FoodB

What I know about Syria could probably fit into a very small pamphlet. Basically it's in the Middle East and our esteemed leader thinks that they are evil. So the real question is, if I eat the food from an evil country does that make me evil too? We delved into this philosophical quandary with this latest meal:

Syrian Lamb with Green Beans

4 to 6 shoulder Lamb Chops, fat removed and bones in for flavor
3 Tbsp. Butter
2 medium Onions chopped
2 large cloves Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
1 small Red Bell Pepper
1 tsp. Oregano
1/4 cup Water
2 pounds fresh Green Beans, snapped and cut into bite size pieces
1 (28-ounce) can crushed Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Sauté the chops in butter so they are brown on both sides. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, red pepper and seasoning and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add 1/4 cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the green beans and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 1 hour on a medium fire checking occasionally to be sure the lamb mixture is not boiling too rapidly.

I was very surprised by this recipe. The cuts of lamb were very fatty and didn't really appear to have too much quality meat on them. Also there were a lot of tomatoes for the sauce and I am not really a fan of cooking red peppers and tomatoes in the same recipe. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy both, just in separate meals. And throwing green beans into the mix seemed odd as well. Somehow it all worked. The lamb was really tender and the beans tasted really good.

And do I feel any "eviler" after the meal? I am going to have go with no. Proving once again that Guttermouth's song "Can't we all just get along (at the dinner table)" is true and real peace can only be achieved though food.