Italian Lamb Casserole Recipes

ITALIAN SPRINGTIME LAMB

Steps:

• For the lamb: Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
• Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, pepper flakes and walnuts. Toast until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the chopped spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until wilted. Stir in the raisins.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the lamb out flat, fat-side down, on a board in front of you. If it is still very thick, gently pound it to an even, 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread evenly with the mustard; distribute the spinach mixture over the mustard. Starting from one side, roll up the lamb with the filling inside so that it maintains the shape of the leg. Tie with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals. Season the outside with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Wipe out the saute pan and add the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Place the pan over high heat and allow it to get hot. Place the lamb in the pan and sear it on all sides until golden brown all over, about two minutes per side. Transfer the lamb to a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan and roast until the internal temperature registers 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
• While the lamb is roasting, prepare the gremolata: In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown. Add the parsley, lemon zest, pepper flakes and salt. Toss and set aside to let the flavors mingle.
• Serve the sliced lamb with a sprinkling of the breadcrumb gremolata.

LA CASSERUOLA DI AGNELLO E FAGIOLO-ITALIAN LAMB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Soak the borlotti beans overnight in cold water, then drain.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
• Heat the olive oil in the dutch oven and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Do not allow to colour or burn.
• Add the celery, herbs, mushrooms and courgettes and saute for 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes & juice, stock, red wine, drained beans and the salt and pepper to taste, and heat until just simmering. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the lamb chops and stir until the chops are covered with the liquid mixture.
• Cover, put in the oven and cook on 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, combine the flour and butter until there are no lumps.
• After the 30 minutes are up, remove the lamb from the oven. Stir through the butter and flour mixture in teaspoonfuls until well combined. Cover, put back in the oven and then reduce the heat to 150 degrees Celsius. Cook for 1& 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the meat is nearly falling off the bone, and the beans are cooked.
• Serve with crusty ciabatta bread or just in big bowls (think steaming casserole on a cold winter's night) with glasses of red wine. This is nice also with steamed green beans.

PAOLA DI MAURO'S ROMAN LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Rinse the lamb chunks under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels.
• In a casserole or roasting pan large enough to hold all pieces of lamb, heat olive oil over medium-high to high heat. When oil is almost smoking, add lamb chunks and brown quickly, turning frequently, for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Coarsely chop 2 of the garlic cloves; add to lamb as it browns. When all the lamb is browned, add salt and abundant pepper. Sprinkle flour over lamb pieces, and turn them to mix in seasoning and salt. Add wine; as soon as it starts to bubble, cover pan and place in oven to roast, covered, for 30 minutes.
• While lamb is roasting, coarsely chop remaining garlic, and using a mortar and pestle, pound it with chopped rosemary into a coarse paste. Add chopped anchovies, and continue pounding to make a fairly smooth paste. A tablespoon at a time, mix in wine vinegar to make a smooth emulsion.
• When lamb has roasted for 30 minutes, remove from oven, and pour vinegar emulsion over lamb pieces. Turn them to coat well with sauce. Return to oven, uncovered, to roast an additional 30 minutes.
• When lamb is done, with no trace of red in the meat, remove from oven, set aside for 5 minutes, then put lamb on a heated serving platter. Bring pan juices to a boil and cook rapidly for about 45 seconds, or just long enough to reduce juices and thicken them slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour juices over lamb chunks; serve immediately.

LAMB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Tie the sprigs of parsley and thyme together with the bay leaves or place them in a cheesecloth and tie closed, because you will want to easily remove the herbs later. Place the herb bundle, lamb, ham, onion, tomato, garlic and stock in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir in the beans and sausage and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, or more if you want a thicker consistency.