An Experiment - #1 - Cucumber-Thyme Infused Vodka

The CSA bundle this week, thanks to friends who have graciously donated their share to us while out-of-town, had oodles of cucumbers. What to make?  We recently revisited our frozen watermelon margaritas that includes grinding up cucumber as well as frozen watermelon chunks - the cucumber adds a layer of cool slightly savory flavor that rounds out the recipe - delicious!  This refreshing cocktail gave me a thought...infuse vodka with cucumber.  That sounds potentially interesting, but why stop there?  Maybe another layer of flavor is needed...perhaps thyme.  Who couldn't resist adding a herb that is growing heartily just a few steps from the kitchen door.  So, here starts the experiment.  I'll let you know in a few weeks how it turns out and what we make with it!

Spicy Mince and Peas

We often have a hankering for hot, spicy food, especially in the winter. One of our favorites that is easy to make and delicious is Spicy Mint and Peas from an old, out of print Pakistani cookbook.  The best version is made with minced lamb, but beef also works. One caution is that it takes fresh ginger and garlic. I once tried to substitute powdered and it was sorely disappointing. Dried mint totally works, but fresh ginger and garlic are essential. I also highly recommend freshly grinding the dried spices (coriander, cumin).  Buy yourself a cheap coffee grinder and use it solely for grinding spices.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lamb (or beef)
• 4 ounces canned or fresh chopped tomatoes
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1" peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (more if you want it hotter)
• 1/2 teapsoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon dried mint flakes (if using fresh, increase to 3 teaspoons, minced)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces frozen or fresh peas
• 1/4 pint yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Put the lamb (or beef) in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat and, stirring occasionally, let it cook in its own fat until all the moisture has evaporated.  Chop the tomatoes.  Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, powdered spices, mint, salt and the peas.  Mix them all well, cover and leave to cook over low heat for 45-50 minutes until the ingredients are well blended and the mince and peas are tender.  Pour in the yogurt and lemon juice.  Stirring constantly until the yogurt and lemon juice are well absorbed.  Transfer to a heated serving dish and serve piping hot over rice.