Rack of Lamb and Roasted Veggies

This is a two pan, one oven meal. Simple and tasty!

• 1 lb small potatoes, quartered
• 1 lb beans
• 1 rack of lamb
• Olive oil
• Herbs de Provence
• Salt and pepper

Gremolata for Lamb

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2/3 c parsley
• 2 tbps preserved lemon
• 1/4 c bread crumbs
• 2 tbps olive oil

Preheat oven to 450.

In a large bowl toss potatoes, beans and 1 tsp herbs with olive oil. Place on a large pan and roast for 30 – 40 minutes until golden.

In a food processor combine gremolata ingredients and pulse to combine. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Press gremolata on the lamb. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until cooked to your level of doneness.

Serves 4.

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Lamb with Pomegranetes and Honey

This dish is from Simple by Diana Henry. It is perfectly spiced and the mint and Pom seeds add a nice contrast. Serve on warmed flat bread.

For the lamb:
4 lb lamb
9 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Salt
Leaves from a small bunch of mint
4½ tbsp pomegranate molasses 
4½ tbsp honey
4 tbsp olive oil
Juice from 4 lemons
To serve:
1 pomegranate
Leaves from a small bunch of mint
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 3/4 c Greek yogurt
Flatbreads or cooked couscous 

Pierce deep holes all over the lamb. In a mortar, make a marinade: crush the garlic to a paste with the salt, then add the other ingredients, starting with the mint, and pound some more.

Place lamb in a large bowl. Pour on the marinade, turning the lamb over to coat it. Cover and put in the fridge for about 12 hours.

Return the lamb to room temperature and place in a slow cooker and cook covered for 8 hours. Pull the foil over the lamb and seal to form a tent. The lamb is cooked when you can pull the meat apart with a fork.

Mix the pomegranate seeds with the mint, then add the garlic to the yogurt. Shred the lamb at the table and serve with the yogurt, pomegranate and mint, plus flatbreads or couscous and a salad.

Serves 6 – 8

Merguez Lamb Sausage with Harissa

This is from Patricia Wells latest book andlike every other recipe I’ve made of hers just wonderful!

Lamb Ingredients:
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked hot paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp harissa
1 lb ground lamb

Harissa Yogurt Sauce:
1 c greek yogurt
1 tbsp harissa
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine and set aside.

Herbed Couscous
1 c couscous
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp dill, chopped
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
1/4 c flat lead parsley, chopped
Pepper

Bring 1 c water to a boil, stir in couscous ans butter. Turn off heat and set aside for 10 min. Fluff, stir in remaining ingredients.

To make lamb:

Combine fennel, coriander and cumin in a small pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute then remove from heat. Grind in a spice mill. 

In a large bowl combine lamb with all the spice and mix to combine. Form 1/4 c scoops into logs. 

Heat a large pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp oil. Cook sausages 5 minutes per side.

Serve with sauce and couscous.

Serves 4.

Rosemary Garlic Lamb

I love rack of lamb and this recipe could not be easier. 

Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c rosemary
1 head of garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Salt and pepper the rack of lamb and put on a baking sheet fat side up.

Combine olive oil, rosemary and garlic in a mini processor and pulse until smooth. 

Smear on lamb and let rest 1 hour.

Roast for 8 minutes, turn pan and cook for 8 more minutes. Check temp, I like mine rare so I pull it out at 135.

Let rest 10 minutes. Slice and serve. 

Serves 2 – 4.

Grilled Lamb Burgers in Pita

These were inspired by a recipe I found in Bon Appetite. The only change I would make is find a thicker pita bread or make your own. I served it with Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb
1 onion, very finely chopped
¾ c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tspground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp salt
Pepper
4 thick medium pita breads, split open

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl except the pita. Mix well.

Divide into 4 patties and pita, and press to the edges. 

Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes each side. Watch for the hot spots so you don’t charge the pita too much.

Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Spicy Harissa Lamb

This lamb sauce is supurb! Serve over polenta, pasta or in a corn meal pizza crust. Skinny Taste slow cooker has some great recipes, though I did up the spices. 

Ingredients:
14 oz can diced tomatoes
12 oz jar roasted red peppers
1 lb ground lamb
Salt ans pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stock chopped
1 large carrot chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp harrisa
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch of scallions sliced thin
1 bunch of fresh mint chopped
Pecorino Romano grated

In a multicooker of skillet over medium heat, add the lamb seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook using a spatula to break up until browned. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic, stirring as needed until soft. Add harrisa, coriander, cumin, paprika and pepper flakes cook for 1 more minute. Add tomatoes and pepper and cover. 

Cook on high for 4 hours, low for 8.

Serve over polenta or pasta.

Serves 8. 11 ww pp.

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb

This is from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem – it is so good! Warning in comes together really quickly, but takes about 2 hours total time.

Ingredients:
4 eggplants, split in half
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
2 onions, sliced thin
1 lb ground lamb
7 tbsp pine nuts
2 tsp tomato paste
2/3 c water
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tamarind
4 cinnamon sticks
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Place eggplants skin side down in a roasting pan, that fits snugly. Brush or spray with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, and cool slightly. 

Combine cumin, paprika and cinnamon in a bowl.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat and cook onions and 1/2 the spice mixture until soft. Add lamb, tomato paste, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Cook until meat is cooked. Stir in pine nuts.

Combine water, lemon, tamarind and spices. Pour over eggplant, fill with meat and tightly cover.

Reduce oven to 375. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes basting ever 30 min and recovering.

Serves 4.

Spiced Lamb and Couscous

  
Lamb on a weeknight? It is doable! It takes 20 – 25 minutes to cook and you can whip up the couscous and salad why you are waiting for your lamb.

Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb
Ground nutmeg
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried tyme
1 tsp sumac
Salt and pepper

Couscous
1 1/4 c couscous
1 fresno pepper, minced
1 punch of parsley, leaved chopped
1 lemon
Olive oil
1/4 c pine nuts

Salad
3 – 4 c arugula
2 tsp Olive oil
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/4 c feta crubled

Preheat oven to 425.

Sprinkle lamb on both sides with spices and press into the meat. Place in a roasting pan fat side up. Roast for 20 – 30 minites until about 145 for medium rare. Remove from oven and tent for 10 minites.

For the couscous:

Place couscous in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add just enough boiling water to cover, cover bowl with a plate and set aside for ten minutes. Fluff with a fork, season with salt and pepper, stir in the remaining ingredients. 

Salad:

Combine ingredients in a bowl and toss.

To serve, slice lamb and serve with salad and couscous.

Serves 4.

Lamb Gyro Dumplings with Greek Salad

  
This is a bit of work but totally worth it! Gyro dumplings with a crisp salad – perfect for a fancy Sunday lunch.

Ingredients:
1/2 c Greek yogurt
1/2 English cucumber, grated
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP chopped dill
1/4 tsp cayenne
Salt and Pepper
1 lb ground lamb
1 TBSP canola oil
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
30 small round gyoza (wonton) wrappers

In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt with the cucumber, lemon zest, lemon juice, the 1 TBSP of chopped dill and the cayenne. Season the tzatziki with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lamb with the oil, onion powder, garlic powder, mint, oregano, garlic, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and mix well.

On a work surface, brush the rims of 5 gyoza wrappers with water and spoon 1 TBSP of the filling into the center of each. Fold the wrappers over to form half-moons. Seal the edges, pressing out any air, and crimp decoratively. Transfer the dumplings to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet; keep them covered with a moist paper towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Fill a wok or large skillet with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Working in batches, arrange the dumplings in a double-tiered bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper. Set the steamer over the boiling water, cover and steam the dumplings until the filling is cooked through and firm, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the dumplings to a platter and garnish with chopped dill. Serve with the tzatziki.

Greek Salad

Ingredients:
1 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 TBSP fresh oregano, minced
3 – 4 tomatoes, quartered
1 lb cucumber, cut into chuncks
20 brined olives, pittee abd halves
8 oz feta cut into chunks

Toss all ingeredints in a bowl and serves.

Serves 6 – 8.

Spicy Lamb Ribs

  
I love lamb especially rack of lamb. This recipe is so quick and easy. Start the marinade in the am and turn it a couple times during the day.

Ingredients:

• 1 rack of lamb, sliced into individual pieces
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 TBSP chopped oregano leaves
• 2 TBDP chopped mint leaves
• 3 1/2 TBSP red pepper flakes
• Lemon wedges

Combine all the ingredients except the lamb in a zip lock bag or shallow pan. Salt and pepper lamb then add the the marinade. Let marinade 4 – 24 hours turning occasionally.

When ready to cook, heat the grill on high and cook 2 – 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill and serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.