Abu Dhabi GP 2019: Beef-stuffed Potatoes in Tamarind Sauce
Congratulations are due to Mercedes and Lewis for a hard fought 6th(!) championship. This year had its fair share of great races, and a few properly boring ones too… I’m looking at you France. Although Mercedes dominated and it looked to be same old same old for the first races, the latter half of the season definitely brought some variety (and excitement) to the podiums. It was so great to see Leclerc and Verstappen have some time to battle at the front and to shine! I think my favorite team to watch this year though, hands down, was Maclaren. Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are such characters and they raced the pants off those cars. In case you haven’t checked him out, Lando is also a great follow on Instagram. The rookies this year really brought a lot of action to the track, and some fun to the commentary and SkyPad as well. Albon, Russel, and Norris have honestly been so much fun to watch, can’t wait to continue following their antics next year.
All in all, I am still fully unprepared for it to be another end to another season. Hard to believe that time could pass by faster, but year after year it does it again. Hopefully, next year will bring a bit more time to post here, and to continue to watch, cheer, and cook.
For the final race of the season we cooked a small Middle Eastern Feast. We started with Halloumi Bites with Hot Tomato Jam (post forthcoming), and for the main course rich Beef-Stuffed Potatoes in Tamarind Sauce and a Pomegranate topped salad.
If you are looking for something to tide you over between seasons, I highly recommend checking out the Formula-E Series. And if more racing isn’t your thing, there is a new season of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon! Whatever you choose to do, I’d like to wish you and yours a wonderful end to 2019, and a Happy New Year, see you in 2020!
Beef-stuffed Potatoes in Tamarind Sauce
Adapted from Levant: New Middle Eastern Cooking from Tanoreen by Rawia Bishara
3-4 large baking potatoes
Juice of 1 lemon for spritzing
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shallots
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tablespoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, save a few sprigs for optional garnish
1 pound ground beef or lamb
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted, plus a tablespoon for optional garnish
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
½-1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups chicken broth or water
¾ cup tamarind paste concentrate
1 jalapeño or other hot chile
1. Wash potatoes thoroughly. Slice potatoes lengthwise, scoop flesh from each side to create a cavity, leaving about 1//2 inch on the sides. Place the potato flesh in the bottom of a dutch oven or large baking dish, spritz with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, spices, and cilantro and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook until ightly browned, another 5 minutes. Add the almonds, pine nuts, and salt, stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Stuff the potato shells with meat mixture. Lay flat over potato flesh in baking dish, sprinkle with salt.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the chicken broth, tamarind paste, and chiles. Pour the mixture into the baking dish to cover the lower potatoes. If using a dutch oven you can expedite the baking by placing over high heat and bringing the mixture to a boil before covering with the lid and placing in the oven for 30-45 minutes. If using a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and place directly into the oven. This method could take up to 60 minutes to fully cook the stuffed potatoes. Check every 15-20 minutes to check if the pan is dry, add additional chicken stock or water as needed. The potatoes are done when a fork faces no resistance.
5. Serve covered with pan sauce and optional additional cilantro and sliced almonds for garnish.
I recommend following up a meal like this with a little Turkish Coffee. We got a beautiful Turkish coffee pot last year and love the rich deep coffee it produces. We served this with some Tahini Jam bars, also from Rawia Bishara’s cookbook.
