Ingredients

• Oil (vegetable, peanut, canola or olive, anything will work well)
• 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large or 2 small onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 2 pints stout beer (recommended: Guinness)
• 1 small bunch marjoram, tied together with string
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Coat a wide, large heavy-bottomed pot with oil and heat over high heat. Toss 1/2 of the lamb cubes generously with salt and half of the flour. Add immediately to the hot oil and brown well on all sides. When the lamb is really brown on all sides, remove it from the pot and reserve. If the oil begins to smoke, lower the heat and continue. Repeat this process with the remaining lamb and flour. Put all the browned lamb on a plate.

Remove the excess oil from the pot, add a little fresh oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery and season with salt. Cook until the onions start to soften and are very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the turnips, stir to combine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Return the lamb to the pan and add the tomato puree, stout, marjoram, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat it to a simmer. Cover the pot halfway with a lid and simmer the stew for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking and stirring occasionally. Remove the lid during the last 15 to 20 minutes of the cooking time to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed (it probably will). When it’s done, the lamb will be tender and full-flavored but not falling apart or stringy. Discard the bay leaves and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Anne Burrell

Ingredients

• 1 c. thick plain yogurt
• 1 t. ginger
• 2 t. fennel seeds, minced
• ½ t. turmeric
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2 t. cardamom
• Lamb ribs

Cucumber Raita

• 1 cucumber, seeds removed, or 1 bunch radishes
• Salt
• 1 ½ c. plain yogurt
• 2 T. sour cream
• 4 T. minced cilantro

Preparation

Combine the yogurt with spices and salt and coat entire surface of ribs. Marinate for 4 to 6 hours. Place ribs in a wide Dutch oven, pour in water and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, at a very low simmer for about 1 hour, until tender. Remove ribs, reserving sauce in pot. Heat grape seed oil or ghee in a large skillet until almost smoking, then sear ribs to form a crust. Let meat rest briefly, then cut into individual ribs and serve with rice or roasted potatoes and raita.

For the Cucumber Raita: Grate cucumber or radishes into small bowl. If using cucumber, toss with salt and set aside until moisture is released. Squeeze out excess moisture and drain. Combine with remaining ingredients and adjust seasoning to taste.

Edible Austin

Ingredients for Dolmades

• 2 lbs. ground lamb
• 2 large onions, grated
• 1/2 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 2 egg whites (save yolks for sauce)
• 2 TBSP minced fresh mint
• s & p
• 1 jar grape leaves
• chicken broth

Preparation for Dolmades

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Rinse, drain, and separate grape leaves. Cover the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with 4-5 leaves. Roll 1 TBSP filling in each grape leaf. Place close together in even layers in saucepan. Add enough chicken broth to cover rolls. Place a small plate directly on top of rolls to weigh down. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2 to 3 cups broth from pot
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 TBSP cornstarch

Preparation for Sauce

In small saucepan, boil broth. Combine eggs, yolks, juice, and cornstarch in blender. With blender running, slowly add hot broth. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over rolls. Eat.

Grandmommy

Ingredients

For the tagine:

• 6 pounds lamb shanks
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions, thickly sliced
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• One 2-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and slivered
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 rounded teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 rounded teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 scant teaspoons cayenne
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 2 cups pitted prunes
• 4 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 cup tomato puree

For the garnish:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup whole blanched almonds
• Large pinch of salt
• Small pinch of sugar

Preparation

Serves 6; Total Time: 4½ Hours

1. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 2 hours (or refrigerate over-night). Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions, season with salt and crumble saffron over them. Saute over medium heat until softened and slightly browned. Add garlic, fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, coriander and cumin seeds, powdered ginger and cayenne. Stir together, remove from heat and correct the seasoning. Add raisins and half the prunes.

3. Put the lamb in an enamelware dutch oven or deep sided baking dish and spread the onion mixture over the meat. Stir together broth or water and tomato puree and pour over. Cover the pan with foil and a tight-fitting lid.

4. Bake for about 2 hours, or until meat is meltingly tender.

5. Remove the foil and lid, add the second cup of prunes and submerge them. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Return lamb to the oven, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, to let it brown a bit.

6. Carefully lift meat from sauce and put in a low wide bowl or storage container. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. If sauce seems thin, pour it into a low saucepan and reduce over high heat. Check the seasoning and adjust. Pour sauce over meat and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

7.The next day, remove and discard any congealed fat. Gently reheat the stew, covered, in a low oven.

8. Just before serving, fry the almonds for the garnish. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and fry the almonds gently, stirring occasionally. When the almonds are golden, blot on paper towels and sprinkle with the salt and sugar.

9. Transfer tagine to a warmed platter and scatter almonds over lamb.

David Tanis, Wall Street Journal

Ingredients

• 4 double lamb chops
• salt and black pepper
• 125 grams butter
• 2 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 deciliter / ½ cup red wine
• 4 deciliter / 2 cups meat ‘fond’ (glazed crystallized drippings) or stock
• 3 tsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp parsley

Preparation

Rub salt and freshly ground black pepper on the chops and fry them in 75 grams of butter in a skillet for three minutes each side.

Put them in a lightly buttered oven dish and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes in a warm oven at 120ºC/235ºF.

Take the dish from the oven and cover with foil or with a fitting lid.

Sautee the finely sliced shallots and pressed garlic in the grease/butter left in the skillet. Mix in the coarsely chopped rosemary and thyme, add the crumbled bay leaf and the wine. Bring to a boil and add the fond or bouillon. Slowly bring to a boil again and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix in the cornstarch and pour the stock through a sieve into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil again and whisk in the rest of the butter.

Put the chops on individual plates and pour the glazed sauce over them. Garnish with parsley. Serve with pan-fried potato slices, and green beans or spinach.

Adapted from goDutch.com

Ingredients

Kefta:

• 1 lb. (about 1/2 kg) ground beef or lamb (or a combination of the two)
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika (or 1/8 teaspoon ground hot pepper)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Tomato Sauce:

• 2 lbs. (about 1 kg) fresh, ripe tomatoes

• 1 medium onion, grated (optional)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or 1/4 teaspoon ground hot pepper

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

• 3 cloves garlic, pressed

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 3 or 4 eggs (optional)

Preparation

Start Cooking the Tomato Sauce

Cut the tomatoes in half, seed them and grate them.

Mix the tomatoes, onions (if using) and the rest of the sauce ingredients in the base of a tagine or in a large, deep skillet. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (Note: If using a tagine, place a diffuser between the tagine and burner, and allow 10 to 15 minutes for the tomato sauce to reach a simmer.)

Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, just enough heat to maintain the simmer but low enough to avoid scorching. Allow the sauce to cook for 15 to 20 minutes before adding the meatballs.

Make the Kefta Meatballs

Combine all of the kefta ingredients, using your hands to knead in the spices and herbs. Shape the kefta mixture into very small meatballs the size of large cherries – about 3/4 inch in diameter.

Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, along with a little water – 1/4 cup (60 ml) is usually sufficient – and cover. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the sauce is thick.

Break the eggs over the top of the meatballs, and cover. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are solid and the yolks are partially set. Serve immediately.

Kefta Mkaouara is traditionally served from the same dish in which it was prepared, with each person using crusty Moroccan bread for scooping up the meatballs from his own side of the dish.

Christine Benlafquih, About.com

Ingredients

• Mediterranean pie dough
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb ground or minced lamb shoulder
• 1/2 c chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 c pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• yogurt for serving

Preparation

Make the dough as directed. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

To make the filling, in saute pan over medium heat warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 min. Transfer to a bowl. Add the lamb, parsley, nuts, spices and seasonings and mix well.

Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll out in 3 in rounds. Top each round with a heaping spoonful of the filling, then bring up the three edges of the round to meet in the center and press together to seal. The pasties will be triangular.

Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the pastries with oil. Bake until golden, 15-20 min. Serve warm with yogurt.

Ingredients

• 8 c water
• 3/4 lb ground lamb or left-over leg of lamb cut into 3/4 in pieces
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 c yellow split peas
• 1/2 lb spinach, chopped
• 10 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c raw rice
• 2 c yogurt
• 1 tbl olive oil
• 2 tbl fresh chopped mint or 2 tsp dried mint

Preparation

Place the water, lamb, onions, split peas, spinach, scallions, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 40 min. Stir in the rice and cook over moderate heat for about 25 min, stirring occasionally. Add the yogurt. Stir 1 minute without boiling and remove from heat. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mint and stir for 1 min. Add to the soup and serve.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2lb. cubed lamb
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. saffron
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1/2 c. onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. turnip, chopped
• 1/2 c. zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 c. eggplant, chopped
• 1/2 c. leeks, chopped
• 1/2 c. bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 c. celery, chopped
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 1/2 c. chick peas

Preparation

Sauté the lamb, onion, coriander, red pepper, cumin, saffron, and salt in the olive oil. Add the chicken broth, cover, and simmer for about an hour, or until the meat is nearly tender. Add all the vegetables, the raisins, and the chick peas, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve over couscous, and top with harissa.

Harissa

Put 1/2 cup chili powder (preferably New Mexico) in sauce pan. Gradually add broth from couscous and a little salt and cook to thicken.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 lg. garlic cloves
• 6 TBSP (or more) olive oil, divided
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 TBSP chopped fresh oregano
• 1 TBSP chopped fresh mint
• 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 5 to 6 ounces baby arugula
• lemon wedges

Preparation

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper put in a large zip-lock. Add wine, pressed garlic, 4 TBSP oil, all herbs and anchovies. Mush around to mix and coat well. Chill at least 2 hours or over night, mushing and turning occasionally.

Toss arugula with remaining oil in large platter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put lamb on metal skewers and either grill or broil to desired doneness - about 10 minutes for med. rare. Serve on top of arugula with lemon slices.