Harissa Lamb with Herbed Quinoa
Serves 4
Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste. The main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, Baklouti pepper, serrano peppers, spices and herbs, such as garlic paste, coriander seed, saffron, rose, or caraway, and olive oil. The oil holds the oil-soluble flavors together in a pulp.
This is a hearty dish to say the least. Be careful of how much harissa you use. Depending on your spice tolerance, you might only want to use one tablespoon to begin with, and see where you go from there. If you’re a spicy person, go for two or more. The main goal is to spice up your life, and enjoy the taste of North Africa tonight in your very own kitchen.
Ingredients:
1lb lean lamb leg steaks, cut into bite-size cubes
1 to 2 tablespoons harissa paste
1 16 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 cup low in sodium lamb or vegetables stock
1 16 oz can low in sodium chickpeas, drained and washed
12 dried apricots
How to make:
Preheat oven to 380◦F. Place the cubed lamb pieces into an ovenproof casserole dish, and stir in the harissa paste to evenly coat the lamb.
Pour in the tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil over a medium heat on the stove and stir well.
Place the lid on the casserole dish and pop into the oven to cook for 45 minutes.
Stir in the chickpeas and apricots and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
Remove from the oven and serve with herbed quinoa.
Herbed Quinoa
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups quinoa
Dressing:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest of
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint leaves
How to make:
Quinoa
In a medium saucepan, add the stock and quinoa. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Dressing
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest and herbs.
Serve
Pour the dressing over the quinoa and stir until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl, and serve with the harissa lamb.