CWR'S Trinidad-Style Stewed Lamb



Lamb is definitely a huge favorite of mine. In this recipe, bite sized pieces of lamb are browned using "burnt sugar" and simmered in carrots, potatoes, tomato and fresh herbs including scallion, thyme, parsley and celery. The result is a rich and hearty dish with moist, tender pieces of lamb.

Stewing of meat using "burnt sugar" is believed to be a West African cooking style brought to the Caribbean by the African immigrants. This technique continues to be used throughout the Caribbean islands and adds both color and an extraordinary depth of flavor to the dish. Stews have evolved over time and now includes ingredients such as ketchup, seasoning salts, bouillon cubes, soy sauce, margarine etc.

In my recipe, I am keeping the caramelized sugar base to honor the tradition, but I’m replacing the flavor enhancers with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables to create a flavorful, savory dish that is healthier. The way the dish was probably originally made, as our ancestors did not have access to processed ingredients. 

This stewed lamb is proof that you can eat absolutely delicious “clean food” without all the “extra stuff”…Please try it and let me know.

CWR’s Trinidad-Style Stewed Lamb
Serves 6-8

5 pounds bone-in lamb stew meat or boneless lamb, cut into 2 inch pieces
3 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
2 large potatoes, peeled, sliced lengthwise and quartered
1 large carrot, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups hot water

Green Seasoning:
4-5 scallions (spring onions)—1 bunch or 1 cup when chopped
4 sprigs parsley (about ½ cup chopped)
5 large cloves garlic
1 sprig fresh thyme (or about 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)

1. Prep Work--Wash lamb with the juice of a lemon, rinse, drain or pat dry with paper towels.

Peel, wash and cut potatoes, carrot and onion. Chop herbs.

2. Make Green Seasoning: In a food processor, finely mince scallion, parsley, thyme and garlic.

Should produce ½ cup tightly packed. 

3. Season lamb with salt and pepper and Green Seasoning. 

5. In a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add 3 ½ tablespoons brown sugar and caramelize. 

6. Once the sugar bubbles, froths and darkens evenly, add meat(reserve marinating liquid if any), raise heat to high and turn frequently to coat. Cook 3-5 minutes. 

7. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and tomato.

Continue to cook the meat in it’s own juices(uncovered), stirring every 5 minutes, for about 15-20 minutes.  When the meat begins to stick to the pot, stir fry for a minute more to allow the flavors to develop, stirring constantly, scraping bits from the bottom and sides of the pot.

8. Add 4 cups hot water and reserved liquid if any (liquid should barely cover meat).

Mix well, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low and cook until lamb is tender, approximately 1 hour. 

Adjust seasonings and garnish with fresh parsley.
Serve hot over rice, flour/corn dumplings or boiled ground provisions.

ENJOY!!!

Thank you for stopping by,
Cooking with love & lamb...and a GREAT LOVE for lamb,
Ria

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Goodbye....a year in review...and a "healthy" note...

Saying goodbye isn’t easy. I would like to hold on to 2011 with my dear life for in January a birthday patiently awaits, and I’ll be another year closer to 40 [biting eight fingers]. It’s baffling. I am still celebrating being 17. 

This year I challenged my abilities and created this blog which saved me in many ways. While it continues to be just a weekend hobby, I am passionate about it. I have finally found a creative outlet for all my interests combined. My photography is slowly improving--I'm challenging myself to make my recipes look appetizing to you, words no longer fail me(5 out of 7 days), I’m reading even more,  my “writing” is a work in progress, …..and finally writing down my recipes. I am “evolving” in all these aspects, but at the same time, I’m discovering “me”.

Despite all the challenges I faced this year, including my sensitivity to preservatives in food combined with my lack of self control for all things delicious(a deadly combination), I am eating healthier than I have in many years. When I eat food with preservatives, consciously or unconsciously, I suffer tremendously and am literally forced to make healthier choices.

My kids are the reason I trudge on…. Aside from loving, protecting, educating and nurturing their minds with the lessons I have learned in life, my main goal is to nourish their bodies with wholesome and healthy foods. They are another reason I'm always searching for the best recipes and ingredients. Life is difficult as it is and I want to give them a great head start. This is the best way I know how. 

On my daily commute on the train, it pains me to see parents giving their children soda, artificial juices and packaged “goodies” for breakfast. In the supermarket, I see carts laden with processed foods vs. fresh & healthy. Sometimes I feel inclined to say something and sometimes I do, but for the most part, I value my life. I have learned that people are set in their ways until dis-ease strikes. Even then, they take pills to cover up the symptoms instead of treating the disease from the source. 

I know from experience that my almost 8-year-old “goes psycho” when she consumes processed foods(like mother like daughter). This gives me an added incentive to supervise and alter their bad eating habits. Recently, my older daughter mentioned that one of her friend’s mom tried my roasted chicken recipe and claimed it was the healthiest meal they ever cooked. That made my year and moved me to tears.  

As Mahatma Ghandi said, “be the change you want to see in the world", but I have learned over the years that it is also very important to be the change you want to see in your kids.....

Technology and time have given us many great creations and inventions to enhance our life/make it easier, but shouldn’t we draw a line especially when it comes to our health and well being? I recently saw an episode of 60 minutes where “natural flavors” for every type of food/flavor are being created using chemicals in a lab. These “natural flavors” are sold to companies to use in their products in place of the real ingredients—in products that you and I consume everyday.

We should be aware of what we are eating, read labels—know the ingredients like “natural flavors” (and the other hidden names of MSG) and the consequences of consuming those ingredients. Is eating something “chemically enhanced” delicious more important than our health, our quality of life in the future?  I urge you to be an educated consumer…not only when you are shopping for electronics and clothing…but also food.

I don’t blog for fortune or fame, but if I can inspire one person to change their eating habits or get into the kitchen and cook a healthy meal with wholesome ingredients, instead of buying take-out or microwaving packaged foods, I have accomplished my goal.

I am going into 2012 armed with hope, courage, enthusiasm and the usual resolutions….eat healthy, spend less, move more, eat slower, misplace fewer things, be less discombobulated(suggested by my husband), work each day at being a better human being...try to leave this world a better place than I found it….and know that even if I falter, each new day gives me another opportunity to start over again. 

Fortunately, this is not goodbye for us, because you will be seeing much more of me, my recipes and photos in the New Year.  I wish you and yours a holiday season filled with lots of love, laughter…and great food….and hope you have a stupendously happy 2012..….!

With love and Best Wishes,
From my family to yours,
Ria

 

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Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

If you would like a variation to the regular sweet potato fries or oven sweet potato fries....or maybe you are looking for a healthy "comfort food" to snack on......or a new side dish to serve alongside your Thanksgiving, Christmas, weeknight or weekend dinner, here is a recipe for you. 

Inspiration for these sweet potato fries came from a recipe in one of Ina Garten's cookbooks that I stumbled upon sometime ago while shopping in a home goods store. For thanksgiving, I usually make candied yams with lots of butter and sugar but decided to take a healthier route this year. I kicked up Ina's recipe a notch and made it more healthy, delicious and savory by adding cinnamon, grated onion and thyme.

I use similar ingredients for a chicken recipe which I hope to post soon, but the flavors also work well in this dish.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Peel and halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 4 long spears.

Place them on a sheet pan and sprinkle olive oil, brown sugar,

cinnamon, thyme leaves, grated onion, salt and pepper and toss well.

[I borrowed little hands to help me...

...because I found it impossible to do all those things and take pictures at the same time.....]

Spread the potatoes in one layer.

Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.
[the dark, caramelized/aka burnt bits are my favorite parts..!!]

 

Hope you give it a try.....and serve with a litte ketchup....yummmmy.....;-)

Thanks for stopping by,

Cooking with love,

Ria

Recipe barely adapted from "Ina Garten"...

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Indra's (Mummy) Trinidadian Curried Chicken

At various times we all crave either something sweet, something salty, something sour or something spicy.….well I have those days when I crave something curry (contrary to popular belief curry does not necessarily mean spicy)….and my mummy’s curried chicken is comforting, irresistible and by far the best I have eaten.. I have been trying to get her to make this with me for quite some time and the day finally arrived! My curry is pretty good but I wanted her to be a part of this post because she is the reason I love curry so much…Both she and my Aunty Iya came over to my house for "the big production" and we had a lot of laughs over the 'lights, camera and all the action for a small pot of curry"....so much laughs, someone almost....well, that's better left unsaid...

No diet of mine ever survives a trip to mummy's home. Her curried chicken is the reason I could never become a vegetarian. Period. One plate. Two plates. Three plates…and then my groans….and my request for help….”Could someone please stop me?” ..and then I would eat a little more......and then pack some to take home too. 

It’s no wonder Mummy cooks about 20 pounds of chicken when she makes curry…some for my aunt, my cousin who lives across the street, the neighbors who smell the scent of curry coming from her makeshift kitchen in her garage, her tenant, my sisters, some for her co-workers…and for herself of course…actually, this is a normal ritual in our family for every meal she cooks…she doesn’t cook too often anymore because she works nights and long hours in a cancer hospital, plus her arthritis prevents her from standing too long…but we do look forward to the days that she does cook….! 

The curry powder, cumin and the abundance of fresh herbs in this dish make it not only delicious.....but super healthy!

So here it is…from Mummy’s kitchen to yours! I hope you give it a try! 

Please check out my YOU TUBE VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE. CLICK HERE. 

Please like, share and subscribe. 

Indra's (Mummy) Trinidad Curry Chicken Recipe

Serves 6-8

3 1/2 - 4 pounds chicken--legs, thighs or a whole chicken cut up

3 scallions (about 1 cup chopped)

4 large sprigs cilantro or 6 culantro leaves (about 1/4 cup chopped )

3-5 sprigs thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)

5 large cloves garlic

1 medium onion, sliced and divided

3-4 tablespoons 'Trinidad' curry powder

2 teaspoons Himalayan salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional

2 pimento peppers, optional

Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper- sliced

Potatoes--OPTIONAL

CWR's Notes:

--I used Trinidadian "Chief" brand curry powder, but also tried another blend I found in the natural food store and it worked just as well. 

-- If a variety or herbs are not available in your supermarket, feel free to use only scallions, only cilantro or only culantro (better known as BANDHANIA OR CHANDON BENI in Trinidad) along with the onion and garlic. No thyme, no problem. This recipe is flexible. Keep in mind that the minced seasoning should amount to 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon.

--Mummy uses a whole hot pepper...and then some..since she loves to grow her own during the summer.

--If using "hard" home fowl, cook on a lower heat and allow for additional cooking time.

1.Slice onion, reserve a few slices. Wash and chop herbs. Peel garlic. Slice peppers and set aside.

 Make Green Seasoning: In a food processor or blender(or chop finely by hand), mince scallion, cilantro/culantro, thyme, garlic and onion(not the reserved slices) and peppers. (you may choose not to add the onion to the blender but keep it sliced)

Set aside 1 tablespoon of the Green Seasoning for the curry paste in no.3 below.

2.Prepare Chicken: Wash chicken with lemon, removing excess fat. Drain well.

 Season chicken with salt, pepper and the remainder of the Green Seasoning. 

Let marinate for several hours or overnight(OPTIONAL).  

3. Make Curry Paste: In a small bowl, add 3-4 tablespoons curry powder, 4 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon of the reserved Green Seasoning. Mix well. Set aside.

4. Cook Curry: In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil, add the reserved pieces of onions and pepper and cook until golden brown. Add curry mixture and cook until grainy and curry separates from the oil, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot to prevent it from sticking and burning, 3-5 minutes.

5.Add Chicken-Add seasoned chicken to pot. Mix well.

Add cumin.....and salt and pepper if you haven't already. If using potatoes, add now.

 Cover pot and cook on medium heat until meat has relinquished its juices and subsequently evaporated about 15-20 minutes, gently stirring every 5-7 minutes or so in a basting motion (pouring the pan juices over the chicken).

6.  Add Water to make sauce: When the liquid has evaporated, continue to stir fry for a few seconds(or up to 2 mins) allowing the flavors to develop and scraping the bottom of the pot with the spoon to prevent it from burning. Then add 2 cups of water. 

Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, cover pot and cook until sauce has thickened about 5-10 minutes.

Taste test for salt.

Enjoy with roti...or rice....or anything nice.....:-)

Thanks for stopping by,

Cooking with love...Mummy...and curry,

Ria

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