Ground Lamb and Zucchini Pita Pockets

__________________________________________________

            FOOD FUNNY
__________________________________________________

Thanks to Sharon Mitcheltree for sending us this oldie but goodie:

There was one hamburger, one order of French fries, and one drink.
The little old man unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it
in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully
counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly
placed one in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink. His
wife took a sip and then set the cup down between them. As the man
began to eat his few bites of hamburger, the crowd began to get
restless. You could tell what they were thinking: "That poor old
couple. All they can afford is one meal for the two of them."

As the man began to eat his French fries, one young man stood and came
over to the old couple's table. He politely offered to buy another
meal for the old couple to eat. The old man replied that they were
just fine. They were used to sharing everything.

Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady hadn't eaten a bite.
She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally taking
turns sipping the drink. Again, the young man came over and begged
them to let him buy them something to eat. This time, the lady
explained that no, they were used to sharing everything together.

As the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly
with a napkin, the young man could stand it no longer. Again, he came
over to their table and offered to buy them some food. After being
politely refused again, he finally asked a question of the little old
lady. "What is it that you are waiting for?"

She answered, "The teeth."

__________________________________________________

            TODAY'S RECIPE
__________________________________________________

I thought a change of pace might be welcomed, so here is a small
collection of "Extra" recipes along the lines of those I used to
publish every Sunday.

Monday's "Extra"
Ground Lamb and Zucchini Pita Pockets

Tuesday's "Extra"
Healthy Tuna Sandwiches

Wednesday's "Extra"
"Oven-Fried" Fish Sandwiches

Thursday's "Extra"
Open-Faced Hawaiian Sandwiches

Friday's "Extra"
The Chef's Favorite Fried Egg Sandwich

I suggest using split pita breads in this recipe, but you can use any
bread you like, especially if you choose to serve it open-faced.

Ground Lamb and Zucchini Pita Pockets

1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
1 large onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) pine nuts (pignoli) or chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-6 pita breads, split
Chopped fresh mint or parsley for garnish

Brown the lamb in a non-stick skillet over moderate heat. Add the
onion, garlic, and zucchini and saute until the vegetables are tender,
about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, pine nuts, cinnamon, cumin, salt,
and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the
pitas in a 300F (150C) oven for about 5 minutes, or wrap in a dish
towel and microwave for about 1 minute. Fill the pitas with the lamb
mixture and garnish with fresh herbs. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Feb 23 02:47:06 2004