Recipe Link of the Month:
Curried Lentil, Tomato and Lamb Stew - DELICIOUS!
Cooking with Lamb
Why Lamb?
Cooks around the world know -- lamb can be the healthy centerpiece of everyday family meals and gourmet special occasions. But no special skills are needed to prepare lamb (see tips below). Fresh, locally grown lamb can be subsituted for other meats in your favorite recipes. If you'd like to try something new, good lamb recipes can be found on-line (see our suggestions below). Two excellent sources of lamb recipes on-line include: Lamb Chef and Maple Lawn Farm.
Cooking Tips
Plain or Exotic -- Your Choice.
The unique taste of lamb is enhanced by many spices. Simple seasonings such as Worchestershire sauce, lemon pepper, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic and rosemary complement lamb perfectly. But don't limit yourself to these spices - be adventuresome! Try the exotic spices and cuisines favored by people throughout the world.
Simple Cooking
Lamb is naturally lean and tender and is most flavorful when cooked medium rare to medium using low to moderate temperatures. DO NOT overcook lamb (riblets are the exception -- they're great when grilled to a crispy texture). If you are unfamiliar with some of the less common cuts of lamb, use a meat thermometer for best results.
Click here to learn more about the best cooking times for specific cuts of lamb.
MENU:
A Middle-Eastern Summer Supper
Chilled Cucumber-Yogurt Soup*
Bulghur Meatballs*
Greek Village Salad*
Arabic Pocket Bread*
Pistachio Ice Cream
Iced Tea
Bulghur Meatballs (Keftede) - this recipe, from Lebanon, was found in "The World's Finest Pasta and Grains" cookbook by Anne Marshall which includes over 100 excellent authentic dishes from around the world. Serves 6. Preparation: 1 hour cooking plus chilling time.
Ingredients
3/4 cup bulghur
1/2 cup cooked (or canned) chickpeas
1 lb. lean, finely ground lamb
1/2 cup finely crumbled pita bread (see recipe below)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped mint or flat leaf parsley
3 tbsp. virgin olive oil
mint or parsley sprigs for garnish
salad leaves for garnish
1/3 cup plain yogurt
Preparation
1. Place the bulghur in a small bowl, add enough cold water to cover and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain through a sieve preferably lined with cheesecloth. Wrap the cheesecloth around the bulghur and squeeze to remove excess water.
2. Place the chickpeas in a foodprocessor and blend until finely chopped.
3. Place the bulghur, chickpeas, lamb, bread crumbs, egg. lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and mint in a large mixing bowl and combine well.
4. With cold, wet hands, roll the mixture into 30 balls about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Place on a large plate, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. If necessary, re-roll when chilled.
5. Heat half the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, add half the meatballs and cook, turning frequently, until browed on all sides and cooked in the center, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Cover with foil to keep warm.
6. Repeat step 5 with remainder of meatballs.
7. Place the meatballs on a warm serving platter. Serve hot, garnished with the mint and salad leaves. Serve the yogurt in a bowl on the side.
Chilled Cucumber-Yogurt Soup (Cacik) - this recipe, originating in Turkey, as well as the recipes for the salad and bread included in this webpage, were found in "Middle Eastern Cooking" by Rose Dosti. Serves 6 - 8.
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled, coarsely shredded
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp. dill weed
2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups buttermilk
salt to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
Preparation
1. Combine cucumber, garlic, mint, dill and yogurt in a large bowl. Stir gently to mix well. Stir in buttermilk and salt. Sprinkle with oil and vinegar, if desired.
Greek Village Salad (Choriatiki Salata) - serves 6 - 8.
Ingredients
4 or 5 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
1 medium cucumber, sliced diagonally
1 small green pepper, thinly sliced
5 green onions, sliced
5 radishes, sliced
1/2 small head of romaine lettuce
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
15 green or black Marinated Greek Olives
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. fresh parley, chopped
pinch of dried oregano
1/2 cup feta cheese, diced
Preparation
1. Combine vegetables in a large, shallow salad bowl.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Toss to mix well.
4. Combine remaining ingredients except cheese in a small bowl or jar. Stir or shake to mix well.
5. Pour over salad. Toss gently but thoroughly.
6. Garnish with feta cheese.
Arabic Pocket Bread (Khubz Arabi) - this Arabic recipe makes 12 or 24 pocket breads and is so simple a novice breadbaker can prepare (i.e., I was actually able to make the bread without problems)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp. active dry yeast (2 pkgs.)
1 tbsp. salt
6 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Preparation
1. Pour warm water into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Stir until dissolved. Add salt.
2. Gradually add 6 cups flour and oil, kneading constantly, until dough is smooth and elastic. If dough sticks to your hands, add more flour.
3. Place in a large greased bowl. Turn dough to grease all sides. Cover with a dry cloth towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Punch down gently.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. Divide dough into 24 equal portions. If large pocket breads are preferred, divide into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball. Place on a floured surface. Sprinkle tops lightly with flour and cover with a dry cloth towel. Let rest 15 minutes.
7. Grease baking sheets.
8. Roll out each portion of dough to a 6-inch circle for small breads or a 14-inch circle for large. Place on prepared baking sheets.
9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes for small pocket breads, 12 to 15 minutes for large pocket breads or until bread puffs. Can be placed pale side up under a broiler to brown slightly, if desired.
10. Place hot bread immediately in a plastic bag. Serve warm or cool in bag and refrigerate.
Links to More Lamb Recipes
1st Travelers Choice Internet Cookbook
Australian Lamb Recipes - bake, broil, pan-fry, smoke . . . choose your cooking method and this site has a recipe including lamb for you.
Beef and Lamb Recipes - from New Zealand
Cooking with BJ - lamb dishes from Pakistani and Arabian cuisines
Epicurious - includes 185 lamb recipes (at last count) from sources such as Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines (search keyword "lamb")
Greek Cooking Resources
King Arthur Flour - recipes for breads and baked goods.
Kitchen Link - another great source for recipes. Even more helpful is the site's list of weekly menus that refer busy cooks to fresh ideas (and recipes) on-line.
Mega-zine
SOAR - searchable on-line archive consisting of approximately 60,000 recipes including a large collection of ethnic dishes.
The Chef's Middle East Cookbook - recipes for a variety of dishes made with readily available ingredients
The Internet Chef
Turkish Cuisine - near eastern cooks prepare dishes rooted in the Byzantine and Ottoman cultures. Their diet is high in protein, based on meat (mainly lamb), cheese and yogurt, and meals are served with rice or crusty bread.
YumYum Lamb Recipes - touted as a "website for everyday cooks".
Do you have a question, a great recipe you'd like to share or just want to give us feedback? Please email.
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This page was last updated 8/6/00
