Spring Lamb Supper Recipes

SPRING LAMB IN HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Toast coriander and fennel seeds in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, tossing occasionally, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
• Coarsely chop cilantro leaves and tender stems (you'll get about 2 cups) and transfer to a large bowl. Coarsely chop dill leaves and tender stems (you'll get about 2 cups) and add to bowl with cilantro. Pick leaves from tarragon bunches (do not chop; you'll get about 1 cup) and add to bowl; discard stems. Add scallions and toss to combine. Transfer 2 cups herb mixture to a small bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and chill until ready to use. Transfer remaining herb mixture to a food processor. Add coriander and fennel seeds, preserved lemons, garlic, 1/4 cup oil, and 2 tsp. kosher salt. Purée until a paste forms.
• Roll out a piece of foil that's more than double the length of a rimmed baking sheet. Center foil on baking sheet, then place lamb on foil. Rub lamb all over with herb paste. Bring up foil around lamb and wrap tightly to seal. Roast until lamb is super tender and is falling off the bone, 4-4 1/2 hours. (It's important that you don't open the foil packet once sealed. To check the meat, slide a skewer or small knife through the top of the foil; the meat should yield and shred easily.)
• Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large pot. Pour in water to cover; season with salt. Cover pot and bring water to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a medium bowl.
• Unwrap lamb (juices will run everywhere, so be careful to make sure they stay on the baking sheet) and let cool 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board. Pull meat off bone and shred into pieces. Return meat to baking sheet and toss in herby juices.
• Transfer lamb to a platter. Pour juices over lamb and potatoes. Top lamb with reserved herb mixture. Drizzle lamb and potatoes with oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with sea salt.

SPRING LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Generously sprinkle the leg of lamb with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. In two batches, brown the lamb all over and remove to a plate, 4 to 6 minutes per batch.
• Add the onions, carrots and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then cook for a minute or two. Add the tomato paste and stir. Deglaze with the red wine and beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pot. Stir in the rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Return the lamb to the pot and bring to a simmer.
• Place the lid on the pot and roast until the meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve.

SPRING LAMB SUPPER

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute lamb in oil until no longer pink; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. In the same skillet, stir-fry the squash, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Return lamb to the skillet. Stir in the rice and seasonings; cook and stir until heated through.

SPRING LAMB WITH ROSEMARY AND TURNIPS

Steps:

• Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, and rub the herbs into the surface of the lamb. Arrange rosemary sprigs on the bottom of a roasting pan. Lay lamb rack(s) over sprigs. Let meat come to room temperature before roasting.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roast lamb, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 125 degrees (for medium-rare). Let rest on a cutting board.
• Put turnips in a wide medium saucepan over medium heat and cover with 1 inch of water. Season with salt, add butter and bring to a brisk simmer. When turnips are fork-tender, about 5 minutes, add greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 more minutes. If desired, bring the water to a boil and let evaporate. Let turnips brown slightly in the remaining butter, if you like.
• Cut lamb racks into 4 thick chops or 8 thin chops, slicing between the bones.

SPRING LAMB STROGANOFF

Steps:

• Toss your lamb stew meat in the flour mixed with a pinch of the dried marjoram and some salt and pepper (to taste). Coat each piece completely.
• In a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid, saute the lamb over high-heat in 2 Tbsp of the oil. Cook until nicely browned. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to keep the flour coating from burning, as you saute.
• Remove the lamb to a bowl and set aside for later.
• In the same skillet add 2 Tbsp of the grapseseed oil (half of what remains) and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the sliced onions and saute, slowly browning. Add half the marjoram, half the salt, and half the pepper.
• When the onions are fully brown, remove them to the same bowl as the browned lamb and set aside for later.
• In the same skillet, add the remaining oil and marjoram to the diced morel mushrooms. Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, the red bell pepper, and the thyme. Saute until the mushrooms have shrunk to about half size.
• Re-add the lamb and onions to the mushrooms. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper (if needed).
• Add the half-and-half as well as the low-fat (light) sour cream and stir to combine, completely. Reduce the heat to very low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring only once or twice during this time to prevent any burning.
• While the sauce is simmering, heat your water for the penne pasta. Once the water has been salted and brought to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al'dente.
• Remove the pasta and drain; serve equal amounts on small plates or in bowls.
• When the sauce has finished simmering, it should be thick. If it is not thick, remove the lid and keep simmering (uncovered) while stirring it, to thicken. When it has finally reached the desired consistency, stir in the diced tomatoes.
• Pour equal parts of the sauce over each serving of pasta and serve hot.

SPRING LAMB SHANKS, BRAISED

Steps:

• In a large, heavy covered casserole or roasting pan, large enough to hold the lamb shanks, heat half the oil. Add the lamb shanks, a few at a time, and brown them well on all sides. Remove them from the pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan, lower the heat and saute the onion, leeks and celery until they are soft and lightly browned. Stir in all but one-half teaspoon of the garlic, then add the wine. Simmer for a few minutes, scraping the browned particles from the bottom of the pan.
• Stir in the rosemary, parsley sprigs and bay leaves. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then return the lamb to the pan. Cover and place in the oven to bake until the lamb is very tender, about three hours.
• While the lamb is baking, mix the remaining garlic with the minced parsley and lemon peel and set aside.
• When the lamb is tender, remove it from the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer on top of the stove and taste it for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Dissolve the potato starch or cornstarch in the cold water and stir it in to thicken the sauce, then stir in the lemon juice. Return the lamb to the pan and baste it with the sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve or, if desired, prepare it in advance and reheat it just before serving.
• Transfer the lamb to a platter and spoon the sauce over it. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, garlic and lemon peel mixture and serve.

SPRING LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Add lamb to pot and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Add onions, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves and thyme and stir 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lamb and vegetables are almost tender, about 1 hour.
• Uncover stew and simmer until gravy thickens and lamb and vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Add parsley. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper.