Lamb Stew with Feta over Buttery Noodles

Posted on June 24, 2011 by kitchenbelle

I think crock-pots get a bad rap.  I think maybe people think of them as a cop out, but just like any appliance, there is a time and place for a crock-pot. I might not advise you to prepare a dinner for your husband’s boss in a crock-pot. (Do people even have their bosses over for dinner anymore? I think that might have been a 1950s thing. Anyway, you get the point.) Crock-pots are perfect for week night dinners. Especially, for dinners on the nights where you would have gotten take out.  Crock-pots make really good food! And while they are known for being perfect for winter, they are actually perfect for summer too. Why? Because when you use a crock-pot you don’t have to turn on your oven! 

This stew is tasty. Pour it over hot buttery noodles.

Lamb Stew with Feta over Buttery Noodles:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
  • 2 jars tomato sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 pound noodles, cooked

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add lamb. Cook until just brown. Add garlic, cinnamon, allspice, and vinegar.  Mix in with lamb using a wooden spatula. Remove from heat and pour contents of skillet into crock-pot. Add sweet potato, potato cubes, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Cook on high for 5 hours.

Just prior to serving prepare noodles according to package directions. Top with butter. Serve stew over hot noodles. (Don’t forget to remove bay leaf!) Top with feta cheese.

Filed under: Fall, ground meat, Main Dish, pasta, sweet potato | 6 Comments »

Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Posted on September 11, 2008 by kitchenbelle

I have never made ice cream until this recipe and now I see what I have been missing!  It will be hard (okay, well not that hard, but kind of hard)  to eat store bought ice cream again!  The consistency of this ice cream was unparalleled to any ice cream out of a container.  The flavors were  rich  (somewhat complex) and wonderful!  I urge you to try it!  All I can say to sum it up is these three words: smooth, creamy, and creamy.  Did I say creamy?  Perhaps because this is new to me it makes me very excited!

Oh, and the fact that all of the ingredients are fresh (except for the ginger–I used dried but you could easily use fresh and bump this off the flavor chart) I felt like it was even maybe a little bit healthy, as in, not too bad for you.  (Just ignore the whole cream thing!)  It is fresh! And it contains vegetables!  It is win, win, win.

Sweet Potato Ice Cream:

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1large sweet potato, washed and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • approx. 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup dark rum
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • confectioner’s sugar to taste (about 1 tablespoon)

Cut the peeled sweet potato into chunks.  Place chunks in food processor for a few seconds so that the chunks are chopped into bite-size pieces.  Place bite-size pieces of sweet potato in a saucepan and cover with about 3/4 cup water.  Add ginger.  Simmer for several minutes until potato is very tender.  This could take as long as 30-45 minutes.  Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree potato until it is a silky smooth (baby food-like) consistency.  Set aside.

Scorch the cream in a sauce pan. 

Fill one large mixing bowl with ice then set another mixing bowl on top of it (to create an ice bath).  Set a strainer onto the top bowl.  Set aside.

In a separate saucepan mix the egg yolks with the brown sugar and salt.  Add the egg/sugar mixture to the cream and mix with a wooden spoon constantly over medium-low heat until it thickens.  Be sure to constantly scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir.  Add the rum and vanilla.  Once this mixture has thickened substantially, pour through the strainer.  Stir stained mixture until cool. 

Slowly incorporate pureed sweet potato into cream mixture.  Add confectioner’s sugar to taste.

Pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to the type of machine you have.  Mine stayed in the ice cream machine mixing and freezing for about 40 minutes.  I then removed it from the machine into a plastic storage container and placed in the freezer for about 30 minutes. 

Garnish with mint and serve!

Recipe adapted from recipe by Chef Stephan Viau.

Filed under: Dessert, ice cream, sweet potato | 3 Comments »