Lamb

Sauté onions and garlic in peanut oil. Let cool. Divide in half. To meat add 1/2 onion mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, 2 tablespoons dill, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Shape into 2-inch balls (16 balls). Flatten slightly to make patties.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add patties in batches. Cook 5 minutes per side over med-low heat. Transfer patties to warm platter; pour off fat from skillet and dry with paper towels.

Sauce: Add to skillet remaining onions, paprika, thyme, and wine. When it boils add broth and reduce to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and capers. Return to heat and warm gently without boiling. If sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth. Add salt and paprika to taste. Pour sauce over patties and sprinkle with remaining dill.

Wally's Barbecued Lamb

Wally Koch

1 whole leg of lamb, boned

Mix in blender:

1 cup salad oil

1/2 cup red wine

1 dash wine vinegar

juice of one lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash oregano, celery seed, Beau Monde

1 small garlic clove

2 teaspoon sugar

Remove fat, skin sinews from lamb. Cut into large pieces. Tie smaller pieces together. Marinate lamb overnight.

Barbecue 10 minutes per side. Remove at 120 to 125-degrees for medium rare. Wrap in foil and let rest 10-15 minutes. Serve in large pieces or sliced.

Suggestion: Serve with Lemon Orzo recipe.

Shish Kebabs

Serves 4

Marinade:

½ cup salad oil

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic

½ cup onions, chopped

¼ cup parsley, chopped

5 ½ pounds leg of lamb, well trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

cherry tomatoes

onions, quartered

mushrooms

bell peppers, quartered

Blend the first 7 marinade ingredients.

Stir in onions and parsley. Marinate lamb for 2 hours or overnight. Par boil onions and pepper.

Alternately skewer lamb and vegetables. Grill on high for 3-5 minutes per side. Baste occasionally with marinade.

Serving suggestions: Serve with Rice Pilaf or Lemon Orzo and green salad.

Mother’s Leg of Lamb

l leg of lamb

garlic or paprika

salt and pepper

mint jelly

Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour. before cooking. Insert slivers of garlic into the skin or rub with paprika; season with salt and pepper. Place meat, fat side up on roasting rack in a 450-degree preheated oven. Cook lamb for about 15 minutes, or until browned. Then turn oven down to 350-degrees and continue cooking 15-20 minutes per pound. Remove when internal temperature reaches 120-125-degrees for medium rare. Cover with foil at least 15 minutes before carving. Serve with mint jelly.

Lamb Pita Sandwiches

cooked lamb, cut into ½-inch pieces

Pita bread spread with 1000 island dressing

shredded spinach

feta cheese, crumbled

tomatoes, diced

Greek olives, pit removed, sliced

On large platter, arrange lamb, spinach, feta, tomatoes and olives. Put dressing in small side bowl.

Warm Pita bread. Have everybody makes their own sandwich.

Grilled Rack of Lamb

Serves two John & Kitzen

1 rack of lamb, Frenched, lightly trimmed, score top fat

1 garlic clove, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons minced rosemary

salt and pepper

mint jelly

Preheat barbecue for 10 minutes on high.

Rub lamb with garlic and rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Cover bones with heavy foil to prevent burning.

Grill lamb for 3 minutes per side.(Watch out for flaming.) Reduce heat to low. Cook covered for 5 minutes; check temperature. Remove at 125-degrees. Cover with foil and let set for 5 minutes. Serve with mint jelly.

Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Heat olive oil in cast iron pan. Sear lamb for 3 minutes per side; cover bones with foil. Put pan in oven and follow directions above.

Seven Hour Lamb

4 pounds lamb (bone in) serves 8

Note: Measure the diameter of your pot and have lamb cut to fit.

4 pounds leg of lamb but end, bone in

olive oil

coarse salt and pepper

2 large onions, peeled, quartered, sliced not too thin

1 cup dry white wine

1 can beef stock

12 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 large can chopped S&W Ready-Cut tomatoes

few sprigs thyme

3 bay leaves

4 big carrots, peeled and chopped into big-ish chunks

4 stalks celery, chopped into chunks

Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Make sure your oven rack is low enough to fit your large pot.

Heat a large, heavy lidded pot on medium high; add 1 to 3 tablespoons olive oil. Dry lamb, pat dry, salt and pepper. Brown at least 10 minutes.

Remove lamb. Reduce heat a little and add onions and celery and let them color a little. Add thyme, bay leaves and then garlic. Add wine and let it cook down a little; then add the can of stock. Let this cook down a little and then add the can of tomatoes, juice and all. Bring back to the boil. Put the lamb back in the pot and scatter the vegetables around. Let it bubble again. Lightly salt and pepper for luck. Tear off a large piece of parchment paper, crumple it on top of the pot, pop the lid on and shove it in the oven. After 1 hour, reduce the oven to between 250 and 200, until the mixture is just simmering. Cook for 6 to7 hours, or until lamb is very tender and falling off the bone.

Remove the lamb from the pot, discarding the bone, fat and sinew. Cut the lamb into large pieces; set aside. Strain the liquid, reserving the vegetables. De-grease the liquid and return it back to the pot with the vegetables and lamb. Serve with chopped parsley and really good bread and perhaps a nice salad.

Ground Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

Serves 3-4

Meatballs:

2 heaping tablespoons dry bulgur

1 pound lean ground lamb

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, grated and drained

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground paprika

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup whole-milk yogurt

½ diced cucumber

pinch cumin

pinch salt

pinch pepper

1 tablespoon minced mint

Soak bulgur in 1 cup water for 30 minutes, drain. Mix together all meatball ingredients by hand. Form into large balls and press lightly to form thick patties.

Preheat barbecue. Meanwhile mix together all ingredients for yogurt sauce.

Oil grate with olive oil. Turn down heat on grilling side to medium. Grill patties 4 minutes per side. Serve with yogurt sauce.

Suggestions: Served with grilled vegetables (red peppers, onion, eggplant).

Lamb Curry

Serves 6

¼ cup olive oil divided

1 large red onion, finely chopped

1 ½ tablespoons ginger paste

1 ½ tablespoons garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds trimmed, chopped leg of lamb, 1 ½-inch pieces, buy 3 ½ pounds bone in

½ cup tomato paste

2 tablespoon plain yogurt

½ teaspoon salt

2 to 3 teaspoons garam masala spice

¼ cup coarsely chopped dried figs

condiments: pickles, chopped cilantro, chutney

1 ½ cups basmati rice cooked in 3 cups water

naan (Indian bread)

Sauté onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to the center of pan; add ginger, garlic, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cayenne and 1 tablespoon water. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside. Clean pan.

Brown lamb in olive oil and add to large, heavy saucepan. Stir in tomato paste, onion-spice mixture, figs, yogurt and salt to coat lamb. Stir in 1 cup water. Bring to a gently simmer, cover and cook until meat is fork tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in garam masala. Season with salt to taste. Cook rice.

Serve curry over the rice with condiments and naan.

Shepherd’s Pie Under Champ

Serves 4. Preparation/Cooking Time 45 minutes. Note: Serve with a tomato salad and bread.

Champ:

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons salt, plus additional

2/3 cup milk, plus extra

6 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pinch cayenne

Freshly ground black pepper

Lamb Filling:

1 pound ground lamb

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons flour

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons dry sherry

2 ½ cups beef broth

Salt and black pepper

Champ: In a large saucepan add the potatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the milk and green onions and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low until ready to mash.

Drain the potatoes into a colander and allow steam to evaporate for 10 minutes. Return potatoes to pan. Add the milk/green onions mixture, butter, nutmeg and cayenne, and mash until potatoes are smooth. Add more milk if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Filling: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the lamb and cook until it is no longer pink. Drain and transfer lamb to a large bowl; set aside.

Return to skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions, carrot and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, thyme, sherry and broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the lamb and simmer uncovered until the stew is thick and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the lamb into a baking dish. Spoon the champ over the lamb mixture and place it on a baking sheet to collect any drips. Bake until the stew is bubbly around the edges, about 30 minutes. Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes before serving.