Sultan's Delight (don't look at me, I didn't name it that).

Cube and sear lamb with some salt in a bit of olive oil.


Remove, lower heat, and saute onions and garlic in cumin and paprika.


Return lamb, add a can of crushed tomatoes, and a bit of water. Simmer on very low heat, covered, for at least 2 hours.


Take a cute eggplant...


...and burn it alive.


Let it cool, peel it, and place it in lemon water for about 15 minutes.

(in other words, not shown.)

Place in a colander to drain for 45 minutes.


Make a light roux (equal parts flour and fat on low heat until just turning golden).


Add a bit of milk to make a thick sauce, add eggplant and parmesan, and smash the eggplant into a paste. Salt and pepper to taste; maybe a bit of lemon.


A few arugula leaves, tossed with a squeeze of lemon.


Arrange the plate with the lamb over top the eggplant, with a few leaves of arugula for balance.

Shepard's Pie with Vegetables al Forno

Yes, I know "al Forno" just means "from the oven." I'm just being clever.

The Shepard's Pie recipe, however, is taken from Tracy's family. Credit where it's due, and all that.

Incidentally, all the vegetables are from our farmer's market. Yes, even the onion and garlic. You might think it's snobbish, but it's actually much more affordable than Stop and Shop (or Whole Foods, for that matter).

Anyway, start with some potatoes. Chop them into cold water, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender.


In the meantime, prepare what is now being called, at least in our house, as the "Marburger" (in the tradition of "trinity" and "mirepoix"): Onions, garlic, and serrano pepper.


Let's move on to the vegetables: Slice eggplant very thin.


Layer the eggplant in a baking dish.


On top of that, make a layer of zucchini.


Just a quick aside to show you my awesome knife skillz:


Ok, make a layer of tomato next, and then repeat from the beginning.


Now, we're gonna add some flavor: Red wine, melted butter, soy sauce, pepper, basil, oregano, garlic. Also, shred some swiss cheese.




Combine the liquids and the herbs, and pour over the veggies. Then top with the cheese.


Ok, looks like those potatoes are done. Drain them, add herbed butter, salt, and milk, and mash them up.


Saute the "Marburger" (hey look! New non-stick pan!) in a bit of bacon fat (because it ain't dinner at our house without some swine).


Add ground meat to the pan (shown: Buffalo and Venison. Because that's how we roll). Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.


Spread out browned meat in a baking pan.


Add a layer of corn (we blanch and freeze excess corn from the market, so it's ready to go).


On top of that, lay on the mashed potatoes.


Add a few dots of butter to help with the browning, and put both pans in a 400 degree oven.


The vegetables should be ready in about 30 minutes. Remove, keep warm, and crank up the oven to 500 for another 10 minutes for the pie.


Remove when you get a nice golden crust.


Personally, I like it with a bit of hot sauce, but that's just me.