Spiced Lamb with Red Lentils

I made this dish a while ago but am just now getting a chance to post it.  It doesn't exactly scream a hot summer evening kind of a meal, but I wanted to share because it's a great slow cooker dish, and we could all use more slow cooker recipes.  I found an amazing book in the bargain shelf of Borders a few months ago.  It's called Slow Cookers: more than 100 easy recipes.  And that's the only information on it.  No author credit at all.  It's a compilation of recipes published by Bay Books.  Despite the fact that it's a nondescript, thin, paperback with no photos I was drawn to its recipes: lamb dishes, Moroccan, Spanish, Greek and Indian recipes.  And it was $2.99!  This is a hearty lamb stew, a one pot meal that goes well with some simple cous-cous, or nothing at all.


Spiced Lamb with Lentils


1.5 lbs boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cubed
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t turmeric
1 t red chili powder
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4.5 oz green beans, chopped (optional)
1 T freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups beef stock
1 cup pureed tomatoes
1 T lemon juice
1 cup red or green lentils
handful of chopped cilantro


Combine spiced listed above and toss in bowl with the lamb to coat it.  Add lamb, vegetables and ginger garlic to the slow cooker.  Pour in stock, lemon juice, and tomato puree, stir in lentils.  Add one bay leaf, if desired, season with salt and pepper.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.  The longer it cooks the thicker it will become so you can thin it out with stock.  Serve with cilantro and rice or cous-cous.

Scones

Have I seriously not posted anything since April?! I am shocked. OK, I'm not all that shocked - I've been busy, we've been traveling, I haven't been cooking too much during the week and I've been lazy.  Laziness is more likely the culprit.  I've snapped a few photos here and there of new dishes I've tried but I haven't been motivated to post, or the pictures just haven't been all that great.  I am, however, impressed enough with this simple scone recipe that I had to share. This is a really easy recipe and I love that it doesn't call for a lot of sugar as I hate overly sweet scones.  Scones should be buttery and flaky and have perhaps a tart dried fruit bite here and there and there should be clotted cream and sweet preserves to slather on top.  I woke up this Sunday just itching for some fresh baked scones so I threw these together in just minutes. I must say, I was very impressed I had shortening sitting around in my pantry....I have no idea when or why I bought that.  It had actually expired about a month ago, so there went the shortening after I sneaked it in for this recipe.  

Scones, courtesy Alton Brown

2 c flour

4 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

1/3 c sugar

4 T butter

2 T shortening

3/4 c cream

1 egg

handful of raisins or dried cranberries

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut in butter and shortening.  Mix together egg and cream, pour into flour mixture and lightly stir with hands.  Add in dried fruit and combine. Turn out onto floured surface and pat into a flat disk.  Either roll out to about an inch height or just pat down.  Cut into appropriate biscuit shapes.  Lay on baking sheet with parchment or silicone pad and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until brown.

For some imitation clotted cream I beat about 2 T of heavy cream with 1/4 c mascarpone cheese and a squeeze of agave.