The beets were in my freezer from my garden last fall -- I'd sliced them in my food processor and froze them. A tip I'll add to my tab of hints is that almost any vegetable that it takes a long time to cook will cook faster if you freeze it first. While I'm sure there is an exception somewhere, I freeze anything from sliced beets to potatoes, rutabagas and winter squash, then thaw it. Hard vegetables and roots (like rutabagas and butternut squash) are SO much more manageable when you let the freezer mash them for you. If you don't have room in your freezer (like I don't right now), and if it's winter I've been known to put them outside in a container (if there are critters about) to freeze over night...
The lamb was de-fatted (by me, with a large knife) and cubed, then tossed with half the garlic and shallots. I added rosemary, some salt and pepper, then covered it with wine, then tossed it again and let it marinate in the fridge.
The potatoes and beets were tossed with rosemary, thyme, olive oil, then fried in my cast-iron with handfuls of the shallot/garlic. To each new 'batch' in the pan I added a little ghee (clarified butter) and cooked til the slices were cooked through and partially crispy.
Then we had the heat up all the way (it's a gas stove) and cooked half the lamb and juices at a time, letting the wine boil off and adding a bit of ghee and let it brown on the outside leaving the insides perfectly rare!
There were no leftovers.
Impromptu Lamb with Purple Potatoes and Beets
Ingredients:
3 lbs lamb
1 large shallot
8 large cloves garlic *(CF)
3 small purple potatoes (or any potato) *(P)
3 medium beets
1 tsp powdered rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 cup(ish) white wine *(P)
Olive oil and/or butter and/or Ghee *(P)
salt and pepper to taste
*(C) omit garlic, use olive oil or ghee for frying
*(P) omit potatoes and use more beets or rutabaga, or something. For Really Picky Paleo, omit wine.
In a food processor or by hand, slice potatoes and beets and set aside in a medium bowl. If you have time, do this one day ahead and freeze. Otherwise it will just take a bit longer to cook.
Slice garlic and shallots by hand or in a food processor. Add half to the beets/potatoes and add the rest of a large bowl. To each bowl add 1/2 teaspoon each or rosemary, thyme, and salt. To the beets/potatoes, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and toss.
Cube the lamb in 2" pieces and put in the larger bowl. Cover with white wine and toss to blend. Let this marinate in the fridge as you cook the veggies.
Get a fan going or a window open...It's gonna get smoky.
In a hot pan or skillet (medium high to high), drop a bit of butter, ghee, or oil in the pan (about 2 tsp-ish) and add enough of the beet/potato/shallot mix to cover the bottom of the skillet. Flip the slices using a form or chopsticks or spatula and fry until all the slices are tender and some of them are crisp. Continue until all are cooked, and set aside each round in an oven-safe dish and keep in a 200F oven to keep warm.
In the same skillet (as high as the heat goes), cook the lamb in two batches. Drop a tablespoon of butter in if you wish. Stir and toss the chunks to cook on each side. Allow the lamb to brown or burn on the outside, but don't cook for more than 2 or 3 minutes. Check a piece by cutting into the center, and cook an additional minute, then check, and a minute and check...til they are as cooked as you like. I like rare, so it doesn't take long!
Serve lamb immediately onto plates and serve the veggies. It goes great with a nice white wine.
Bon Appetit!Posted 20th January 2011 by Beth