Best Moms Lamb Pear Casserole Recipes

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

LAMB TAJIN, WITH SECKEL PEARS

Steps:

• Trim the lamb of excess fat. Mix salt, spices, grated onion, butter and herbs with the lamb in a heavy casserole. Toss together over low heat to release the aromas of the spices, but do not brown the meat. Pour in about two cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for one-and-a-half hours, adding water if necessary and turning the meat occasionally in the sauce.
• After one hour, add the minced onion, and continue simmering over gentle heat for another 45 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and the sauce has become thick.
• Meanwhile, peel, core and quarter the pears. As you do this, put the slices into a little water with the lemon juice to stop them from turning brown. Rinse and poach in mildly sugared water to cover. Remove and let drain.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Turn lamb into a serving dish. Arrange the pear pieces attractively among the lamb and dust lightly with cinnamon and sugar. Swirl the sauce in the casserole and taste for seasonings (the taste of ginger and pepper should just come through). Pour the sauce over and bake 15 minutes on the upper shelf of the preheated oven to glaze. Serve hot, directly from the baking dish.

EASY MOROCCAN LAMB STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven (affiliate) or heavy oven-safe pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.
• In the heated oil, saute the onions, carrots, and potatoes for 4 minutes or so. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pot and set aside briefly.
• In the same pot, add more oil if needed, and deeply brown the lamb on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
• Turn heat to medium-high and return the sauteed vegetables to the pot. Add the dried apricots, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and spices and stir to coat.
• Add the plum tomatoes and broth and bring everything to a boil for 5 minutes or so.
• Cover the pot and place in the 350 degrees F heated-oven for 1 ½ hours (check partway through to add water or broth if needed). Now stir in the chickpeas, cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and serve hot with your choice of Lebanese rice, couscous, pita bread or your favorite rustic bread.
• A simple Mediterranean salad like Fattoush makes a great starter for this hearty meal. Enjoy!

MOM'S LAMB PEAR CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Layer lamb, beans, and pears. Mix other ingredients and drizzle over casserole. Bake until soft at 350 degrees.