Stir-Fried Lamb with Asparagus

Asparagus! Asparagus! It's spring, it's spring!

Asparagus and lamb are a delicious combination; I don't know why I haven't done it more often. I couldn't quite decide if this was Chinese inspired or Mediterranean inspired so I guess it's a bit of both. It works well anyway. I served it with rice, but cous-cous would be a good choice too. 

4 servings
30 minutes prep time, plus time to marinate

2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic
3 pods green cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
12 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
500 grams (1 pound) boneless stewing lamb
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
4 to 6 green onions or shallot greens
700 grams (1 1/2 pounds) asparagus

Peel and finely grate the ginger. Peel and finely mince the garlic. Put them in a bowl large enough to hold the meat.

Crush the green cardamom pods and remove the papery husks. Grind the remaining seeds with the cumin and pepper. Add the spices to the ginger and garlic. Mix in the soy sauce and vinegar.

Trim the meat of excess fat - if there is much, you should be a bit generous with the quantity of meat - and use a large sharp knife or cleaver to chop it fairly finely. Mix it into the marinade, cover, and refrigerate until about 15 minutes before you are ready to cook. The meat can marinate from 30 minutes to overnight.

Wash, trim, and finely chop the green onions. Set them aside by themselves. Wash, trim, and cut the asparagus into inch-long pieces. Put a pot of water on to boil to blanch them.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat, with the marinade, and cook, stirring regularly, until the marinade is absorbed and the meat is dry and showing some signs of browning. This should be about 7 to 10 minutes.

Just as the meat becomes dry, add the prepared asparagus to the pot of boiling water. Boil them for 2 minutes, then lift them out, draining well, and add them to the meat. Add the chopped green onions. Continue cooking, stirring and turning nearly constantly, until the asparagus is tender and showing some browned spots; about another 3 minutes or so.




Last year at this time I made Oatty Apple or Jam Turnovers.

Posted in: Ontario Food