Spice (38 page)

15.
Using a rubber spatula or large spoon, stir in 1½ cups of the hot almond milk into the couscous and let it stand uncovered for another 10 minutes. Stir again to fluff the couscous, seasoning with salt and pepper. The couscous should be tender—like tiny steamed dumplings with no crunch—but not sticky or lumpy. If the couscous is still a little dry, stir in another ¼ to ½ cup hot water. Once you’ve attained the desired consistency, you can use your hands or a fork to run through the couscous, breaking up any lumps.

16.
About 30 minutes before serving, skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the broth, using a large spoon or ladle, in a circular motion. Pour the broth into a braising pan that can fit on a stove burner or in a large, deep-sided sauté pan big enough to hold the shanks, and bring it to a simmer on medium-high heat. Add the veal shanks to the broth and simmer for about 14 minutes, until tender and coated with broth.

17.
Pack the couscous into large demitasse cups (big enough to hold ½ cup) or small ramekins. Heat them in the microwave for 2 minutes, until hot and steamed a final time. If no microwave is available, you can warm the ramekins up by placing them in a roasting pan filled with water (so that the water reaches halfway up the ramekins) and then heating them for 10 minutes in a 300°F oven.

18.
Froth the remaining almond milk in the blender on high speed for 30 seconds or use a handheld emulsion blender. You should have a foamy milk, almost as light as one for cappuccino.

19.
Place 2 veal shanks next to each other on each dinner plate, setting them to one side.

20.
Turn out the couscous by turning the ramekin upside down onto the plate and then lifting it away. Spoon 2 tablespoons of frothed almond milk over the couscous, and sprinkle the couscous with some chopped almonds. Sprinkle the shanks with the chopped scallions. Pour the remaining broth into a gravy boat or small pitcher to pass around the table.

Veal Shoulder Variation

In place of the shanks, use 2 shoulder cuts, weighing about 2½ pounds each, making sure that they’re boned, tied, and patted dry with paper towels. Follow the recipe as for cooking the veal shanks, but in step 2, brown two additional sides of meat, and eliminate 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil. The veal shoulders will take about 3 hours to cook. To serve, untie the shoulders by cutting the strings with a paring knife or scissors and slice the veal ½-inch thick. You can leave the meat in large slices or cut it into cubes
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Lamb Steak with Turkish Spices and Moussaka

This dish has become a signature at Oleana, and I think it’s because it just tastes so Turkish. Plus, the recipe lets you enjoy the pleasure of eating lamb two different ways.

Moussaka is traditionally served as a heavy entrée, but I created this version as a side dish or light meal. I wanted the focus to be on the moussaka flavors—sweet cinnamon and spicy chilies—rather than heaviness.

Lamb top is a small roast cut from the top part of a leg of lamb. At Oleana, we trim the top and grind the trimmings to make our own ground lamb. You can have the butcher do this for you, or you can buy ground lamb separately.

This recipe is best when the lamb is marinated overnight. The marinade is all about the combination of peppers—sweet ones and hot ones—with Turkish signature spices like dried mint and oregano. Also, see page 100 for help with some grilling techniques; the smoky grilled flavors mixed with the spices make this dish unique, and roasting won’t have the same effect.

Serve this with a full-bodied, tannic wine like an Amarone, or Nebbiolo from Barbaresco. If these wines seem too heavy in the summer, try a medium-bodied red, such as a Rhone blend.

S
ERVES
4
AS A MAİN COURSE

For the Lamb

1 lamb top (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons Aleppo chilies

2 tablespoons red pepper paste (see Resources, page 358) or 1 roasted red pepper, seeded, and finely chopped (see page 97)

¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup canola oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)

1 tablespoon Turkish Baharat Spice Mix (page 232)

For the Moussaka

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon plus ½ cup olive oil

¾ pound ground lamb

Salt and pepper to taste

½ onion, peeled and finely chopped(about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon chopped garlic (about 1 large clove)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup golden raisins

1 cup peeled and seeded, finely chopped plum tomatoes (or drained chopped canned tomatoes)

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, leaves only

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, leaves only

2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch slices, about 8 slices

2 tablespoons flour

1¼ cups milk, scalded

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup yogurt plus additional for garnish (see page 331)

¾ cup grated kasseri cheese

1 tablespoon dried mint for garnish

To Make the Lamb

1.
Cut the lamb top into four 6-to 8-ounce miniroasts or steaks.

2.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the Aleppo chilies, red pepper paste, ¼ cup of tomato paste, oil, 1 tablespoon garlic, and the baharat. Add the lamb steaks and stir to coat the meat. Chill overnight or let stand at room temperature for at least an hour. If chilled overnight, pull out 1 hour before grilling and let the meat and marinade come to room temperature.

To Make the Moussaka

1.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the butter begins to brown, add the ground lamb and season with salt and pepper. Let the lamb brown on high heat, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, for about 5 minutes. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, cinnamon, and raisins.

2.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. The lamb may release lots of natural juices while cooking; this is fine, because the mixture will thicken as it cooks.

3.
Add the tomatoes and increase the heat to medium. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is almost dry and becomes fluffy. The tomato water and juices will evaporate and the mixture will become a little glazy from the natural sugars of the raisins. Remove from the heat and set aside. Once it has cooled, stir in the parsley and fresh mint. Season again with salt and pepper.

4.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

5.
Place the potatoes in a small saucepan and cover them with cold water. Boil over high heat until they are tender when squeezed with a pair of tongs or poked with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain them in a colander for about 5 minutes, allowing some steam to evaporate.

6.
Mash the potatoes with a fork, and season with salt and pepper.

7.
Place the eggplant slices on a heavy baking sheet and brush them generously with the remaining ½ cup of olive oil or more (depending on the size of the eggplant) on both sides. The eggplant should absorb the oil and not look dry. Place the eggplant slices in the oven and roast them until soft, for 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

8.
Make a roux by melting the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. When the butter starts to become bubbly, but before it browns, whisk in flour and cook for just a few minutes.

9.
Whisk in the milk and cook for 5 minutes, or until the milk has thickened and the sauce is bubbly. Whisk in the nutmeg, ½ cup yogurt, and the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. You now have a Mornay sauce, Turkish-style.

10.
If you want the sauce to be super-smooth with the ultimate coating consistency, blend it in a blender for 30 seconds or use a handheld emulsion blender to give it a little gloss

11.
Prepare a charcoal grill (see Grilling Tips, page 100).

12.
Meanwhile, spoon a tablespoon of the Mornay sauce into the bottom of a small soufflé dish or ramekin that can hold ¾ to 1 cup. Place 2 slices of eggplant criss-crossing in the bottom of the soufflé dish, so that the long ends hang over the side. Scoop ½ to ¾ cup of the lamb filling into the soufflé dish and fold the eggplant over so that the lamb filling is bundled up by the eggplant. Pack on 2 to 4 tablespoons of potato purée and smear with the back of a spoon so that the surface is even and the moussaka is compact. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly.