Sicilian Lamb Spezzatino With Saffron And Mint Recipes

MOROCCAN LEG OF LAMB WITH MINT DRESSING

Steps:

• Score meaty side of lamb in a diamond pattern of 1/4-inch-deep cuts about 1 1/2 inches apart. Season with salt and pepper, and place scored-side up in a large roasting pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk olive oil with lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, harissa, coriander seeds and cumin. Pour marinade over lamb and massage into crevices. Cover pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate 2 1/2 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 1/2 hours before cooking to return lamb to room temperature; in last 15 minutes, heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Remove foil from pan and place pan on middle oven rack; turn heat down to 350 degrees. Roast, basting lamb with pan juices every 1/2 hour, until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat reads 130 degrees, about 1 3/4 hours total. Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve with harissa and mint dressing.

LEG OF LAMB WITH SAVORY BEANS

Steps:

• Put the beans in Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add 8 cups water and place pot over high heat. Stick 1 whole clove into each onion half. Add onion, bay leaves, carrot, garlic, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to a bare simmer and cover with lid ajar. (The slow simmer keeps the beans from bursting.) After 30 minutes, taste the bean broth, and add salt as necessary. Cook for about another 30 minutes, but check for tenderness after 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let beans cool in their cooking liquid. (You may cook the beans several hours, or up to 1 day, in advance.)
• Meanwhile, prepare the lamb: With a sharp paring knife, make 24 small slits over the surface of the lamb. Using your fingers, push a garlic sliver into each slit.
• Season the leg generously all over with kosher salt, then sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons olive oil, and massage oil and seasonings all over the meat. Leave at room temperature for at least an hour. (Alternatively, wrap and refrigerate the seasoned leg for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. In a sturdy roasting pan, arrange the onions and celery. Lay down the thyme and rosemary branches and set the lamb leg on top. Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then add wine to the pan and turn heat to 350 degrees. Continue cooking, basting the roast occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees for medium-rare or 140 for medium, which will take up to 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the roast to a cutting board and keep warm, tented with foil, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the onions, celery, thyme and rosemary from the roasting pan and discard. Skim fat from surface of pan juices.
• Set pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Taste and adjust with a splash of water if the pan juices are too salty.
• While lamb is resting, boil carrots in well-salted water until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, toss with butter and keep warm.
• Reheat the beans in their broth, then drain reserving bean broth for another use. Remove and discard onion, bay leaves, carrot, garlic and thyme. Put beans in a warm serving dish. Toss beans gently with the parsley, chives, lemon zest, olive oil and pepper. Reheat pan juices, strain and pour into a serving vessel.
• Carve the lamb and arrange on serving platter along with the carrots. Garnish with watercress, if desired.

EASTER LAMB FROM SICILY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole, add the onion and saute until it is translucent. Stir in the lamb and add the stock, using enough to cover the lamb. Bring to a simmer; cover and cook over medium-low heat until the lamb is tender, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the lamb from the broth. Strain the broth and remove as much of the fat as possible. You can do this by starting the preparation the night before and refrigerating the lamb, covered, overnight and also refrigerating the stock. When the stock has chilled sufficiently, the fat can be lifted off and discarded.
• Shortly before serving, measure the stock. You should have about two cups. Add a little water if there is less. If there is more you should plan to increase the amount of potato starch proportionately.
• Slowly beat some of the cream into the potato starch, beating to blend the cream and the starch together. When the starch is liquefied stir in any remaining cream.
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a casserole. Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl. With the stock barely simmering, slowly whisk in the egg-yolk mixture. Then slowly beat the cream mixture into the stock mixture. Cook slowly, about five minutes, until the stock thickens and becomes sauce, then return the lamb to the sauce. When the lamb has been sufficiently reheated, season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the stew to a warm serving dish, sprinkle with the mint, then serve.

LAMB WITH MINT CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Combine parsley, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, red chile flakes, salt and pepper. Rub half of the mixture over 2 pounds of lamb shoulder chops or chunks, and marinate overnight.
• Heat a grill or broiler with the rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame. Wipe off the marinade; grill or broil, turning once, until medium, 4 or 5 minutes per side. Serve with the remaining chimichurri.