One Pan in Morocco
I'm always looking to create recipes that will make life simple(er). Sometimes that means 5 ingredients and 15 minutes, sometimes it means a little more work with a great reward that makes for excellent left-overs. The recipe I'm sharing today is one of those recipes. I don't have a name for it, but with the complex spices it kind of reminds you of an evening somewhere in the Middle East 🤷🏼♀️. For now, let's just call it "One Pan in Morocco".
This meal is reminiscent of the kibbeh filling at one of our all-time favorite restaurants, Layalina. Unfortunately, that restaurant is in Arlington, VA so we no longer get to indulge in it's perfect dishes, so I'm stuck struggling to re-create anything and everything I can. It is so hard to find good recipes for authentic Lebanese & Syrian dishes. If you have any - please send them my way! The first thing I tried to recreate, with some luck, was M'hammarah, a roasted red pepper dip that is good on anything and everything! We're loving being back in Texas, but we're missing our go-to restaurants.
Now back to this one pan wonder... This recipe features lean ground meat, chickpeas, fresh spinach, and mushrooms. I always keep a mix of frozen mushrooms in the freezer. They're a great addition to pre-made sauces, omelets, and soups. My favorite mix is from Trader Joe's and is 3 or 4 types of mushrooms in a light butter-herb sauce. We always have ground meat in the freezer and the pantry is stocked with cans of chickpeas, so this recipe is great when I have no clue what I'm going to make for dinner. Tyler loves it and always goes back for seconds. I normally make a double batch or reserve some so I know I'll have some left over for lunch.
We use a lot of ground bison, venison, pork, and elk in our kitchen. Sometimes I'll grab ground turkey, but for the most part, if we're going lean, the leanest we go is venison. Currently our freezer is full of ground venison so that's what I used, but if yours isn't, this recipe is great with ground bison. I normally stock up on ground bison at Costco, if they don't have it, your local grocery store should keep it in stock. This recipe is fairly easy, but it takes a bit of time because you're going to want to let all these flavors merry together.
We serve this "One Pan in Morocco" with roasted butternut squash and roasted cauliflower topped with some hummus. It's also great on a bed of spinach or stuffed in a pita pocked. Really the options are endless. If you try this let me know what you think in the comments below! Side note: It's not the best freezer dinner because of the chickpeas, for some reason they don't freeze great, but it is fabulous as lunch-time leftovers!
One Pan in Morrocco
INGREDIENTS
1 onion diced (I but the pre-cut stuff)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground bison (or any lean meat)
1 1/2 tablespoons 21 Seasoning Salute* (no salt seasoning)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 scant teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 heaping tablespoon smoked paprika
8 oz Trader Joe's mushroom medley (frozen)
6 oz fresh spinach
1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
sprinkle of onion powder + garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
*I buy 21 seasonings from Costco and or Trader Joe's
INSTRUCTIONS
Caramelize the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil with a pinch of salt on medium heat
Mix together the Worcestershire, 21 seasonings, olive oil, garlic powder, and onion powder
Add the above mixture to the ground bison and mix well
Once the onions are caramelized, add the bison mixture to the pan and start browning
Once the meat has started to brown, create a well in the middle of the pan, dump the the cinnamon, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, let it toast slightly
after the mixture has toasted, mix well to incorporate
Add the garbanzo beans and a sprinkle of onion powder and garlic powder – I like to create a thin layer of both
Let the mixture cook for 3 to 5 minutes
Add the frozen mushroom mix, cook until the mushrooms are warm
Add the fresh spinach with garlic powder and a sprinkle of salt - cover and let the spinach wilt
once the spinach wilts, mix everything together and turn to low, cover and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes
Serve warm over a bed of fresh greens, with roasted butternut squash, and a dollop of hummus
