Garlic Stuffed Lamb Loin Bites Recipes

GARLIC-STUFFED LAMB LOIN BITES

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and chili flakes over low heat for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the oregano, garlic and lemon zest. Pour mixture out of the pan and into a bowl. Allow to cool.
• For the lamb skewers:
• Slice lamb loin lengthwise (as if filleting) into 2 pieces about 1/2-inch thick. Using a mallet or the heel of your palm, lightly pound meat to about 1/4-inch thickness then cut each in half lengthwise. Place meat in a non-metallic dish and pour reserved oregano marinade over the meat. Turn several times to coat, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• When ready to cook, prepare grill or preheat broiler.
• Remove lamb from marinade and discard marinade. Spread about 1 tablespoon garlic paste on each of the lamb pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Roll meat lengthwise end to end and place on skewers. Brush with olive oil. Grill or broil to desired doneness, 10 to 15 minutes for medium-rare meat, depending on heat of grill. Turn meat occasionally to ensure even cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Peel the outermost layers of skin off the heads of garlic. Cut off the top 1/3 of the heads to open the cloves. Put the heads, cut sides up, in a small baking dish and pour the olive oil over them. Season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly, place in the oven, and roast until about 3/4 cooked, about 45 minutes. Uncover and return to the oven until the cloves begin to pop out of their skins and brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• When garlic is cool enough to handle easily, squeeze the roasted garlic into a small bowl. Press against the skins very well to get out all the sweet roasted garlic you can. Add the oil from the baking dish and mix well until a paste forms. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.

GARLIC-STUDDED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Peel and sliver 4-5 cloves garlic. Make incisions in the leg with a very sharp pointed knife (such as small French paring knife). Force the slivers into the incisions and rub the roast well with salt, pepper, and rosemary or tarragon. Place on a rack and roast until it registers 130-135°F when tested with a meat thermometer. Salt again just before removing from the oven. Allow to stand about 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve with white beans, blended with the pan juices, and a bit of peeled, seeded and finely chopped fresh tomato. Drink a Chinon or a Bourgeuil.
• Variations
• Provençal I: Cut 4-6 cloves garlic into slivers. Make fairly deep incisions in the leg and alternate garlic and anchovy fillets in the incisions (you will not need to add much salt to this anchovied leg). Roast. Serve with a ratatouille and drink a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
• Provençal II: Make incisions in the leg and stuff with garlic, pistachio nuts, and anchovies, pushing them deep into the incisions. Rub the leg with a touch of thyme and summer savory and roast. Salt lightly and serve with a gratin of eggplant. Drink a well-chilled Tavel.

ROASTED STUFFED DOUBLE LAMB LOIN

Steps:

• Make the spinach stuffing by sauteing 1/4 cup onions and garlic in the oil and butter. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cool and combine with breadcrumbs and feta cheese.
• Make the sun-dried tomato mixture by soaking the tomatoes to soften, drain and chop finely. Saute remaining 1/4 cup onions over medium-high heat until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes, heat thoroughly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay out loin, meat side up, trim away excess fat and sinew. Lay spinach/feta mixture between the 2 loins. Roll over the right flap and tightly pack it around the left loin. Roll the newly formed double loin over the left flap, cut off excess. Tie the roast tightly. Use a steel or wooden spoon to create a hole down the entire length of the lamb loin on each side of the stuffing. Using a pastry bag, pipe the tomato mixture into each hole. Season with salt and pepper. Brown over medium high heat. Roast for approximately 30 minutes. Check doneness with meat thermometer -- 120 degrees.

GARLIC-PEPPER CRUSTED SEARED LAMB LOIN WITH TOMATO HASH SERVED ON CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rub lamb loin with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil then sprinkle with Roasted Garlic Pepper. Wrap bacon around lamb loin and secure with toothpicks. Heat a skillet over high heat. Sear bacon wrapped lamb on all sides until golden brown. Remove toothpicks and strips of bacon. (Since the powerful flavor of the bacon can be overwhelming to lamb we will only use its imparted flavor from the searing process. The bacon strips can be discarded or cooked until crispy and reserved in the refrigerator for a short time to use as a garnish on a future Cobb salad or the like.)
• Place lamb in oven and roast until medium rare, an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. (Since the lamb will continue to cook for 5 to 8 minutes after you have removed it from the oven - carryover cooking - the meat thermometer will continue to rise to that period of time. So, the idea is to pull the lamb out at an internal temperature of 120 degrees F, so it ultimately ends up where you want it for medium rare.) Let meat rest, then cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• To make the tomato hash, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat and gently cook the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the diced tomatoes and chives remove from the heat. Crumble in the cheese and allow it to melt.
• Place a piece of lamb on each slice of baguette, top with some of the tomato hash and mint leaves.