I'm a big fan of lamb, although I've known several people who are put off by it. My theory is that many people dislike it because it LOOKS like beef but doesn't taste like what their brain expects based on what they see, so they conclude it's not good. It's hard for some folks to get past that. Wine helps.
Also, a lot of people have never had it prepared properly -- the old school was to cook it until it was very well done, which tends to ruin the texture and the flavor, often intensifying the gaminess of the meat. When served alone, I think lamb is best medium-rare to medium. (One excepting is a French dish in which a leg of lamb is cooked for 7 hours in a slow oven in a sealed container, which results in a very soft and delicious dish that can be eaten with a spoon.)
I like chops simply grilled like a steak -- rub them with a cut garlic clove, then olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill quickly over a hot fire until medium-rare to rare.
Here are a couple of TNT recipes that I think most people would like:
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COWBOY CASSOULET
3 pounds lamb shoulder blade chops
Salt
8 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 pounds fennel (3 small or 2 medium)
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup white wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 pound Great Northern white beans or navy beans
Freshly ground black pepper
Small loaf French bread (enough for 1¾ cups crumbs)
8 fresh sage leaves
1. Remove small bones and excess fat from meat; cut into serving pieces; lightly salt meat.
2. Remove tops from fennel and trim bottoms; cut lengthwise (top to bottom) into quarters.
3. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat; add half the meat and brown well;
remove to bowl; repeat with remaining meat.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add carrot and cook without stirring until lightly browned on
one side, 2 to 5 minutes; stir and cook 3 to 5 minutes more.
5. Add onion and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Add wine, bring to boil, and cook until it is reduced to a thick syrup, 7 to 10 minutes.
7. Add crushed tomatoes and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Add 5 cups water, beans, fennel, and garlic; stir gently; add lamb and press gently into
liquid. (Note: Dried beans vary; more water may be needed during cooking.)
9. Cover pot with tight-fitting lid; place in preheated 325 degree oven.
10. After 1 hour, add ½ tablespoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper; stir gently
to avoid breaking up the fennel or crushing the garlic.
11. Check after 1½ hours (2½ hours total); if needed, add up to 1 cup water and stir gently.
12. After 1 hour (3½ hours total), remove from oven; increase heat to 400 degrees.
13. Remove crust from bread, cut into cubes, and place in food processor with sage; process
to form crumbs; spread mixture evenly over top of cassoulet; lightly drizzle with olive oil.
14. Return uncovered pot to 400 degree oven to brown crumbs, about 20 minutes.
15. Serve immediately. Servings: 6 to 8
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INDIAN LAMB WITH ONIONS
Kaliya
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 small onions (or 1 large – about 9 ounces total weight)
1 1- to 2-inch piece fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic
2 hot green chilies (such as serrano)
1 14½-ounce can of chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 6-ounce container of plain yogurt (low fat is okay)
1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds (see note A)
1 teaspoon salt
1½ pounds boned shoulder of lamb, cut into 1½-inch chunks
1 teaspoon garam masala (Indian spice mixture – see note B)
1. Put oil in 5-quart or larger pressure cooker; do not heat yet.
2. Peel onions and slice into thin rings; cut rings in half (cut in quarters if
using one large onion); add to pressure cooker.
3. Peel ginger and slice thinly, then cut slices into matchstick pieces; cut
in half or quarters lengthwise and add to pressure cooker.
4. Peel and finely chop garlic; add to pressure cooker.
5. Thinly slice chilies; do not remove seeds; add to pressure cooker
6. Add tomatoes and their juices, yogurt, ground cumin, salt, and lamb
to pressure cooker and mix well.
7. Cover and lock pressure cooker; cook over medium heat for 5
minutes, then turn heat to high and bring to high pressure; reduce
heat and cook for 15 minutes more, adjusting heat as necessary to
maintain high pressure.
8. Remove from heat and reduce pressure by quick release method;
add the garam masala and stir it in.
9. Return pan to stove and cook uncovered over high heat for about 10
minutes, stirring gently until the sauce is reduced and quite thick.
10. Serve with plain basmati rice.
Notes:
A. Roast cumin seeds in a small, heavy skillet until they are just lightly
browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes; grind with a mortar and pistil
or in a spice grinder until reduced to a fine powder.
B. Gram masala, which in Urdu means “hot paste,” is a mixture of many
different spices (don’t confuse it with western-style “curry powder”).
There are significant variations in the blend from region to region. If
you don’t have an Indian market near you, you may be able to find it
in the spice section of your supermarket (Spice Islands makes a good
version), or you can make your own from any of the numerous
recipes available on the Internet.
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Minted Lamb & Bell Pepper Kebabs
Mint Sauce:
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup boiling water
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and
cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 orange bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large bunch fresh mint, for garnish
1. Prepare the Mint Sauce: Place the mint in a small bowl. Pour the vinegar over the mint.
Dissolve the brown sugar and salt in the boiling water; add to the bowl along with the
pepper. Combine and set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. (Makes 1 cup.)
2. Place the lamb and bell peppers in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, oil, salt and
pepper; toss to coat well.
3. Pour the Mint Sauce over the meat and combine well. Let rest, covered, in the
refrigerator for up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.
4. Thread four 12-inch metal skewers, alternating the lamb and the peppers. (Be sure to
leave a little bit of space between the ingredients for even cooking.)
5. Cook the skewers on a well-oiled grill over high heat for 4 minutes per side for rare to
medium-rare meat. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Arrange the skewers on a
platter garnished with mint.
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BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH WHITE BEANS
1½ pounds dried white Great Northern beans
5 garlic cloves
6 lamb shanks, about 1 pound each
flour seasoned with salt & pepper for dredging
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 cup canned Italian tomatoes, with liquid, chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1. Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain the beans,
place in a large saucepan, and add enough water to cover the beans
by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
Drain and set aside. Do not add salt or the beans will be tough.
2. Sliver 2 of the garlic cloves. With a pointed knife, make small incisions
in the lamb shanks and insert the garlic. Use more garlic if needed.
3. Pat the shanks dry and dredge them in the seasoned flour. Shake off
the excess. Heat the oil in a very large flameproof oval casserole over
moderately high heat and in it brown the shanks on all sides in
batches. Set aside on a plate as done.
4. There should be about 3 tablespoons of oil left in the casserole.
Reduce the heat to moderately low and in the oil sauté the onions,
carrot, and celery until lightly browned. Add the remaining 3 garlic
cloves, minced, for the last minute of cooking.
5. In a large bowl, toss the drained beans, sautéed vegetables, tomatoes
and their liquid, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Return the
shanks and any accumulated liquid to the casserole and pour the bean
mixture over the meat. Add the wine and enough stock to barely cover
the beans. Add the bay leaves.
6. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the stove top. Cover and bake in a
preheated 325-degree oven until the shanks and beans are tender,
about 1½ hours. Check occasionally to be sure there’s enough liquid.
7. Arrange the shanks around the rim of a large heated platter. Remove
the bay leaves, stir the parsley into the beans, and mound the beans in
the center of the platter.
SERVES 6
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LAMB WITH WHITE BEAN RAGOUT
2 tablespoons olive oil
2½ pounds lamb shoulder chops, well trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 large onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
3 stalks celery, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch slices
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 cup dry white wine
1 14½-ounce can chopped tomatoes
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 15-ounce cans white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Chopped fresh parsley or rosemary, for garnish
1. In a 5- to 7-quart pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon oil over
medium-high heat. In batches, add the lamb and cook, turning
occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate,
season with salt & pepper; set aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and return to medium
heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the
vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, and stir to
scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden
spoon. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, and bay
leaf. Return the lamb and any juices to the pot.
3. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Adjust the heat
to maintain the pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the
heat, quick-release the pressure, and remove lid. Discard bay leaf.
4. Let stand for 5 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface.
Return the pot to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Mix water and
cornstarch in a small bowl and stir into the broth and cook until
thickened. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 2
minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer to a deep serving bowl. Sprinkle with the feta and parsley or
rosemary, and serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Note: Can be prepared in advance through Step 3; transfer to a smaller
pot or storage container, if desired, and refrigerate; reheat and add
cornstarch and beans as directed in Step 4.
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