The Dubai farmers market didn't compare to SOWA in Boston, but it was still awesome to check out. The quality of the local produce was pretty good considering the climate. We picked up some onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, apples, pumpkins, broccoli, and aloe vera. I decided to make a stuffed pumpkin recipe with ground lamb. Apparently the local food movement in Dubai is really growing, and they have 2 mini markets and 1 pretty large one every week. The main company is called RipeME, and everything is organic and grown around the UAE. Unfortunately the people running the market were not the farmers, so they weren't able to answer all of my questions. That being said, I was thrilled to check it out and felt right at home strolling through the market on the other side of the world.
On a somewhat unrelated note, I am pleased to say that I have somehow avoided jetlag. My first day back I did try to shut off the sink by turning the light off (FYI - that does not actually work), but other than that my mind has been clear and my sleep has been great. I forced myself to stay up as late as possible the first night and then made sure to work out, eat clean, and hydrate like crazy. Not too shabby after a 24 hour journey back home!
Lamb, Mushroom, & Onion Stuffed Pumpkin: Serves 4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 50-55 min
Ingredients:
- 2 small pumpkins
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 lb. mushrooms, chopped
- 4 small onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
- Sea salt & pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Slice pumpkins in half, scoop out the seeds, and lie flat (cut-side down) on a cookie sheet
3. Bake for 30 minutes
4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat
5. Add garlic and onions and cook until soft (5-10 minutes)
6. Add mushrooms and cook another 5-10 minutes
7. Add ground lamb, and cook until pink/red is gone (about 10 minutes)
8. After the pumpkins cook for 30 minutes, flip them over (cut-side up), and cook for another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned
9. Scoop the lamb mixture into the pumpkins and bake for another 10 minutes
I'm back! It has been a while, but I am back in the U.S. and ready to share all of my culinary adventures from Dubai. I was over in Dubai for the past three weeks and had an unbelievable time. I had some great adventures on the weekends and spent some quality time at my company's Dubai office during the week. Grocery shopping in Dubai is a bit different from Boston, but I did pretty well. I even went to the Dubai farmer's market which was an experience. It was just a fraction of the size of the markets here but was still great to support the local food movement in the Middle East. I had the opportunity to try some amazing restaurants, but my favorite (by a mile) was Pierchic. The restaurant is at the end of a 250-yard pier in the middle of the ocean. It is part of the Madinat Jumeirah resort, and was hands down the most gorgeous place I have ever been in my life. We had a four-course meal with the freshest seafood imaginable as we overlooked the Burj Al Arab and the entire Madinat Jumeirah. I was 99% sure that I was on an episode of The Bachelor while I was there because it just seemed too good to be true. I am quite certain that the meal, the ambience, and the company will never be beat, and it was absolutely a major highlight of the trip.
Separate from all of the restaurants, I cooked some really exciting meals using new spices and flavors I had never experienced with. I will share my recipes over the next few days and catch you up on my paleo adventures from the other side of the world. The first recipe to share is a crockpot moroccan lamb tagine. This cooked all day while I was at the office, and it was amazing to come home to. I experimented with the spices, fresh rosemary from the garden, and prunes. Many people are scared of prunes because they remind them of 90-year-olds, but prunes are simply sweet and delicious dried plums - don't be afraid!
Crockpot Moroccan Lamb Tagine: Serves 6, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 8-10 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 carrots, peeled & chopped
- 2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
- 8 1-inch pieces of ginger
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
- Dried apricots (100g)
- Prunes (250g)
- 2 pound lamb shoulder
- 2 Tbsp. lamb spice mix (rosemary, rose petals, cumin, paprika, onion, garlic, mint, etc.)
- 1-2 cups water
Instructions:
1. Put onions and carrots at the bottom of the crockpot
2. Cover with water (just enough to barely cover)
3. Spice both sides of the lamb, and lay it on top of the onions/carrots
4. Slice a few slits in the lamb and stuff with chopped garlic and rosemary
5. Add prunes, apricots, and ginger
6. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
7. Shred the lamb, remove the ginger, and serve!
Happy Saturday! I had a great week in Stamford and am Back in Boston. I realized that I haven't been home for a full week since before Thanksgiving, so it is nice to be back. I have had quite the whirlwind with friends, family, holidays, vacation, and work trips, and now it is time to get back in the swing of things. I checked out the Cambridge Winter Farmers Market today with Chris which was awesome. It's closer than the one in Somerville and just as big. We made friends with some of the farmers and got great stuff. I bought a couple new things that I haven't tried (anyone tried kohlrabi before?), so I will be experimenting with some new recipes this week.
I am off to Bikram yoga for a 10-day trial at Bikram Yoga Boston. I have had some wonderful experiences with Bikram in the past, but I have also had a few nightmare classes. When I went in Naples with mom, I think she almost punched the teacher in the face at one point. Between the instructor, the damp smelly carpet, and the atmosphere, it wasn't pretty. Fingers crossed for this studio!
Today's recipe is a slight variation of an amazing recipe from Practical Paleo. You can check out information on the book here. I got the cookbook as a holiday gift from Evan & Catherine, and it is amazing. These meatballs smell great thanks to all of the spices, and the fig compote is absolutely delicious. I have never made a reduction before (seemed a little intimidating), but it was actually one of the more simple recipes to make. Try this out as an appetizer at your next dinner party to wow your guests!
Spiced Meatballs w/ Balsamic Fig Reduction: Serves 4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients:
- 1lb. ground lamb or grass-fed beef
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. dried minced onion
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- Sea salt & pepper
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 6-8 dried figs, sliced (I used organic extra large Turkish figs)
- 2 sprigs of fresh organic rosemary
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix the meat and all spices together in a mixing bowl
3. Form into 16 small meatballs, and lightly brown the edges in a pan over medium heat (about 15-30 seconds per side)
4. Bake on a foil-lined sheet for 20-25 minutes until cooked through
5. While baking, add vinegar, water, figs, and rosemary to your pan on the stove
6. Simmer (I cooked on a level 3 of 10) for about 15 minutes or until the compote reduces. It will seem very watery at first, but over time, it will turn into a thick sweet compote.
7. Serve the meatballs fresh out of the oven on top of the compote
P.S. I swear the meatballs weren't hot pink... the camera got crazy!
Happy Hanukkah! Last night we had our annual Chrismanukkah celebration which was wonderful. The non-traditional menu included coconut/almond encrusted cod, cinnamon roasted delicata squash, and a spinach salad with tomatoes, avocado, olives, and herbs. We feasted, exchanged gifts, and had a great evening. Tonight is my last night in Florida, so we are going back to my favorite restaurant Cafe Lurcat. Anyone who knows anything about Cafe Lurcat knows to order the seabass. While the miso glaze isn't 100% paleo, it has been my one and only purposeful "cheat". I am totally convinced that nothing that good could be bad for me.
If you are looking for a fresh new idea for a main course to impress your dinner guests, you can try out this amazing recipe from my mom. I requested fresh pesto to avoid the cheese in the store-bought kind, and we arrived at this great dish. The meat is Australian lamb loin chops - there are bones and they are very thick, so the cooking time is a bit long for these. This recipe is extremely simple, and if you happen to have a batch of pesto on hand already, there is virtually no prep work. Give these a try, and let me know how they come out!
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. fresh basil
- 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. crushed garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- seal salt and pepper to taste
- 8 Australian lamb loin chops (~2 lbs.)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Add basil to food processor
3. When basil is chopped down, add all other ingredients
4. Pulse for 1-2 minutes until smooth - you may need to scrape down the edges every 20-30 seconds so it mixes well
5. Spread the full pesto mixture on top of the lamb
6. Bake for 20 minutes
7. Flip the chops over, and baste the tops with the pesto in the pan
8. Bake for another 10-20 minutes based on meat preference
9. Let rest for 5 minutes, and serve!
Note: After you cut off the first few pieces of meat, pick these chops up, and eat them with your hands! If Ron did it, anybody can!
