Le Dizzy - part II

It's a good thing my blog is not my day job, because I'd have been fired from it by now! As it is, I've been a blog truant for coming on 3 weeks now because I have been spending every waking moment (and some sleeping) at the job that pays the bills. Montreal is a distant memory, as is the feeling of relaxation that comes from vacation, no matter how brief. Luckily, I was able to whip up a batch of really yummy soup that tastes just as I remember Le Dizzy. So, for 15 minutes the other night, I was transported back to Montreal, three weeks in the past, before all the craziness at work. Just the smell of the tangy steam coming off the bowl is enough for me at the moment.

This meal is also pretty timely for me because, as winter rolls around I invariably move away from fresh and crisp things towards steaming bowls of stewy, soupy, saucy things. I also love to do things in the slow cooker on a dreary weekend afternoon and have the house gradually fill with  steam. I'm sure that a traditionalist would never dream of making le dizzy in a slow cooker, but you know what? It works just dandy thanks.

You can use just about any cut of lamb if you are willing to give it 6 or more hours in the slow cooker - even the toughest bits with fall apart on your fork when cooked like that. Which is a really good thing as I am slowly getting to the end of the "Mary's Little Lamb" in my freezer, and all I seem to have left are the random "don't quite know what part of the lamb that is" bits which, when grilled are to tough for my liking.

Le Dizzy is actually pretty simple to make and you could either serve it the way they do at Byblos - that is drain off the broth for a first course of soup and then puree the remaining meat and pea mixture to eat sepatarately with soft pita - or you can just serve it as-is. It makes a nice chunky, rivhly flavoured soup which is great with fresh parsely and broken toasted pita crumbled on top.

Aab-Goosht

Serves 6

• 600 grams stewing lamb
• 1 Tablespoon Canola oil
• scant 1 cup (about 200 grams) split yellow peas
• 1 large (or 3 medium) yellow onion
• 4 medium red skinned potatoes
• 1 - 398ml tin crushed or diced tomatoes
• rind of 1/2 lime
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• Water to cover
• juice of two (smallish) limes

Cut lamb into small cubes. Heat oil in a large stirfy pan or frying pan over very high heat. Cook lamb on all sides until richly browned - about 10 minutes. Remove lamb from pan and place intide 5 quart slow cooker. Turn slow cooker on to low. Reduce heat under frying pan and fry onions and split peas together until onions begin to colour and start softening. Transfer onions and peas to slow cooker.

Chop potatoes into small cubes and transfer to slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients, except lime juice. Make sure moat and vegetables are covered with water and allow to cook for 6 to 8 hours. Just before serving, stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning. Serve with toasted pita chips and freshly minced flat leaf parsley.

Comments

[Brilynn]

I can almost smell it from here, it looks great!

[Robin]

It is getting cold and I know exactly what you mean. I have been soup obsessed for a few weeks. Squash soup, turkey rice soup, vegetable soup...you name it. Le Dizzy looks delicious.

[connie]

i'm sorry that you're so busy and hectic with work, but i'm glad you still have time for some simple comforts. i know how wonderful soup can be as the weather turns chill.

[Joan]

Mmmm. Looks yum. Caught your review of Flavours on CBC Radio, congrats!

[Tehrangeles]

Interesting... we call it Dizi in Iran. Actually that is the name of a certain container made of metal that is used specifically for this dish. You can see it here.