Lamb’s bold flavor works in so many different dishes. The key is accentuating and highlighting it while keeping things simple. Cultures around the world have their take on traditional lamb stew as well as chops, shanks and ground lamb.
Here’s a recipe shared by our General Manager, Chris Maher, who enjoys cooking lamb. Credit goes to Bobby Flay, “why try and reinvent something this good?”
Ingredients
½ cup Greek olive oil, plus 2 Tbsp for lemons
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup thyme leaves, roughly chopped
2 racks of lamb, 8 chops each, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 lemons, halved crosswise
Sprigs oregano and dill, for garnish
Directions
Whisk together oil, garlic and thyme in a shallow large baking dish. Add the chops and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.
Remove the chops from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Heat grill to 700 °.
Grill the chops for 5 to 6 minutes per side to sear. Reduce heat to medium by turning one burner off. Move lamb to that side of the grill and close cover.
Cook until meat is 135°. in the center for medium doneness. Remove and rest for 2 minutes. Slice into individual chops.
Brush the cut side of the lemons with the oil and grill, cut side down on high for 1 minute. Turn lemons 45°. to make hatch marks and remove.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the platter of chops. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh sprigs of oregano and dill. Serve the remaining grilled lemons on the platter with the chops.
Lamb’s bold flavor works in so many different dishes. The key is accentuating and highlighting it while keeping things simple. Cultures around the world have their take on traditional lamb stew as well as chops, shanks and ground lamb.
Here’s a go-to recipe from our General Manager, Chris Maher, from Nagi Maehashi of Recipe Tin Eats.
Ingredients
4 lamb shanks, around 13 oz each
1 tsp EACH cooking/kosher salt and pepper
2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, finely diced (brown, yellow or white)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 ½ cups red wine (full bodied good value wine, not expensive!)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock, low sodium (or water)
5 sprigs of thyme (preferably tied together), or 2 tsp dried thyme
2 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Pat lamb with paper towel to dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp oil on high heat in a large oven-safe pot on the stove. Get it hot before adding meat.
Sear lamb until brown on all sides – about 3-5 minutes each side. Set aside. Lower heat to medium and wait a moment. Add remaining olive oil. Add diced onion and garlic. Stir.
Cook for 5 minutes. Add seasonings. Add carrot and celery. Cook 5 minutes more until carrot begins to soften.
Add red wine and scrape any brown bits from the sauce pan up with the liquid. MMMM Tasty stuff!
Add stock, paste and tomatoes. Stir until heated through. Add shanks back to the pot.
Cover the pot and transfer to preheated oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove pot from oven. Take lamb out and set aside.
Strain veggies out of the sauce into a bowl. (Reserve veggies for other tasty things like pasta.)
Put strained sauce on the stove back in the pot and cook for 10 minutes more over medium high heat to reduce and thicken. Taste, add salt if needed.
Serve shanks on a grain or potatoes, covered with sauce. Peas are good too.
Here’s a great recipe that’s easy enough for dinner any night of the week, and fancy enough that you’ll get rave reviews on a special occasion.
Saltimbocca is a traditional Roman dish featuring prosciutto wrapped around veal and sage leaves, cooked in butter and white wine. We’re using chicken as the main protein since it’s easier to find. “Saltimbocca” comes from the Italian phrase saltare in bocca, meaning “to jump into your mouth.” One bite and you’ll know why.
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied and lightly pounded – about 6 oz each
8 large sage leaves
4 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup dry white wine – like pinot grigio
¾ cup chicken stock
4 smashed cloves garlic
1 small shallot, minced
Salt and pepper
Fresh lemon slices for garnish
Directions
Season chicken breast halves with a little salt and pepper (go easy – prosciutto will give the dish plenty of salt). Put two sages leaves on each one and carefully wrap prosciutto slices around, pressing as you go and using toothpicks to make sure the prosciutto stays in place.
Place flour on a plate and dredge chicken. Set dredged chicken aside on another plate.
In a large skillet over medium-high high heat, add olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Add two wrapped breasts, turning as prosciutto gets crispy. Cook until nearly cooked through, turning as prosciutto shrinks and gets crispy – about 4-6 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining pieces.
Pour off excess fat. Add garlic and shallot, cook 2 minutes. Add wine, deglazing pan by scraping off the bits. Reduce wine by half, about 2-3 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cook/reduce by half – about 3-4 minutes. Add in butter and stir/swirl to emulsify sauce. Remove garlic.
Add chicken back to skillet and simmer over moderate heat until chicken is fully cooked through, about 2-3 minutes more or as needed to reach 165° internal temperature. Adjust salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to plates and pour sauce on and around before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and serve with your choice of side.
Guasacaca (pronounced “wah-sah-cah-cah”) is the Venezuelan version of guacamole that includes vinegar along with the zing of citrus.
Smooth and creamy, this could be your new go-to dip or even salad dressing! And it’s oh-so-satisfying and ready in minutes using familiar ingredients.
Yes, eating healthy can be all these things.
Ingredients
3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup white onion, chopped
1/3 green bell pepper, seeded/cut in large chunks
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded/deveined/chopped (or sub more green pepper to make ½ cup total)
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley
1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
½ cup neutral-flavored oil, like grapeseed
1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: cayenne/crushed chili flakes/nutritional yeast flakes
Directions
To a blender or food processor, add avocado, garlic, onion, peppers, herbs. With machine on, add oil in a small stream, followed by smaller amounts of lime juice and vinegar.
Add pinches of salt/pepper and adjust acid level to taste. Process further to evenly incorporate all ingredients and ensure a smooth texture.
Put in serving bowl and garnish. Serve with chips, crackers (seed-based or other favorite) or crudités.
This slaw is sure to stand out at any party, picnic or barbecue it’s invited to. No creamy mayo to weigh it down, it’s nice and light! The dressing would also be fun for a twist on the usual potato salad.
Ingredients
6 scallions
½ cup kimchi, plus 1 Tbsp. juice from jar
½ Tbsp honey or brown sugar
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Sriracha
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 small head of Napa cabbage
1 3″-piece daikon, peeled, cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup jicama, cut into matchsticks
2 cups store-bought shredded carrots
Kosher salt
Toasted slivered almonds and cilantro, for serving
Optional: ½ cup dino kale, sliced into thin ribbons
Mint leaves
Lime wedges
Directions
Remove dark green tops from scallions and thinly slice; set aside. Blend scallion bulbs, kimchi, kimchi juice, brown sugar or honey, vinegar, Sriracha, fish sauce, and sesame oil in a blender until smooth. With blender running, very slowly stream in vegetable oil; blend until dressing is thick and airy. Set aside.
Tear off leaves from cabbage until you get to smaller, whiter leaves. Rip bigger, outer leaves into 2″ pieces. Thinly slice core crosswise until you have about 6 cups; reserve remaining cabbage for another use. Toss in a large bowl with daikon, jicama, carrots, reserved scallion tops and dino kale (if using).
Pour reserved dressing over and toss to coat. Adjust salt level to your taste and transfer to a platter/serving bowl. Top with toasted almonds and cilantro.
Light, tasty, and with a nice amount of fruit/veggie goodness, these meatballs are easy to make. The recipe’s easy to double as well.
Use this recipe for patties too, or a little bit of both!
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil, plus a little more to grease baking dish
1 medium onion, finely chopped or minced
1/2 small apple, like Granny Smith, finely chopped or shredded
1 clove garlic, minced or through a garlic press
1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 ½ tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2-3 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1 egg, beaten
Salt to taste
Nonstick cooking spray
Optional: About 1 Tbsp tomato sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease/spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with oil or nonstick cooking spray.
Heat 2 tsp oil in saucepan. Sauté and stir onion and apple for 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more. Set aside to cool.
Mix together ground meat, breadcrumbs, parsley, paprika, Parmesan and tomato sauce (if using). Add in beaten egg and stir to combine.
Form mixture into meatballs, about 1″ in diameter, or patties as big or small as you’d like. Place in rows in the baking dish. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden and internal temperature reads 165°.
