Mediterranean Calabacita

Tonight's dinner came together as the result of a happy accident:  I pulled a pound of ground lamb out of the freezer thinking I had ground beef.  Once I discovered my error, I altered my plans for the meal.  We ended up, rather than the traditional Hispanic calabacita dish, having a lamb-version with a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flair.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground lamb, browned in a tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2-3 mild roasted green chilies (or one can mild green chilies) chopped
pinch saffron, optional
1-2 Tablespoons curry spice mix
1 tsp freshly ground allspice (or purchased ground allspice)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 squash, sliced crosswise (I used 1 zuchini and 1 pattypan squash)

Heat olive oil in pan, then toss in the chopped garlic.  Saute until aromatic, then add the ground lamb.
Once the lamb is mostly browned, add chopped onions and cook until onion is translucent.  Grate allspice over mixture with a zester, or add previously milled allspice, along with mixed curry spices and saffron threads, if using.  Salt and pepper.  Add squash and cook until tender.  Add chilies and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes on low.

zesting the allspice using a carpenter's rasp (a wonderful kitchen tool!) over the browning lamb

chopping the two types squash

chopped green chilies

add the onion

add spices, including saffron threads (pictured between my fingers)

squash and tomatoes are added

The meal included reheated corn tortillas leftover from last night's meal,

goat cheese (served in the tortilla with the lamb mixture, eaten like a soft taco)

Italian cucumbers seasoned with rice vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, 

and Natalie's kale, sauteed with chopped garlic and fresh lemon juice.

This meal got a big thumbs-up from the family.  Super easy to prepare, and the leftovers will be oh-so-good tomorrow for my lunch!  Enjoy!  Try it and let me know what you think!

Note:  I may have mentioned this before, but if not, now is a good time to talk about the freshness of spices in your pantry.  How long has it been since you changed out your spices?  Huh?  If you don't know the answer, it is time to get rid of all your spices and purchase small amounts of fresh spice.

My advice is to stop buying spice in bottles in the spice section of the store and find someplace that carries spice in bulk containers. Places with bulk spices turn over their merchandise rapidly.  Therefore, the spices are much fresher, and you are able to purchase smaller quantities more frequently.  I was reminded of this while cooking dinner because my cardamom had practically no aromatic quality when I opened the container.  Time to get fresher spice!  It makes SO MUCH difference in the outcome of your food.

You can buy a small packet of spice for pennies.  Find a merchant with bulk spice, and your food will taste so much better.

FIsh Tacos with Mediterranean slaw and corn tortillas

This meal is super simple to construct, and it is VERY satisfying!
I'm not a "coleslaw" person.  At all.  I shiver every time I think about that old midwest-style slaw, drowning in that runny white "dressing".  Yech.  This is not your grandma's coleslaw.

First I want to put in a little pitch for my dry curry recipe.  It was previously published, but it is so good I'm going to post it again.  It is what makes this coleslaw recipe so darn delicious.

Make your own Curry spice mixture

Add caption

here is the mixture before grinding in a mini food-processor

Curry Powder:

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon cardamom seeds

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

2 dried red chiles, broken in pieces, seeds discarded

1 tablespoon turmeric

Toast the whole spices (coriander, cumin, fennel, cloves, mustard, cardamom and peppercorns) and the chiles in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often to prevent them from burning. Toast for a couple of minutes until the spices smell fragrant. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices together to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and give it another quick buzz to combine. Use the spice blend immediately, or store in a sealed jar for as long as 1 month.

Yield: about 1/2 cup

* I made this about 6 months ago and it is still really good.

Fish Tacos

I bought a box of tortilla crusted tilapia filets at Costco.  They are delicious!  If you don't want to use these you can certainly sautee fresh fish, or use whatever else you have on hand.  I like to keep these fish filets in the freezer for times when I forget to thaw anything for dinner.  Cook as directed.

Tortillas

I live in San Antonio where the possibility of acquiring freshly prepared corn tortillas is very easy.  I have been told by a friend that Costco is now carrying corn tortillas that simply need to be pan-heated to finish, and they are quite delicious.  Wherever you get your tortillas, corn or flour, please PLEASE heat them in a pan, flipping at least once, to cook them.  DO NOT microwave them as this turns them into rubber discs.  Pan heating on high takes very little time, and they are 100% better this way.  If you can't get fresh tortillas, this is the next best option.  After heating, place them in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Coleslaw, or as my husband says, "Curslaw":

Ingredients:

one package of presliced slaw, found in any grocer case in the veggie aisle (don't use the liquid stuff!) Just get it for the veggies

5-6 thinly sliced radishes

curry mix

1/2 tsp turmeric (in addition to what is in the curry mix)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

handful craisins

approx 1/4 cup mayo

salt and pepper to taste

I'm guessing on the amounts of these ingredients because I almost never measure.  I "eyeball" it.  You can do the same.

dump the vegetables into a bowl

thinly slice radishes, then cut the slices in half

scatter in the veggie mix.  

You might be wondering why I'm putting radishes in the mixture.  Trust me!

Even if you aren't a radish fan, you will love them in this recipe!  They don't significantly spice up the mixture, but they add color and a lovely crunchy texture.  Just do it!

add mayo and curry mix, paprika, and turmeric

toss in craisins (raisins would work, too)

here's what is left of my curry mix.

I guess it is time to make more!

Place the fish filet on the tortilla, then top with the "curslaw".

Serve.  Delicious!

I hope you try this slaw recipe with fish tacos.  It is so deliciously satisfying.  Let me know what you think of them!