Best Aegean Lamb With Orzo Recipes

AEGEAN LAMB WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Trim fat from lamb. Place lamb in an electric slow cooker, and sprinkle with oregano, rind, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Pour in juice; top lamb with spinach. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours.
• Remove spinach and lamb from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid; cool. Remove meat from bones; discard bones, fat, and gristle. Chop meat.
• Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag, and let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top).
• Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag.
• Drain drippings into a large bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, lamb, spinach, orzo, and feta to strained drippings.
• Garnish with oregano sprigs and lemon slices, if desired.

GREEK LAMB AND ORZO

Steps:

• Cook lamb in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, celery, pasta, salt and red pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low.
• Cover and simmer about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomato liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender. Serve with yogurt.

GREEK LAMB WITH ORZO

Steps:

• In a stew pot over medium heat, heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil until it shimmers. Add onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and oregano, and saute 5-10 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute 30 sec until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add remaining oil to pot and heat until shimmering. Add lamb and brown on all sides. Return onion mixture to pot. Squish the tomatoes between your fingers to crush them thoroughly. Add tomatoes and red wine to pot, and add just enough water or stock to cover the lamb.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 2-3 hours. If the meat has bones, remove them and discard. Add orzo and simmer 10-15 minutes more, until orzo is tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

"GREEK" LAMB WITH ORZO

Steps:

• In a good sized Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Add the lamb and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Cook, stirring to break it apart, until it is nicely browned. Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 2 tablespoons of the fat.
• Return the pot to the stovetop and add olive oil and the onion (still over medium-high). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Stir in the spices (cinnamon, oregano, cumin, coriander, and red pepper)and cook until they start smelling toasted and fragrant (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in the whole tomatoes, crushed by hand. Cook the crushed tomatoes in the spices, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Then, add the can of diced tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Add the cooked lamb back to the pot, give it a good stir, then cover the pot and leave it to cook, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes. At this point, stir in the fresh spinach and cook just a couple more minutes until the spinach is wilted. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste (keeping in mind you'll be sprinkling a touch of feta and olives on, which will add to the saltiness). While the lamb and tomatoes are simmering together and marrying their flavors, bring a large pot of well-salted water (it should taste like sea water) to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 7 or 8 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
• Drain the orzo. Toss the orzo with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, and all of the parsley, adding a bit of pasta water at a time, if you feel it needs additional liquid.Spread the orzo out on an enormous serving platter. Spoon the lamb and sauce all over the top, then sprinkle with the feta and chopped olives. A good red wine, on the dry side, is a highly recommended companion here.

GREEK LAMB AND ORZO

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the lamb, and cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking up into crumbles, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, celery, orzo, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the orzo is tender and has absorbed the liquid from the tomatoes, about 12 minutes.