**Lamb Stuffed Tomatoes: A Middle Eastern Culinary Delight**
Originating from the vibrant kitchens of the Middle East, lamb stuffed tomatoes, also known as "Mahshi Tamatim bil Lahma," are a delectable dish that embodies the region's rich culinary heritage. This dish features plump, ripe tomatoes carefully hollowed out and filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground lamb, aromatic rice, and a medley of herbs and spices. The stuffed tomatoes are then simmered in a luscious tomato sauce, creating a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. In this article, we present two enticing variations of this classic dish: a traditional Lebanese recipe and a modern rendition with a touch of Mediterranean flair. Both recipes promise a delightful journey into the realm of Middle Eastern cuisine, offering a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.
MIDDLE EASTERN STUFFED ZUCCHINI
A Middle Eastern recipe for stuffed summer squashes. You can also use long thin eggplants.
Provided by KELLYJEANNE
Categories Main Dish Recipes Stuffed Main Dish Recipes Stuffed Zucchini Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Mix together the ground lamb, basmati rice, 2 tablespoons tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon mint, salt, and pepper; mix well, and set aside.
- Slice the ends off of the zucchinis and hollow out the centers using an apple corer. Stuff with lamb mixture.
- Stir together the remaining tomato puree with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large skillet. Place the stuffed zucchini into the sauce, and add enough water to cover the zucchini. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of mint. Recover, and simmer an additional 15 minutes. To serve, cut the zucchini crosswise into rounds and arrange on a serving plate. Spoon sauce over the top.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 183.1 calories, Carbohydrate 28.7 g, Cholesterol 19 mg, Fat 4.7 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 10.6 g, SaturatedFat 1.8 g, Sodium 1119.3 mg, Sugar 10.1 g
PERFECT ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
This easy no-fail roasted leg of lamb recipe, with a special Mediterranean seasoning, will give you the BEST lamb roast every single time! Remember, the best lamb leg is either cooked to perfect pink inside (internal temp somewhere around 130°F) or until the meat falls off the bone (internal temp somewhere around 175°F or beyond). Just avoid cooking your lamb to the in-between stage which can be tough. I like to cook some potatoes in the same pan to complete the meal. Add a big Mediterranean salad of your choice, you can't go wrong with Greek salad for this one.
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Entree
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Bring the leg of lamb to room temp. Take the leg of lamb out of the refrigerator and leave in room temperature for about 1 hour. In the meantime, prepare the remaining ingredients and make the lamb rub.
- Prepare the seasoning. To make the rub or seasoning, in a food processor, combine the rub ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside (or in the fridge, if preparing in advance).
- Salt the meat. When ready, pat the lamb dry and make a few slits on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sear the Lamb. Turn the oven on broil. Place the leg of lamb on a wire rack and put it directly on the top rack so that it's only a few inches away from the broiler element. Broil for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the leg of lamb is nicely seared. Remove from the oven, then adjust the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- Apply the seasoning or rub. When the lamb is cool enough to handle, insert the garlic slices in the slits you made earlier. Now cover the leg of lamb on all sides with the wet rub and place it in the middle of a roasting pan with an inside rack. Add two cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 514.5 kcal, Sugar 3 g, Sodium 129.3 mg, Fat 22.2 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Carbohydrate 38.1 g, Fiber 6.1 g, Protein 41.5 g, Cholesterol 114.3 mg, UnsaturatedFat 15.5 g, ServingSize 1 serving
TOMATOES STUFFED WITH LAMB AND RICE (YEMISTES DOMATES ME RIZI)
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the top off of the tomatoes and clean out all of the pulp, leaving a 1/2-inch thick skin. Reserve the pulp. In a medium saute pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, reserved tomato pulp, and rice, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lamb, pine nuts, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and continue cooking until lamb is browned.
- Fill the tomatoes with the lamb mixture, sprinkle the tops with cheese, and drizzle with the remaining 4 teaspoons of olive oil. Place in a 9-by 13-inch baking dish. Pour water in the bottom of the dish and bake for 1 hour. Serve warm.
STUFFED LEG OF LAMB, MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 9h20m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Marinade: In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon zaatar mix and 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced. Season the trimmed leg of lamb with salt and pepper, to taste, and put it into a resealable plastic bag. Pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Refrigerate and let sit as long as you can, even overnight.
- Light the grill, putting the coals all on 1 side.
- Stuffing: Put the remaining garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the feta and pulse just to break it up, then slowly drizzle in just enough olive oil so the consistency is just barely creamy but not too loose (about 1/4 cup), stopping to scrape down the sides. Add the blanched spinach, 1 tablespoon of the zaatar spice mix, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and a little black pepper, and mix until blended but still a little chunky.
- Take the lamb out of the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the inside with lemon zest and fresh thyme, then add a layer of arugula leaves. Carefully spread stuffing over the inside of leg, being careful not to spread it all the way to the edge. Grab the end closest to you and slowly roll the leg up. Tie well with butchers twine. Liberally sprinkle the outside of the lamb with shawarma spice.
- Put the lamb directly over the coals on the hot side of the grill and sear it quickly, until the outside develops a nice crust, maybe 2 minutes per side. Then move the lamb away from the coals, cover the grill and let it cook for 45 minutes or so, checking after 30 minutes and turning several times. When the lamb is done, take it off the grill, put it on a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes. To serve, cut in 1 1/2-inch thick slices, and arrange on a serving platter, making sure to remove any pieces of twine.
STUFFED LEG OF LAMB
Provided by Food Network
Time 2h45m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub lamb inside and out with garlic clove. Stuff leg of lamb and tie securely; sprinkle meat with rosemary.
- Put stuffed lamb on a rack and roast for 1 3/4 hours to 2 hours or until meat is 135 to 140 degrees. Remove from oven as you finish sauce.
- Discard fat in roasting pan. Add wine and broth and reduce. Add tomatoes and olives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat add parsley.
MAUREEN ABOOD'S EGGPLANT WITH LAMB, TOMATO AND PINE NUTS
With its layers of golden eggplant, cinnamon-scented lamb, and sweet tomato sauce topped with melted cheese, this traditional Lebanese dish is made for celebratory meals and gatherings. Even better, it's just as good served warm or room temperature as it is hot from the oven. It also reheats well, meaning that you can bake it the day before, and reheat it before serving if you like. Pull it out of the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature for an hour, then reheat it covered for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, lunch, casseroles, main course
Time 2h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Brush both sides of eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Arrange slices on prepared baking sheet and broil in batches until they are deep mahogany brown, turning once halfway through, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
- Adjust the oven to 375 degrees with rack positioned in the center.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, but not browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground lamb or beef, stirring frequently and breaking up meat into very small pieces with the side of a metal spoon. Season with remaining teaspoon salt, cinnamon and pepper. Sauté until meat is just cooked through. Taste and add more salt or pepper, or both, as needed.
- In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add pine nuts and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir nuts to coat them with butter and continue stirring constantly until nuts are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Keep a close watch over the nuts; they can burn quickly once they begin to brown. Transfer nuts to a bowl while still warm and salt them lightly.
- Coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Lay 1/3 of the eggplant slices in a single layer over the sauce, covering as much surface area of the bottom of the dish as possible. Spoon half the meat evenly over eggplant. Pour 1/3 of the remaining tomato sauce evenly over meat. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the pine nuts. Layer again with eggplant, meat, tomato sauce and pine nuts. Finish with a layer of eggplant and cover with more tomato sauce, sprinkling top with pine nuts.
- Pour 1 cup warm water around the perimeter of the baking dish. (Sauce will thicken as it bakes.) Cover pan with foil and bake for 90 minutes. Remove foil and top eggplant evenly with mozzarella. Bake for 15 minutes longer, uncovered, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Serve eggplant warm, over rice.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 478, UnsaturatedFat 20 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 37 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 854 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- To ensure even cooking, select tomatoes that are roughly the same size.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully hollow out the tomatoes, leaving a sturdy shell.
- For a more flavorful filling, use a combination of ground lamb and beef.
- Customize the filling to your liking by adding different spices and herbs.
- To prevent the tomatoes from drying out, place a small piece of butter or a drizzle of olive oil on top before baking.
- Serve the stuffed tomatoes immediately, garnished with fresh herbs and a dollop of yogurt or tzatziki sauce.
Conclusion:
Lamb stuffed tomatoes are a delightful Middle Eastern dish that combines juicy tomatoes, savory lamb filling, and aromatic spices. With its vibrant flavors and appealing presentation, it's a perfect dish for a special occasion or a weeknight meal. The recipe is flexible, allowing you to adjust the ingredients and seasonings to suit your taste preferences. Experiment with different combinations of spices and herbs to create a unique and flavorful filling. Serve the stuffed tomatoes hot, garnished with fresh herbs and a dollop of yogurt or tzatziki sauce, for a truly satisfying culinary experience.
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