Kathleen Rear

Hey there!

I hope you’re bundled up! It’s full on winter now, I don’t think it’s kidding this time. While there’s not a lot of snow where I am, I do hear that for the majority of you it’s pretty intense. Nothing really you can do but cuddle up with a cup of something hot and read until the thaw.
Me, I love to pick books set someplace warm, or set in summer.

As a reminder that summer is not as far away as it seems, I’ve been making one of my summer go to recipes this week. Spiced Lamb with Cauliflower Tabbouleh
I’ve modified the original recipe some to make it easy for a weeknight:

Moroccan Spiced Lamb with Cauliflower Tabbouleh
(serves 2)

For the Tabbouleh:
1 10oz. package of Riced Cauliflower* (if frozen, thaw before use)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 cloves minced Garlic
2 teaspoons ground Ras el Hanout spice mix**
2 cups seeded and diced Cucumber
2 cups seeded and diced Tomato
1/2 cup roughly chopped Parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped Mint Leaves
Zest and Juice of one lemon
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Chop the veggies and herbs and combine in a large bowl, add the lemon zest and juice, stir to combine. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and the cauliflower. Stir until warmed through. Stir in the Ras el Hanout, salt and pepper.
Combine the cauliflower in the bowl with the herbs and veggies. Stir through with a fork and refrigerate until cold.

*if you can’t find prepared riced cauliflower, then but a 10 oz package of plain frozen cauliflower florets and thaw, then grind it up in your food processor until its roughly rice-sized crumbles.
**McCormick makes a nice Ras el Hanout and I find it at the grocery store (Safeway) But if you can’t find it then combine 1/4 teaspoons each of: ground cardamom, coriander and cumin.

For the Lamb:
1 pound ground Lamb
1 clove minced Garlic
1 tablespoon Ras el Hanout
Salt and Pepper to taste

In the same skillet you used to cook the cauliflower, crumble the lamb in bite sized chunks. Add the garlic and ras el hanout. Fry the meat until cooked through and a little crispy at the edges.

To Serve: Serve the warm, fragrant meat on a bed of the cool cauliflower tabbouleh. Drizzle over with plain yogurt and a squeeze of lemon.

Eat while imagining warm beaches and the hot sun on your shoulders.

P.S. Information about where to buy the The Brightest Star in hardback is coming soon!