Spring Lamb With Baby Greens 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 WITH BABY GREENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Steam two-thirds of the spinach for a few minutes, or until it is just wilted. Rinse under cold running water. Squeeze out all of the excess water and chop coarsely. Put the chopped spinach in a large bowl, add the rest of the stuffing ingredients and mix well.
• Steam the remaining spinach leaves along with the dandelion leaves and chicory until barely wilted. Rinse under cold running water until cool. Pat dry and set aside.
• Lay the leg of lamb, fat side down, on a flat surface. Spread the stuffing over the meat. Starting with the smallest end, roll up the meat lengthwise like a jellyroll. Tie it tightly with butcher's string.
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot. Carefully put the lamb in the skillet and sear it on 4 sides, about 4 minutes per side, until golden brown all over.
• Lower the heat, take the leg out of the pan and set it aside. Gently scrape any burned pieces or fat from the bottom of the pan and discard. Add the vinegar and wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer until it reduces to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and apple cider. Put the lamb back into the skillet. Drape the greens on top of the meat, crosswise. Lay the remaining greens in the bottom of the pan. Set the pan in the oven and roast the lamb for 30 minutes, basting continually.
• Turn the lamb over, add the parsnips to the skillet and continue to roast for an additional 20 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer in the large end of the leg. The thermometer should read 125 degrees for rare meat, or 130 degrees for medium rare. Let the lamb rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Keep the greens and parsnips warm and serve alongside the sliced lamb.

LAMB STEW WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the canola oil in a medium (10- to 11-inch) ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes, until browned. Transfer the bacon to a large plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Dry the lamb with paper towels and toss it in a bowl first with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and then with the 1/4 cup of flour. Raise the heat to medium high and cook half the lamb in the bacon fat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Add the lamb to the plate with the bacon and brown the second batch, also transferring it to the plate. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for one minute.
• Pour the lamb and bacon, along with any juices that collect, back into the pot. Add the beef stock, wine, tomatoes (including the juice), thyme, rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits in the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes, cover, and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, onions, and turnips, cover, and return to the oven for 1 hour, until all the vegetables are tender.
• Mash the 2 tablespoons of flour with the butter in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the stew, and simmer on top of the stove for 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the peas and parsley, season to taste, and serve hot in large shallow bowls.

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.

LEG OF LAMB WITH GREENS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add fennel bulb, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add scallions and chopped garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add greens, and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with fennel seeds and pepper to taste. Stir in mint. Transfer to a bowl until cooled completely.
• Crumble feta cheese over cooled greens; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Place lamb on a clean work surface. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano. Spread greens over lamb in an even layer. Roll lamb, starting at narrow end, to enclose filling. Using kitchen twine, tie lamb lengthwise and crosswise at 1-inch intervals. Rub with remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Make four small slits in lamb, and insert the garlic quarters. Place the lamb in a roasting pan that just holds it comfortably. Roast for 25 minutes.
• Add wine, and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Continue roasting, basting frequently with pan juices, 45 to 65 minutes (or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the lamb registers 125 degrees for medium-rare). If the roasting pan becomes dry, add a little water or chicken stock.
• Remove lamb from oven, and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 15 minutes. Remove twine from lamb before slicing. Strain pan drippings, skimming fat from the surface; drizzle pan juices over lamb. Serve with okra stew and phyllo rolls, if desired.

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 WITH GRILLED BABY ARTICHOKES - MR. BEAN

Steps:

• Beans
• To make the beans, soak the dried beans in water to cover for 4 hours. Drain.
• In a large saucepan, combine 8 cups water with the beans, the lemon half, garlic, thyme, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, or until al dente.
• Lamb
• To prepare the lamb, combine the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic in a shallow dish; add the lamb tenderloins, and marinate for 3 to 6 hours, depending on how much time you have and how much flavor you want the meat to absorb.
• Tapenade
• To make the beans, soak the dried beans in water to cover for 4 hours. Drain.
• Salad
• To make the salad, over an open flame, roast the bell pepper until all sides are properly charred, but not completely burnt.
• Place the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. (This will steam the pepper, making it easier to remove the skin.) Remove the skin and seeds from the pepper,then julienne and set aside.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Peel off the outer artichoke leaves until you reach a layer where they are almost yellow. Blanch the artichokes for 7 minutes, then let them cool down a bit before cutting each one in half. Coat them with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the lamb from the marinade, removing any pieces of garlic or rosemary because they will burn on the grill. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Grill the lamb for 4 to 5 minutes, or until medium-rare,turning them a few times. Grill the artichokes at the same time, turning them a few times, until you get grill marks on all sides, about 3 minutes. Let the lamb rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then slice. Place the beans, bell pepper slices, frisée, and artichokes in a bowl with the tapenade. Toss gently and season with salt and pepper. Place the sliced lamb on top and serve.

RACK OF SPRING LAMB WITH ROASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400°F.
• Discard the excess papery skin from the garlic heads and place in a small baking dish.
• Drizzle with 1/2 Tbs.
• of the olive oil and the water.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake until soft, about 45 minutes.
• Let cool slightly.
• Leave the oven set at 400°F.
• Separate the garlic cloves and squeeze the pulp from the skins into a small bowl; discard the skins.
• Whisk in the remaining 2 Tbs.
• olive oil, the mustard, lemon juice and 1/2 tsp.
• each salt and pepper.
• In another bowl, season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper.
• Lay the racks of lamb in a roasting pan side by side and fat side up.
• Roast for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and immediately rub the garlic mixture over the fat side of each rack.
• Then spread the bread crumb mixture over the garlic mixture.
• Drizzle with the melted butter and return the lamb to the oven.
• Continue to roast until the crumbs are lightly golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a rack, away from the bone, registers 130F degrees 135°F for medium-rare, or the meat is pink when cut into with a sharp knife, about 25 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Preheat a broiler.
• Uncover and place the roasting pan under the broiler 5-6 inches from the heat source.
• Broil the lamb racks until the crumbs are deep golden brown, 30-60 seconds .
• To serve, place the racks on a cutting board and slice between the ribs.
• Arrange 2 or 3 ribs on each warmed individual plate.