn’t get up himself when he wanted to – which mean breathing heavily and straining his throat.

What did really scare me though was that his hoarse breathing sounded (to me) worse than it was pre-operation. That combined with his lack of mobility prompted a dash to the emergency vet.

Thankfully they gave him the all clear and just reminded me again that his airways are swollen from the surgery so his breathing and panting will sound laboured and painful. I was told it will take about 2 weeks for the swelling to go down to see if the surgery was effective – if it was, he should breath quietly and in time, go back to some level of exercise. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

I had hoped to avoid using the chill-pills the vet prescribed for Dozer but I gave up. Since starting him on those, he is definitely more relaxed. Basically, peaceful sleeping Dozer means no hoarse panting which should help with the speed of recovery. I think when he’s awake, he is conscious of the fact that he’s short of breath which makes him agitated and breath frantically (like right now, at my feet).

I’m worried, but thinking positively. It’s only day 3 after surgery. 11 days to go.

on the lighter side….

The little things we celebrate – so happy when he was able to weight bear himself and pee without assistance!! (Just in case you are conjuring up visions of paper cups – no, it was nothing like that!! I was using a towel sling under his belly to help support his weight. )

Check out his excellent squatting action. Well done Dozer. Well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The post Tray bake dinner: Lamb kofta meatballs appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Lamb Souvlaki skewers are Greek kebabs with bold garlic-lemon-oregano flavour. Sensational flavours for lamb! The smell when they hit the grill are to-die-for. Make wraps with pita bread or plates with lemon rice or Greek lemon potatoes.

Lamb Souvlaki

Souvlaki is essentially Greek fast food but to think of these being compared to McDonald’s is somewhat laughable because hello! Succulent pieces of tender lamb infused with bright lemon flavours, a stack of garlic, and earthy oregano, that smells so outrageously good as they cook you can’t help but grab one straight off the grill and eat it hot, straight off the stick…..

Nope. That is not the reaction anybody has at Maccers!

So, make this for your next gathering or marinade it today to serve for dinner tomorrow. Let’s bring a little bit of Greece to your table!

Ingredients in Lamb Souvlaki

Souvlaki is all about the marinade which tenderises the lamb and infuses it with gorgeous bold, lemony, intensely garlicky flavours.

Best lamb for lamb souvlaki

I think most people associate lamb leg with roasting, but it’s sensational for quick cooking like steak when it’s butterflied or cut into cubes like we do with souvlaki. Beautifully tender and juicy, especially after marinating, with great lamb flavour.

Boneless lamb leg – For ease of cutting, I use boneless lamb leg which is literally just your favourite roast leg of lamb with the bone cut out. It’s readily available at grocery stores and butchers here in Australia.

Other cuts that can be used:

• Lamb backstrap doesn’t have as good a lamb flavour and is a little too lean for a good souvlaki, in my opinion. Better to cook it whole and slice (like in this recipe) but it can be used, if you want.

• Lamb chops – Thick cut juicy chops, like chump chops and forequarter chops, will work (see this recipe for what they look like) but there’s quite a lot of bone and fat that needs trimming.

• Lamb cutlets – I personally wouldn’t use pricey lamb cutlets – too expensive! Also, they are too thin (unless you cut the meat off a lamb rack but I don’t know anyone who’s got the budget to use a premium roast like that for something like souvlaki!).

• Chicken – See here for the Chicken Souvlaki recipe.

Not suitable – Slow cooking cuts like lamb shoulder and shanks aren’t suitable because they will be tough when cooked in this manner.  

LAMB SOUVLAKI Marinade

Next, here’s what you need for the marinade. Lemon juice and vinegar helps tenderise meat but the key is to use the right amount of each plus enough olive oil else the acid can “cook” the lamb (makes it turn white like ceviche) or make the meat turn leathery instead of tender.

• Lemon – We use both the zest and juice. The zest adds great lemon flavour whereas the juice adds tang and plays a part in tenderising the meat.

• White wine vinegar – Gives the meat tenderising another helping hand. It’s less harsh than lemon juice. Another excellent meat marinade tenderiser. White wine vinegar is best here because it’s more mild than other clear vinegars and is made from wine so the flavour is on-point for souvlaki. But you can substitute with similar vinegars like apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.

• Extra virgin olive oil – This is to reduce the tanginess from the lemon and vinegar as preventing the meat from “cooking” due to the acid in these ingredients.

• Garlic and dried oregano – Two Greek favourites! We use a good, bold amount of both.

• Bay leaves – For even more flavour. I like using fresh because you can crush them in your hand to release flavour. Dried bay leaves can be used too but don’t crush them because they’ll disintegrate.

• Salt – To season the meat inside.

How to make Lamb Souvlaki

Minimum marinating time of 12 hours is essential to ensure the marinade works its magic to tenderise and infuse flavour! 24 hours is ideal.

1. Trim excess fat and cut the lamb into meaty 2.5cm / 1” cubes. I find the easiest way to do this is to cut into thick 2.5cm / 1” slices, trim the fat off, then cut into cubes.

2. Said cubes. 

3. Marinate – Mix the marinade in a bowl then mix in the lamb. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours. You will notice the lamb becomes a little white on the surface which is due to the acid in the lemon and vinegar beginning to “cook” the lamb at the 24 hour mark. This is tenderising in action!

   TIPS: To marinate for longer, add 2 extra tablespoons of olive oil to dilute the acid so the lamb doesn’t get “cooked”. The marinated meat can also be frozen and cooked at a later date – directions in the recipe card.

4. Thread onto skewers. I usually make 12 skewers with 3 to 4 pieces on each.

   TIPS: If intending to cook on the BBQ using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning and cook on the flat iron side of your BBQ. If using the grill line side, it’s best to use metal skewers as wooden skewers can catch on fire easily.

5. Cook for 3 minutes, turn then cook the other side for 3 minutes (ie just cook 2 sides, not 4 sides). This can be done either in a pan on the stove or on a medium high BBQ (I demo both in the video).

   The lamb pieces should have a great sear on them, and be blushing pink inside for medium rare. To be exact, use a meat thermometer and aim for an internal temperature of 60°C/140°F for medium rare (blushing pink, optimum juiciness).

6. Pile onto a platter with serving fixings of choice – to make wraps, eat hot straight off the sticks or to make plates! See next section below for ideas.

How to serve Lamb Souvlaki

1. Wraps – My favourite way to eat Souvlaki is Greek fast-food style, bundled up in a warm flatbread, stuffed with either Greek Salad that’s chopped up small (as shown in the video) or with finely sliced lettuce and tomato (as pictured in this post).

   Either way, a big smear of tzatziki is essential – though I’m partial to hummus too and if both those options are just too hard, I’ll resort to a quick lemon-yogurt-olive oil sauce that takes 30 seconds flat to make. (Of course I’ll pop it in the recipe for you!)

2. Make plates – Another way to serve Souvlaki is to make plates with a pile of hot, steamy Greek Lemon Rice topped with freshly grilled Lamb Souvlaki and a big pile of juicy Greek Salad on the side. Or, other Greek sides – such as Greek Risoni Salad or Greek Lemon Potatoes.

3. Eat it hot, straight off the stick – Then of course, there’s the most obvious way: just eat them, hot, straight off the stick. For the impatient. You’ll see me demonstrate this in the video too. I know, shocking. 😅 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Lamb Souvlaki

Recipe video above. The bold garlic-oregano Greek marinade works wonders to tenderise and infuse incredible flavour into the lamb! The flavour when this is cooking is out of this world.

Eat them straight off the skewer while still hot or bundle up into warm pita bread with fixings.

Course Mains

Cuisine Greek

Keyword lamb souvlaki, souvlaki

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Marinating 1 day day

Servings 12 skewers

Calories 95cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg/ 2.4 lb boneless lamb leg , fat trimmed, cut into 2.5cm/1” cubes (~900g / 1.8lb after trimming) (Note 1)
• 1 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 – 12 skewers , wooden or bamboo

Lamb souvlaki marinade:

• 5 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 fresh bay leaves , crushed in hand (or 2 dried kept whole)
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp cooking / kosher salt

To serve – stuffed or make plates:

• 4 – 6 pita bread , warmed or toasted (or easy homemade flatbreads)
• 1 batch tzatziki (from my Gyros recipe) or Lemon Yogurt Sauce (Note 3)
• Greek salad (chop small for stuffing) or shredded lettuce and tomato slices
• Greek lemon rice (to make plates instead of wraps)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Marinate lamb:

• Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat.
• Marinate in fridge for 12 – 24 hours.

Skewer & cook:

• Skewer – Remove meat from marinade and thread 3 to 4 pieces on each to make 12 skewers, or 5 to make 8 larger skewers (pictured in post).
• Sprinkle the meat with the salt and pepper. (This really makes a difference to the finished dish, better than just in the marinade).
• Cook – Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Cook half the skewers for 3 minutes, turn then cook the other side for 3 minutes until nicely seared (target internal temp 60°C/140°F for medium rare, optimum juiciness).
• Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining skewers.

BBQ cooking (Note 2):

• Soak skewers – Soak wood/bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes if planning to cook on the BBQ (prevents burning). My skewers are 18cm/7” which fit in a pan (stove cooking).
• Preheat BBQ to medium high. Flat iron hot plate is safer for wooden skewers (so they don't catch fire) else use metal skewers on the grill side.
• Skewer, oil & season – Skewer per above. Drizzle with the oil (so it doesn't stick to the BBQ) then sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper.
• BBQ cook for 3 minutes on each side.

Serve:

• Pile Souvlaki onto a serving platter for DIY wraps with tzatziki (from this recipe), toasted pita bread and Greek salad (chopped small), or shredded lettuce and tomato slices. Else, make plates with lemon rice and a Greek Salad!

Notes

1. Lamb cut – I like leg the best for tender, juicy meat (especially after marinating!) and great lamb flavour. It tends to come with a thick layer of fat which is best trimmed.

Thick cut lamb chops will also work. Lamb back strap is leaner and just isn’t as juicy. Lamb shoulder, shanks and other slow cooking cuts are not suitable for this recipe. I can’t afford to use lamb cutlets or lamb rack for a recipe like this!

2.BBQ –  If grilling on a BBQ, it’s safest to use the flat iron side for wooden skewers. Else, use metal skewers so you can cook on the grill side (ie slats type).

3. Lemon yogurt sauce – Mix yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice, slosh of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Leftovers will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. For a make-ahead freezer option, put the lamb in the marinade then freeze. Thaw 24 hours – the meat will marinade as it thaws. Then thread and cook per recipe.

Nutrition is per skewer (excludes fixings). An estimation only – it’s always hard to say how much salt and oil in the marinade actually ends up in the finished dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 95cal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

More lamb recipes

Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy

Moroccan lamb backstrap

Greek Butterflied Lamb Leg

Ultimate Roast Lamb: 12-hour lamb shoulder

Rosemary Crumbed Rack of Lamb

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Cutlets

Lamb Recipes

And for Greek food lovers!

Gosh, even I’m surprised how many Greek recipes I’ve done over the years!!

Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice – best chicken and rice ever!

Greek Zucchini Tots (Mini Fritters)

Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Moussaka (Greek Beef and Eggplant Lasagna)

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Greek

Life of Dozer

A familiar sight when you walk into the kitchen:

Then on the other side of the island, this is what you see:

Hard to resist!

The post Lamb Souvlaki appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Lamb Tagine is my pick of all tagines! The ras el hanout spice mix is sheer perfection with lamb, and slow cooking works wonders to develop rich flavours in the sauce. Serve over couscous for a stunning Moroccan meal. Your house will smell amazing!

Lamb Tagine

I’ve done chicken and vegetable tagine. Now it’s time to meet my favourite tagine child: LAMB TAGINE!

Arabic spice mixes and lamb are just a match made in heaven, a combination I’ve not shied away from exploring. Proof: Moroccan backstrap, Harira Soup, Shawarma shoulder, Lamb Shawarma chickpea soup, Moroccan lamb meatballs. (And all my Moroccan recipes here)

Not sure why it’s taken me so long to share the mother of all Moroccan lamb dishes – tagine. This is a stunner. Fork-tender meat, richly spiced sauce, studded with sweet apricots and finished with a good handful of toasted almonds. And the smell when it’s cooking! Swoon….

Heads up – the sauce is thick and richly spiced!

The sauce of this Lamb Tagine is reduced until thick which means intense flavour which I think is essential for lamb which is one of the stronger flavoured proteins. Think of all the spices and lamb juices reduced and concentrated – you know it’s going to be good!

Here’s what it looks like before and after the slow cooking:

Ingredients in Lamb Tagine

Here’s what you need to make Lamb Tagine.

Best lamb for tagine

The best lamb to use for lamb tagine is lamb shoulder. It’s a tough cut of meat that is made for slow cooking that’s marbled with fat so it’s beautifully juicy. Sometimes it is generically sold as “lamb stew meat”.

I personally don’t think there’s any other cut of lamb that works as well. Lamb shank meat would be the next best but you’d need to cut the meat off the bone and the shape of the pieces won’t be as uniform, so some will cook faster than others.

Boneless lamb leg would probably be my next pick but it’s leaner than shoulder so it wouldn’t be as juicy.

Other meat cuts – For non-lamb options, beef chuck, boneless beef ribs, pork shoulder and pork scotch fillet (aka collar butt and pork neck) would work well. For chicken, see my Chicken Tagine recipe, and I’ve also got a Vegetable Tagine (it’s so good!).

Ras el hanout Spice mix for lamb tagine

The spice blend for tagine is called ras el hanout and it’s made with common spices you may already have. You can buy blends but I much prefer to make my own to get the right balance of flavours. Here’s what you need:

I also use ras el hanout for chicken and vegetable tagines but the blend is slightly different. For example, because lamb has a stronger flavour than vegetables, the spice blend is stronger.

The nice thing here is that because we’re using a fair few different spices here, it’s not the end of the world if you’re missing one … or even two. I’ve offered a few switch-out options in the recipe notes!

and everything else for the tagine

And here are the other ingredients you need to make lamb tagine:

• Garlic, onion and ginger – Aromatic flavour base. Don’t skip the ginger!

• Cinnamon sticks – A spice traditionally used in Middle Eastern cooking and makes the flavour so special. You can substituted with a little powder but cinnamon sticks works better. It’s a little more subtle and earthier.

• Chicken stock/broth – The braising liquid. Traditionally water is used, but stock makes it tastier! Note: Chicken stock is used rather than lamb stock because the flavour is “cleaner”. Lamb stock is not sold at grocery stores, and there’s a reason for that – because it’s very…well, lamb! We get enough lamb flavour in this sauce from the lamb pieces.

• Dried apricots – Some versions of tagine are made with olives, others use dried fruit, others still may use both. I’ve opted for fruit because tagines are one of the few dishes I love that pairs fruit with meat! I also think the orange colour of the apricots looks lovely in the sauce.

  However, the recipe includes the olive option too.

• Tomato paste – This is what is used to thicken the sauce and add a touch of flavour. We don’t use enough to make it tomatoey, it’s very subtle.

• Lemon – Some tagines use preserved lemon (like in my chicken tagine) but for lamb, fresh lemon zest is beautiful. Also – cheaper.

• Slivered almonds and coriander/cilantro – Garnish for serving. A good amount of both works!

How to make Lamb Tagine

Very straight forward – brown the lamb, sauté aromatics, plonk everything in then slow cook for 1 hour 45 minutes until the lamb is fall-apart tender!

1. Brown lamb – Cut the lamb into large 3.5cm / 1.5″ cubes so they don’t become fall-apart tender too quickly. Cooking long and slow = more flavour in the sauce and it needs the time to reduce and thicken!

   Toss the lamb in salt and pepper, brown in three batches (don’t crowd the pot else the lamb will stew instead of brown) then remove into a bowl.

   Use a large oven-proof pot with a lid, so it can go from the stove to oven. My dutch oven pictured is 24cm / 9.5″ wide.

2. Sauté aromatics – Cook the garlic and onion first, then the tomato paste, ginger, cinnamon and spices. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flavour of the tomato paste and toast the spices which brings out the flavour.

3. Braising liquid and lamb – Add the chicken stock, water and lamb, then bring it to a simmer.

4. First cook 45 minutes – Put the lid on and transfer to a 180°F/350°F (160°C fan-forced) oven for 45 minutes.

5. Add apricots then stir them in. We add them in partway through else they get too soft.

6. Cook another 1 hour – Put the lid on then return the tagine to the oven for a further 1 hour, or until the lamb pieces are fork tender.

7. Thick and full of flavour – Here’s what the lamb tagine looks like after 1 hour 45 minutes of slow cooking. The sauce has reduced down to a thick consistency, rich with spicing and a beautiful depth of flavour you can only achieve from slow cooking.

8. Serve over couscous. I just use plain couscous for this tagine because it’s got so much flavour in it, rather than one with fruit and nuts in it.

That close up photo above does me every time, remembering the richness of the flavour of the sauce and how tender that lamb is. Tender, but not mushy, we’re not making baby food here.

The dried apricot adds beautiful pops of sweetness as well as sweetening the sauce a touch.

And finishing with fresh lemon zest is just sheer perfection. Please don’t skip that! – Nagi x

PS Also don’t skip the good handful of toasted almonds for serving, it’s also the perfect finishing touch!

Watch how to make it

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Lamb tagine

Recipe video above. My favourite of all tagines! The ras el hanout spice mix is sheer perfection with lamb, and slow cooking works wonders to develop rich flavours in the sauce and make the lamb fork tender. Serve over couscous for a stunning Moroccan meal. Your house will smell amazing!

-> Also see Chicken and Vegetable Tagine.

Course Mains

Cuisine Moroccan, North African

Keyword lamb tagine

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 5 people

Calories 442cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Use one of these lambs (Note 1):

• 1.6 kg/ 3.2lb boneless lamb shoulder, trim the fat, then cut in 3.5cm / 1.5" cubes (1kg/2lb after trimming)
• 1 kg / 2 lb lamb stewing meat or shoulder, already trimmed of fat cut in 3.5cm / 1.5" cubes

Tagine:

• 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 2 brown onions , diced (1cm / 0.3″ cubes)
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 1 cup dried apricots , whole (Note 2 for olives option)
• 2 – 3 tsp lemon zest (just use 1 whole lemon, Note 3 for preserved lemon)

Ras el hanout (Note 4):

• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (can reduce for less spicy – Note 4)
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt

For serving:

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds , toasted (Note 5)
• 1/2 cup coriander/cilantro leaves roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 batches couscous (I just use plain, but you can add the fruit and nuts if you want)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°F/350°F (160°C fan). (Note 6 re: other cook methods)
• Spice mix – Mix the ingredients in a bowl then set aside.
• Brown lamb – Toss lamb with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof dutch oven (with a lid) over high heat. Brown the lamb in 3 batches, turning to colour the pieces all over, about 3 minutes. Remove into a bowl, then repeat with remaining lamb. Set aside.
• Aromatics – Turn heat down to medium high. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes until soft. Add tomato paste, ginger, cinnamon and spice mix. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Sauce – Add chicken stock and water, stir, then return the lamb into the pot.
• Slow cook 1 hr 45 min – Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid then cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Add apricots, put the lid back on and cook for another 1 hour, checking halfway to ensure the sauce hasn't reduced all the way (if you're concerned, add 1/2 cup water).
• Lemon finish – Lamb should be tender – check! Gently stir in lemon zest.
• Serve over plain couscous, sprinkled with almonds and coriander.

Notes

1. Lamb shoulder is a tough cut of meat that needs to be slow cooked to become tender. Ultra juicy, it’s one of my favourite lamb cuts! But it’s FATTY. You will need to get a 1.6kg / 3.2lb boneless piece to end up with 1kg / 2lb for cooking after trimming fat.

Or, use 1 kg/2 lb lamb stewing meat or lamb shoulder that’s already trimmed. Try not to use pre-cut because the pieces are usually too small and become fall-apart too quickly, before the sauce reduces enough & develops flavour.

Other suitable meats – Lamb shanks meat, could also be used (1 kg/2lb exc bone), or beef chuck. See here for chicken tagine and here for vegetable tagine.

2. Dates are also commonly used so feel free to substitute. I like the sweetness and colour of apricots with lamb.

Olives is also used in tagines – if you prefer olives to dried fruit, use 1 heaped cup of green olives.

3.Lemon zest v preserved lemon which is often traditionally used in tagines (lemon pickled salt) which I use for chicken tagine. For lamb, I actually prefer lemon zest which is fresher I think works well with lamb which is richer than chicken. But you can use preserved lemon if you prefer, same amount, zest only (not flesh or pith), follow directions in chicken tagine for how to prep.

4. Ras el hanout – the traditional spice mix used for tagines. You won’t be left lacking if you are missing a spice (maybe even two), just make up for it by dialling up the ones you have.

Spiciness – It’s not spicy but has an unmissable warm hum, the cayenne can be reduced or omitted.

5. Toast slivered almonds– heat small pan over medium high heat (no oil) then toss almonds for two minutes until light golden. Remove and set aside.

6. Tagine is best cooked in the oven. Sauce is thick is risky on stove, the regular stirring required causes meat to fall apart into sauce. Slow cooker doesn’t allow for liquid evaporation so sauce doesn’t reduce, also you don’t get caramelisation on the surface/edges that adds flavour. See blue box in the post for more info!

7. Sauce reduction – The sauce of this tagine is meant to be thick, this concentrates the flavour and is what makes this tagine so good!. However, a reader reported the sauce reduced too much in the bake time – possibly could happen if lid is not heavy (evaporation), or oven runs hot. As a safeguard, I increased the stock liquid slightly, and call for a check halfway through to ensure there’s still enough liquid. 

8. Storage – 4 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. If making for company, can highly recommend making it the day before as it will develop more flavour overnight. Reheat in the oven only (150C/300F – 130C fan). Stove is too risky, re: burnt base.

Nutrition per serving excluding couscous.

Nutrition

Calories: 442cal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 860mg | Potassium: 1040mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1199IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 5mg

More Moroccan stunners!

Chicken Tagine

Moroccan Harira Soup With Lamb

Vegetable Tagine

Couscous

Moroccan Lamb Meatballs

Moroccan lamb backstrap

Moroccan lamb backstrap

Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)

Moroccan

Life of Dozer

Dozer and I spent the weekend in Mudgee, a regional NSW town 3 1/2 hours from Sydney. We went for the local Readers’ Festival and dropped by the local book store (Book Nest Mudgee) as well as doing a lunch talk at a beautiful restaurant on a working farm called Blue Wren.

There was a professional photographer there so I was going to hold off until I could share those – because the venue was so stunning, everyone was frocked up, the food and wine was incredible, it was just perfection, so I want to share nice photos that do it justice! But I can’t resist sharing a few behind the scenes pics…

1. Having a serious talk with Dozer before the doors opened about not stealing food from the table:

2. At the end of the lunch, a photo with the incredible Blue Wren Farm team. And Dozer, after 5 hours of photos with lunch guests, was completely done. 😂 What a brat!!!

The post Lamb Tagine appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Try this irresistible, simple recipe for stuffed eggplant: oven-roasted eggplant halves topped with Moroccan spiced lamb or beef. Low-cal, low-carb, low effort and utterly delicious!

Moroccan stuffed eggplant

You’ll often hear me declaring quite passionately that I think eggplant is one of the most underrated vegetables around. They’re cheap. They’re meaty. And they’re fabulously versatile, used in cuisines worldwide like Asian, Italian, Greek and Indian, prepared through various cooking methods including frying, steaming, roasting and simmering.

Today, we’re smearing, roasting and stuffing. Well, topping, not scooping-and-stuffing, in a manner that gives it a semi-stuffed vibe. Think of this as a mid-week take on traditional stuffed eggplant dishes you find in Arabic cuisine that involves hollowing out eggplants, stuffing with rice, meat, herbs and nuts, often baked in a tomato sauce. Sounds magnificent, doesn’t it? And it is. but there’s a lot more pots and pans involved! We’re going simple today. You can make this tonight, after work!!

Nice close up of said soft juicy eggplant!

Ingredients in Moroccan stuffed eggplant

The base flavouring for this Moroccan stuffed eggplant is a homemade Chermoula spice mix which does double duty as the spice paste for the eggplant as well as flavouring the meat filling.

Chermoula spice mix

Chermoula is a North African spice mix that traditionally is a marinade or sauce containing fresh coriander, garlic and spices. Sometimes you can also find it in a dry spice mix form. We’re using the dry blend today for our purposes.

The spices – The majority of the spices are pantry staples, but don’t make a special trip out if you’re missing one or two…or even three! There’s enough in the blend that you can substitute with something else – suggestions are in the recipe notes.

Olive oil and lemon juice – These are used to make the paste. I like to use lemon juice to add a bit of tang as well as cutting down on the oil required to make a smear-able paste.

The meat filling (lamb or beef)

Here’s what you need to make the meat filling. You can use lamb or beef, though if I had my pick I’d choose lamb as it’s a classic pairing with flavours from the Arab world.

3 teaspoons of the Chermoula spice blend is used to flavour the filling. In addition to this, we have garlic and onion for aromatics, and a little tomato paste to bind the filling together.

The eggplant

Choose eggplants around 250g/8oz and 17cm/7″ long. Don’t worry about exact size – adjust toppings accordingly. If you end up with larger eggplants, the topping layer might be slightly thinner, but the dish will still be packed with flavor.

Salt helps remove moisture from eggplants. More on this below!

Toppings

And lastly, the toppings! It really finishes this dish so I urge you to use them. The pine nuts are a great finishing touch, though other nuts will make an adequate substitute (almonds, macadamia, walnuts, or seeds).

If you’re anti-coriander/cilantro, switch with parsley!

How to make Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant

As mentioned above, I call it stuffed because describing it as a “topped” eggplant just doesn’t seem to capture the essence of this dish. 😂 But actually, it’s not properly stuffed – which means no scooping necessary, which means it’s easier to make. Win!

Sweating the eggplant (recommended)

Sweating the eggplant to remove excess water is a recommended but not essential step. It seasons the flesh as well as drawing out excess water that otherwise pools in the eggplant which dilutes flavour when you’re eating it.

But you can mostly get around this problem by simply cutting slits in the skin to let the water escape as it roasts. So don’t sweat it if you don’t have time to sweat it! *Sorry, I couldn’t resist!*

1. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Keep the cap/stem intact and cut through it, it helps hold the eggplant together once roasted and soft.

2. Diamonds – Using a small sharp knife, cut 2.5cm/1″ diamonds into the flesh, cutting down as far as you are comfortable without piercing the flesh.

3. The said diamonds!

4. Salt – Sprinkle the surface with salt and rub it in. It’s good to get it into the slits but even if you just rub the surface, the salt will make it’s way into the slits.

5. Sweat for 30 minutes. I put the eggplant upside down in a colander to allow the water to drip out.

6. Squeeze like sponge to remove the excess water then pat the surface dry.

Making the “stuffed” eggplant

1. Mix the Chermoula spice blend in a bowl. Measure out 3 teaspoons and set aside for the meat.

2. Paste – Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining chermoula and mix to form a paste.

3. Smear the paste onto the surface of the eggplant.

4. Roast for 45 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) or until the eggplant is softened. Sometimes it takes longer – don’t forget to check the edges.

5. Spiced meat – A quick cook! Sauté the garlic and onion, then cook the lamb with the reserved Chermoula spice blend. Finally, add the tomato paste and water to make the filling “juicy” (rather than dry and crumbly).

6. Assemble – Top the roasted eggplant with the lamb filling. Dollop on yogurt, sprinkle with pine nuts and coriander then dig in!

Matters of serving

Servings

This recipe is designed to serve:

• 2 people as a generous dinner with a small side salad;

• 4 as a meal with a starch (flatbread, couscous) and a substantial side (like Honey Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad, roast veg, chickpea salad); or

• 4 people as a generous starter.

Low carb, low calorie!

For the eggplant alone, it’s a mere 450 calories for a whole eggplant (ie 2 halves) with only 22 grams of carbs. To be honest, a serving of the eggplant alone makes for a satisfying meal – you have protein and vegetables covered! Though I do like to add something fresh on the side, even if it’s just some plain fresh cucumber and tomato.

So, it’s low calorie, low carb, simple to make and a something different to make with beef mince rather than the usual Spag Bol. What do you think?? Feel like giving this a go? I HOPE SO! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Print

Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)

Recipe video above. A delicious, unique, EASY way to serve up eggplant and minced / ground beef or lamb! Think of this as a midweek take on traditional Arabic stuffed eggplant that's usually hollowed out.

Don't worry if you don't have every single spice. There's so many in this spice mix, it will still be tasty even if you're missing one…or two, even three!

Serves 2 as a main with a small side salad, or 4 as a meal with a starch (flatbread, couscous) and a substantial side (like this Pumpkin Salad, roast veg, chickpea salad), or 4 as a generous starter.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Ground beef recipe, lamb mince recipe, roasted eggplant, stuffed eggplant

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Eggplant sweating 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 – 4

Calories 450cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Eggplant

• 2 x 250g/8oz eggplants (aubergines), ~17cm/7" long (Note 1)
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (or more oil)

Chermoula spice mix (Note 2)

• 1 1/2 tsp EACH coriander, paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp all spice powder
• 1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, ginger, turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Spiced beef or Lamb topping

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove , finely minced
• 1/2 onion , finely chopped
• 250g / 8oz beef or lamb mince , lean if you can (chicken, turkey, pork also ok)
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 2 tsp tomato paste (Note 3)
• 1/4 cup water

To Serve

• Yoghurt , plain
• 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped (sub parsley)
• 2 tbsp pinenuts , toasted (Note 4)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
• Sweat eggplants (recommended, see Note 5 to skip) – Cut eggplants in half then score with 2.5cm / 1" diamonds. Rub surface with salt, getting some into the slits. Place face down in a colander and set aside for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze like a sponge to remove excess water, pat surface dry.
• Mix Chermoula spice mix ingredients in a bowl. Remove 3 teaspoons for the meat and set aside. Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining spice mix and mix into a paste.
• Roast eggplant – Place eggplant on baking tray. Slather spice mix onto the surface. Roast for 45 minutes until softened.
• Spiced topping – Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 1 minute. Turn heat up to high, add lamb/beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red. Add reserved spices and salt, then cook for a further 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in water, cook for 1 minute until it's juicy but not watery.
• Assemble – Top eggplant with beef/lamb. Sprinkle over coriander, dollop with yogurt and pine nuts. Finish with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired!

Notes

1. Eggplant/aubergine – Don’t get too hung up on eggplant size. I always provide weight and measurement because they vary so much in size – what is a “medium eggplant”??! If you have giant ones, you’ll just have a thinner layer of topping (there’s enough flavour in this dish you won’t feel robbed). If you have tiny ones, pile it on higher or reserve leftover meat for another purpose. 

2. Spice subs – With so many in this spice mix, it’s fine if you’re missing one…or even three! Just dial up some of the others to make up for flavour. Specific subs:

• All spice – mixed spice
• Garlic powder – onion powder, or fresh garlic
• Ginger – more garlic
• Turmeric powder – saffron
• Cinnamon – more all spice

3. Tomato paste – or sub water + paste with 1/4 cup crushed tomato or passata. I offer this as a suggestion as I always seem to have a partial bottle of passata in the fridge!

4. Toasting pinenuts – Small skillet, no oil, medium heat, toss until golden and smells toasty. Remove from pan straight away.

5. Eggplant sweating – Draws out excess water so you don’t end up with water in the eggplant halves that dilutes eating flavour. Removing bitterness from eggplant – generally speaking, this has been bred out of eggplants sold these days. I’ve never had a problem.

Don’t have time to sweat? Just cut 2 x 3cm/1″ slits in the skin so the water escapes while roasting. Also, expect to add 5 to 10 min to roasting time.

6. Yogurt tip – To make the yoghurt even tastier, mix 1/4 cup of yoghurt with 1/2 garlic clove, minced, a small squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavours develop. I do this for company.

Make ahead – Roast the eggplant and meat filling. Fully cool both, uncovered, then put into containers in the fridge. Re-warm both using method of choice (juice up the meat with a splash of water if needed) then assemble!

Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Not convinced cooked eggplant will freeze well but the meat will be fine for 3 months!

Nutrition per serving, using lean beef – 2 eggplant halves (i.e. one whole eggplant) per serving. This is a satisfying meal even by itself!

Nutrition

Serving: 536g | Calories: 450cal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1594mg | Potassium: 1206mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 297IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 5mg

Originally published in March 2016. Majority spruced up in 2023 with a better, more streamlined recipe with better flavour, sparkling new photos and a brand new recipe video!

Proof of eggplant fondness

Oven Roasted Eggplant (aubergine)

Lentil and Roasted Eggplant Salad

Eggplant Curry – South Indian Brinjal Curry

Pasta alla norma (Eggplant pasta)

Crispy Chinese Eggplant

Moussaka (Greek Beef and Eggplant Lasagna)

Miso-Glazed Eggplant

Life of Dozer

Can’t even whiteboard recipe ideas without Mr D hovering around.

The post Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.