Virtual Supper Club January

Happy New Year!  Everyone!  Wishes for an amazing year to everyone and to my blogging friends, have a great, creative and inspirational 2013.

I am so excited to be a member of Val's from More Than Burnt Toast Virtual Supper Club. Click on her link to see the entire menu.   Once a month we all make something healthy and nutritious from Cooking Light. It is a fantastic group of passionate cooks and you will enjoy all the amazing ideas. So, this is your free ticket to a year of amazing food.  Welcome!

The theme this month is Clean Food.  What we mean is that you are cooking from scratch without mixes and packages.  It is just pure food.

I am using my locally sourced Black Welsh lamb in this dish.  The tomatoes are home canned and the lentils are from my neighbour's field. The picture below shows all the ingredients.  Very simple but the complexity of flavour is satisfying.  Serve with basmati rice and raita.

Now, check out all the other wonderful recipes from the group.

Sandi
Whistestop Café  Cooking
Spinach Onion Swiss Frittata

Jerry
Jerrys Thoughts, Musings and Rants
Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs

Val
More Than Burnt Toast
Bulghur with Dried Cranberries

Susan Linquist
The Spice Garden
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fennel

Roz
La Bella Vita
Citrus Granita

Curried Lamb and Lentil Stew    adapted from Cooking Light October 1997

1 1/2 lb lamb shoulder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup lentils
1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 1/2 cups chopped collards or greens
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
cilantro sprigs

Trim fat from lamb, and cut into cubes and set aside.

Heat  oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery and garlic. Saute 2 minutes. Add lamb and saute 5 minutes or until browned. Add cumin, curry and pepper until coated. Add lentils, broth and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add greens, unless it is spinach. Spinach should be added at the very end and wilted. It is too delicate to take much cooking. Add greens and carrots and simmer 30 minutes or until lamb is tender.

Remove from heat. If using spinach, add now and cover and let it steam for 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro.

Serve garnished with cilantro sprigs, if desired and basmati rice and raita.