Lamb With Sichuan Pepper And Orange Recipes

LAMB WITH SICHUAN PEPPER AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a wok and fry the orange peel in it until lightly browned. Remove both oil and peel and set aside. When the peel is cool enough to handle, cut it into fine julienne strips. Reserve the oil.
• Seed the chili peppers and cut them into julienne strips. Add to the orange shreds and set aside.
• Put the peppercorns in a dry skillet, toast them over moderate heat until they begin to smoke, then remove and crush fine in a mortar.
• Cut the lamb across the grain into fairly uniform slices ( 3/8 inches thick and 1 to 1 1/2 inches long). Put them in a bowl and mix thoroughly with the crushed pepper.
• Heat the wok in which the peel was fried until very hot, spread out the lamb slices in a single layer and fry them for 1 minute without moving them. Then stir-fry vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds and remove quickly to a serving dish. (They will still be raw in the center at this point.)
• In the wok, heat the reserved orange oil until hot again, add salt to taste and stir-fry the onion rings until nicely browned. Add the orange peel, the red-pepper shreds and the lamb, stir-fry for 5 to 10 seconds and dish up. Serve over noodles dressed with a little sesame oil and soy sauce.

YOGURT-MARINATED LEG OF LAMB WITH CARDAMOM AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425º. Remove as much of the surface fat as is practical from the lamb. Mix together the yogurt, mint, orange zest, cardamom, salt and pepper; rub the meat all over with the yogurt mixture. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be much longer).
• Put the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan. (You might line the pan first with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.) Roast for 30 minutes, then check; if the lamb threatens to burn, turn the heat down to 350º; otherwise leave it at 425º.
• After about 1 hour (total) of roasting, check the internal temperature of the lamb with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to check every 10 minutes; when it reaches 130 for medium rare (125 for very rare) in its thickest part (check it in several places), it's done. Total cooking time will be less than 1 1/2 hours. Let it rest for a few minutes before carving. Serve garnished with more chopped mint.

SZECHUAN LAMB WITH PEPPERS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Slice the lamb across the grain into strips 1/2 inch thick.
• In a medium bowl or resealable plastic bag, mix 2 tsp soy sauce, all of the hoisin sauce, 2 of the minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 tsp of the red pepper flakes; add lamb and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• During this time, thaw the spinach and allow to come to room temperature; press out as much moisture as possible.
• Heat a wok over high heat and add 1 tsp of the oil; when the oil is hot, add the lamb and stir-fry until the pink color is gone, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the lamb to a plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tsp oil to the wok and when warm stir in ginger, remaining garlic and pepper flakes.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the pepper and scallion strips and remaining 2 tsp soy sauce; reduce heat slightly and stir-fry for one minute.
• Add 1 TBS water and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
• Stir in the spinach and mix well with other ingredients.
• Add the cornstarch to the chicken broth, mixing well, then add this to the wok, along with the lamb and any juices that have collected on the plate.
• Cook, stirring frequently (or it will stick!) until the lamb and spinach is heated through and the juices are thickened, about 1 minute.
• Serve immediately.