Yes, the US outplayed Algeria all match. But you have to appreciate a team that kept fighting right to the end. So today's food salute goes out to Algeria.
Most of the recipes I found in my research on Algerian food had couscous as the first item. I personally love couscous. It's so versatile. It's great as a cold salad or a hot side dish. However, making couscous didn't seem like much of a challenge so I did a little more research and found a recipe for El Ham Lahou which apparently translates as Sweet Lamb for Ramadan. It's a dish often eaten to break the fast during Ramadan. The recipe looked simple enough and all the ingredients were locally available. And best yet, it was eaten with couscous.
I admit that I'm not a lamb fan. It's not the taste as much as it is the memory of the little lambs I adopted when I was a kid. I named them Brandy and Sunshine - it was the 60's after all. I've never been able to enjoy lamb since. Same thing with veal. However even though I had a pet pig as a kid, I've always loved bacon. I'm a big hypocrite.
So, today I faced my hypocrisy and cooked lamb. All because of Algeria.
The ingredients for this recipe are: lamb, butter, sugar, orange juice, prunes, raisins, almonds, salt and an apple. Actually it was supposed to be a pear, but after finding the pears rock hard at four grocery stores I settled on using an apple. The couscous is there because, well, it just sneaked in the picture.
First, melt 3 T. of better in a pan.
Next add the lamb and brown over a low heat. About 5 minutes.
The original recipe did not call for salt on the meat, but I salted it anyhow. Old habits are hard to break.
Next add 1/2 t. of cinnamon.
Add three cups of water. Notice my canning jar measuring vessel. I really do own a glass measuring cup. Unfortunately it was trapped in the dishwasher. A canning jar works just as well.
And 1/4 c. of sugar. Or four tablespoons if you can't find your 1/4 c. measuring cup. Let this mixture cook over low heat for 40 minutes.
Notice the well used pan. This pan is a work horse and it looks like it.
After 40 minutes, add the raisins and prunes.
Then add the almonds. I chopped them. The original recipe didn't specify if the almonds should be whole, slivered or sliced. We bought whole, but once I looked at them it seemed that perhaps slivered would have been a better idea. I settled for roughly chopping them.
And, add the peeled and diced apple or pear.
Let the mixture simmer for another 15 minutes.
Then add 1/4 c. orange juice and stir in. The sauce will be fairly thick by this point and the orange juice will thin it out slightly.
And serve with buttered couscous.
This was absolutely wonderful. Sweet, but not overly so. It was ready to eat in less than an hour. I think I'll add a little cayenne for some spice next time I make it - and there will definitely be a next time.
Thank you Algeria!
El Ham Lahlou
(Sweet Lamb For Ramadan)
Ingredients
· 2 1/2lbs lamb, cubed
· 3 T butter
· 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
· 3 cups water
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 15 prunes, soaked in water for one hour and then drained
· 2 T. raisins
· 2 T. almonds
· 1 pear, peeled and cubed
· 1/4 cup orange juice
Instructions
Melt the butter in a pan, add the lamb and saute over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the water, sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Cook in moderate heat for about 40 minutes. Add prunes, raisins, almonds and pear. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Add orange juice, mix well and serve.
Margarita’s International Recipes
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