Lamb Basics Recipes

LAMB AND CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Place the cubed lamb in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the curry powder, paprika, cumin, rosemary, thyme, fennel, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the seasonings to the lamb, toss well to coat, and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large (11-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Raise the heat to medium high, add the lamb and all the seasonings in the bowl, and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is evenly browned. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, wine, tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, and harissa. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Add the carrots, celery, raisins, chickpeas, and 2 teaspoons salt, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for another 30 minutes. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the rice, a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkling of parsley.

TRADITIONAL LAMB STEW

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add the onions, carrots and remaining oil to pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and lamb; bring to a boil. , Remove from the heat. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender., With a slotted spoon, remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl; set aside and keep warm. Pour pan juices into another bowl; set aside. , In the Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the parsley, chives, thyme, and meat and vegetables; heat through.

LAMB BASICS

Steps:

• Selecting LambA lean, tender and usually delicate-flavored meat, lamb comes from animals six to eight months old. Once lamb reaches one year of age, it is referred to as "mutton," which has a much stronger flavor. When buying lamb, let color be your guide: Look for lamb that's pinkish red with a velvety texture and a thin, firm layer of white fat surrounding it. The darker the meat, the older the animal and stronger the flavor. The thin, paperlike covering on larger cuts of lamb is called fell. Don't remove the fell because it helps these cuts keep their shape and retain juices during cooking. (The fell usually has been trimmed from smaller cuts at the store.) Trim excess fat before cooking to avoid a stronger flavor. For best flavor and juiciness, cook lamb to medium-rare (145°) or medium (160°).Roasting LambLamb is roasted in the oven with no water. Because lamb is tender, it's a natural for roasting. Follow these steps for roasted lamb that's well browned on the outside and moist and tender inside:1. Choose one of the cuts from the Timetable for Roasting Lamb.2. Place lamb--right from the refrigerator--fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. (For easy cleanup, line the pan with aluminum foil first.) Don't remove the fell it helps the roast keep its shape and holds in juices. As the fat melts during roasting, it bastes the lamb, making basting during cooking unnecessary.3. If you like, season the lamb with herbs, spices or other seasonings before, during or after cooking. Sprinkling the roast with salt before cooking adds flavor.4. Insert a meat thermometer so the tip is centered in the thickest part of the roast and not resting in fat or touching bone. Don't cover the roast or add water.5. Roast at 325°. Use the chart as a guide and roast for the recommended time until the meat thermometer reads the "Meat Thermometer Reading (after roasting)" temperature. The roast will continue to cook after you take it out of the oven.6. Take the roast out of the oven and cover it loosely with a foil tent. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes or until it reaches the "Final Meat Thermometer Reading (after standing)" temp. After standing, the roast also will be easier to carve. Avoid covering the roast tightly because doing so will create steam, which will soften the surface of the lamb. Broiling or Grilling LambBroiling and grilling are great ways for cooking bone-in and boneless cuts of lamb, such as chops and patties. Less-tender cuts grill best if they're marinated first. Other lamb cuts can be grilled over indirect heat. The tips below use direct heat. For more information on using your grill, check out the instruction booklet that came with your grill. Check the Timetable for Broiling or Grilling Lamb, below, to determine the cook time and doneness temperature for each cut.1. Choose a cut of lamb from the Timetable for Broiling or Grilling Lamb. If you like, marinate the lamb first.2. To Broil: Set oven to broil. Check your oven manual for whether the oven door should be open or closed during broiling. To Grill: Heat coals or gas grill to medium spread the coals to a single layer.3. Remove any excess fat before broiling or grilling.4. To Broil: Place lamb on the rack in the broiler pan. (For easy cleanup, line the pan with aluminum foil first.) Position the pan so the top of the lamb is the distance from the heat recommended in the chart.To Grill: Place lamb on the grill the distance from the heat recommended in the chart.5. Broil or grill the lamb for about half the recommended time or until it's brown on one side.6. Turn the lamb, and continue broiling or grilling until the doneness shown in the chart below for the cut you're using. To see if it's done, cut a small slit in the center of boneless cuts or in the center near the bone of bone-in cuts. Medium-rare lamb is pink in the center, medium is light pink. If you like, season the lamb after it's done.From "Betty Crocker's Complete Cookbook, Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 9th Edition." Text Copyright 2000 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BEST EVER LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine herbs and salt; rub over lamb chops. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 5-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°). Serve with mint jelly if desired.