Gator Kabobs

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 pound alligator meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
assorted vegetables or fruit, cubed

Directions:
For the marinade, combine orange concentrate, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and spices in a medium glass bowl.
Reserve half for basting.
Add alligator cubes; stir to coat well.
Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for increased flavor.
Soak wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent them from burning.
Thread marinated alligator cubes onto skewers, alternating with vegetable or fruit cubes.
Heat the grill to high heat and grill kabobs for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once.
Brush with extra marinade for the first 5 minutes.
Discard any leftover marinade.

- See more at: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Recipes/Entrees/Grilled-Gator-Kabobs#sthash.KoLyZhUg.dpuf

Spiced Lamb Stew

2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder (or other stew meat), cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 medium carrots, diced
2 whole celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
A few sprigs of parsley, chopped

Place the lamb in a glass bowl or baking dish and toss with the salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover and place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours if you have time, or continue making the recipe as below.

In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and brown the pieces of lamb on all sides. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to work in batches. When all of the meat is browned, add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until vegetables start to soften. Add the tomatoes, wine and bay leaf, and stir.

When mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 2 hours, or until meat falls apart when tested with a fork.

Serve the stew on its own, or over couscous or rice. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Lamb Stew with Vegetables

Ingredients

3 pounds lamb shoulder, well-trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-1/2-inch
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Guinness
3 cups beef broth
2 cups water, plus 2 tablespoons more for cooking onions and garlic
1 bay leaf
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons sugar
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on diagonal
1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half
1 cup frozen green peas

Instructions

Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the lamb in three batches, adding one more tablespoon of oil for each batch. Do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a brown crust before turning with tongs. It should take 5-8 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meat to large bowl and set aside.
Add the onions, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water to the pot. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes more.
Add the lamb with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1-2 minutes.
Add the Guinness, beef broth, water, bay leaf, rosemary sprig and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for one hour and twenty minutes.
Add the carrots and potatoes to the stew, then cover and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked and the meat is very tender, 30-40 minutes. (Be sure to stir a few times to prevent vegetables from sticking to bottom.)
Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig, and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If serving right away, add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are warmed through. Otherwise, let the stew cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat gently on the stovetop and add the peas right before serving.
Note: This stew can be made a day or two ahead of time and reheated gently on the stovetop. Just be sure to add the peas right before serving so they stay fresh. Also, the broth will thicken in the fridge so it may be necessary to thin it with a bit of water (add it little by little).