Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Balti Lamb Curry
Serves 4
Prep time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 2 hours, 45 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2/3 cup balti curry paste.
1 kg lamb, cubed (3cm pieces).
2 tablespoons ghee.
1 large onion, chopped finely.
3 cloves garlic, crushed.
3 teaspoons garam masala.
Coriander leaves and papadaums to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 130 C.
In a casserole dish, combine 1 tablespoon curry paste and 1 1/2 cups cold water.
Add lamb and stir to coat.
Cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours or until lamb is tender.
Drain the meat over a jug or bowl, so that the juices are retained.
Place a wok over medium heat and add ghee.
Add onion, garlic and garam marsala. Cook for 4 minutes, until onion is opaque and tender.
Add remaining curry paste and cook stirring for a further 2 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high, and add lamb to wok.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, then reduce heat to low and add 1 1/4 cups of the retained cooking liquid.
Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through.

Serving
Top with coriander leaves and serve with papadaums.

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Lamb Kofta with Yoghurt
Serves 4
Prep time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 60 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
8 cloves garlic.
200 grams plain yoghurt.
1/2 cup chopped coriander.
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind.
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
700 grams lean lamb mince.
4 green onions, chopped finely.
2 teaspoons ground cumin.
2 teaspoons ground coriander.
olive oil cooking spray.
lemon wedges to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Wrap 7 garlic cloves in foil, and bake in oven for 30 minutes, until soft.
Remove from foil, and set to one side to cool for about 10 minutes.
Squeeze the softened garlic from its skin into a food processor.
Add yoghurt, coriander, lemon rind and lemon juice. Process until combined.
Transfer to a bowl.
Peel and crush garlic clove remaining.
In a large bowl add the garlic, lamb, onion, cumin, ground coriander and a pinch of salt.
With clean hands, mix to combine. Divide mixture into 8 oval shapes and thread onto skewers.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
Preheat a barbecue or gridle pan over medium-high heat.
Spray koftas with oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, or until cooked through.

Serving
Arrange on a platter, and serve with yoghurt sauce and lemon wedges.

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Pine Nut Pilaf with Lamb
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
400 grams lamb back straps.
800 grams butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed into 1 cm pieces.
1 brown onion, finely diced.
1 clove of garlic, crushed.
2 teaspoons ground coriander.
1 teaspoon ground cumin.
pinch of cinnamon.
pinch of chili powder.
1 1/2 cups washed basmati rice.
2 1/2 cups chicken stock. Shop bought is OK or try our homemade chicken stock recipe .
1 cup of frozen peas.
100 grams baby spinach leaves, washed.
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts.
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Olive oil spray.
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/4 cup fresh picked coriander leaves, to serve.
1 cup natural or Greek style yoghurt, to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 220C.
Place pumpkin in a single layer on 2 or more baking trays lined with baking paper.
Spray lightly with oil and bake for 20 minutes or until tender.
While pumpkin cooks, in a heavy based pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add coriander, cumin, chili and cinnamon and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
Add rice and stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.
Add peas, cover and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or unitl rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
Add spinach leaves and stir through to wilt.

When you add the rice and stock to the saucepan, place the remaining oil in a frypan over medium high heat.
Season lamb with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes per side. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 3 minutes.

Serving
Thinly slice the lamb.
Add lamb, pine nuts and pumpkin to rice and stir to mix.
Serve to plate, top with a dollop of yoghurt and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

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Lamb Cassoulet
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 60 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
8 lamb forequarter chops. Trim excess fat.
2 large brown onions, diced.
400 grams tinned canellini beans, rinsed well and drained.
8 cloves of garlic, chopped.
3 sprigs of rosemary.
2 tablespoons tomato paste.
1 cup dry white wine.

Method
In a heavy based non stick pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the chops in batches and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate, keep any juices that form.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until onions are soft, 4-5 minutes.
Return chops to pan.
Add the rosemary, tomato paste and white wine, bring to the boil then reduce to the gentlest of simmers.
Cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5 minutes before serving, remove the rosemary and add the canellini beans.
Heat beans through.

Serving
Serve over mash potatoes with steamed vegetables on the side.

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Morrocan Shepherds Pie
Serves 4
Prep time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 45-50 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
750 grams floury potatoes, peeled and cubed.
20 tablespoons of butter.
1/2 cup of milk.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
1 onion, finely chopped.
500 grams lean lamb mince.
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced.
1 zuchinni, finely diced.
1 large brown onion, finely diced.
1/2 cup frozen peas.
300 grams drained and rinsed tinned chickpeas.
1 cup vegetable stock.
2 tablespoons of harissa paste.
1 tablespoon of plain flour.
1/4 cup grated tasty cheese.

Method
Preheat an oven to 200C.
Salt a pot of boiling water, add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Leave sitting in water until needed.
While potatoes cook, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add mince and cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
Add carrots and harissa.
Blend flour into stock and add to the pan.
Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Add zuchinni and peas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Spoon this mixture into an 8 cup capacity dish.
Drain potatoes and return to pot.
Add milk and butter and mash until smooth.
Test for and adjust seasoning.
Using spatula, spread the potato mix over the mince mixture in an even layer.
Top with grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden.

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Lambs Fry and Crispy Bacon
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
6 rashers of bacon.
600 grams lamb liver.
600g lambs liver
1/2 cup plain flour
Oil for frying
2 eshallots, finely sliced
6 black peppercorns, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons white vinegar
30 mL white wine
2 cups beef stock
50g butter
1/4 teaspooon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method
Preheat an oven to 200C.
Place bacon on a tray and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes.
While bacon crisps, in a saucepan combine the eshallots, black peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, vinegar and beef stock and heat through.
Cook until reduced by half, strain and reserve liquid.
Sitr butter into sauce and season with salt and pepper, adding cayenne to taste.
Clean the liver of any excess membrane and sinew then slice into thin strips.
Heat oil over medium heat in a fry pan.
Dust liver in flour and fry for 1-2 minutes per side until cooked.
Set aside on absorbent paper to drain.

Serving
Excellent with wet polenta or mash potato.
Top with liver pieces, drizzle over sauce and finish with crispy bacon.

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Lamb in Mustard
Serves 4
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
12 trimmed lamb cutlets.
6 tablespoons dijon mustard.
3 tablespoons of flour.
60 grams butter.
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Shop bought is OK, or use our easy to make chicken stock recipe.

Method
Rub the mustard onto both sides of each of the cutlets.
Dust cutlets with the flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the oil in a non stick pan, melt the butter into the oil.
Fry the cutlets for no more than 2 minutes each side.
Remove cutlets from pan and keep covered with aluminium foil.
Add any remaining mustard to the pan.
Turn heat to high, add stock and stir to dissolve any solids in the pan.
Boil for 2 minutes to reduce volume.
Reduce to a simmer, add lamb cutlets back to the pan and simmer for another 4 minutes.
Turn cutlets to coat in the sauce.

Serving
Serve with herbed mashed potato and steamed vegetables.

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Scotch Broth Pies
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 45 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 kilogram lamb, cubed.
4 cups of beef stock.
1/2 cup of frozen peas.
1 large brown onion, diced.
1 stick of celery, diced.
1 large carrot, peeled and diced.
1 large parsnip, peeled and diced.
1 dried bayleaf, 2 sprigs thyme tied together as a bundle.
1/2 cup soaked pearl barley.
1/3 cup fresh chopped flat leaf parsley.
2 sheets frozen puff pastry.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Method
Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy based pan.
Cook the lamb in 4 batches, browning all over before removing and setting aside, about 2 minutes per batch.
Add onions to the pan, cook for 3-4 minutes or until they become soft.
Add the remaining vegetables and pearl barley and cook for 5 minutes.
Add lamb back to the pan, add the stock and herb bundle and bring to the boil before reducing to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered for 45-50 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Remove pot from heat, stir in peas and parsley.
Transfer broth to a 6 cup capacity baking dish. Remove thyme bundle.
Top with pastry, scrunching excess around lip of baking dish to form a tight seal. Cut 2 steam vents in top of pastry.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until pastry is flakey and golden brown.

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Greek Lamb Stew
Serves 4
Prep time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 75 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
800 grams diced lamb.
2 tablespoons plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
2 large brown onions, diced.
2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
2 cups of chicken stock. Shop bought is OK, or use our easy to make chicken stock recipe.
1 cup dry white wine.
2 zuchinni, quartered lengthways then cut into 1 cm pieces.
1/4 cup mint fresh leaves, chopped.
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved.
1/2 cup fetta, crumbled.

Method
Heat oil in a heavy based pan over medium heat.
Place flour in a large freezer bag, add lamb and toss well to coat.
Add onions to pan, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic, cook for 1 minute.
Shake excess flour from lamb and add to pan. Cook until sealed all over, about 10 minutes.
Add chicken stock and wine, bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook covered for 40 minutes.
Remove lid, add zuchinni and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until tender.

Serving
Combine feta, olives and mint and stir through just before serving.
Serve over smashed new potatoes, pasta or rice.

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