Lamb And Orzo Stuffed Pepper With Chunky Tomato Sauce Recipes

"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.

ORZO-STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. In a Dutch oven, cook peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside., Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain., Drain orzo; stir into meat mixture. Add the marinara sauce, tomato, basil, rosemary and pepper flakes. Spoon into peppers. , Place in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Take ground lamb and add onions, soup mix , bread crumbs and egg and fold in together.
• Wash and core peppers. Cut them into halves down the middle.
• Pack the lamb meat into the pepper halves firmly.
• Bake the peppers uncovered in a glass dish for 30 mins or until meat is browned.
• Remove peppers from oven and spoon tomato sauce over peppers.
• Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
• Take peppers out.
• Raise oven temp to broil.
• Cover peppers over with cheese and bake until cheese is golden brown.
• Remove from oven and serve hot.

LAMB AND ORZO STUFFED PEPPER WITH CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Oil a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate with 1 teaspoon oil.
• Cook onion with salt in remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 7 to 9 minutes.
• While onion is cooking, cook orzo in a 2-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain orzo in a sieve.
• Spread half of onion in pie plate. Add lamb to remaining onion in skillet and cook, breaking up large clumps with a fork, until meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orzo, reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir tomatoes into onion in pie plate and season with salt and pepper. Nestle bell pepper halves, cut sides up, in tomato and onion mixture and season with salt and pepper. Divide lamb mixture between bell pepper halves, then cover pie plate with a sheet of oiled foil (oiled side down) and bake until pepper is tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon dill.