Try Dorper meat! The mild flavor of the meat, its tenderness and juiciness are outstanding. This is truly THE best thing since peanut butter! Simply succulent!! Several cuts work to perfection in sauce, broiled, sautéed for meals of busy families, as well as slowly cooked or grilled for the fancier Sunday meal or friend and family gatherings. In need of new recipes to try? Explore “a world of flavors” without the need for a passport nor a suitcase. We would like to share with you different recipes, specialties from several countries around the globe. In some places, lamb is one of the top 3 choices of meat, either because it grows well under the environmental conditions found locally, or because of religious influences. Diverse lamb recipes have therefore had time to be perfected. Lamb connoisseurs, enjoy a gourmet experience: discover the taste of Dorper lamb. Thank us later for a delightful experience!

Put something good on the table! Enjoy Twin County Lamb!!

An array of choices: cuisine from around the globe.
Click on the country name to see recipes from that region.

Algeria

Lamb in prune and almond sauce

“Lahm lhalou”

Serves 6

Season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Sear the lamb in small portions making sure the cubes are nicely browned. Transfer the meat to a bowl in order to continue searing the rest of the meat in a similar fashion. Add butter if necessary. Remove the last meat cubes. Deglaze the pan with the water. Add the cinnamon, almonds, sugar, orange juice and prunes and bring to a boil over high heat while continuously mixing the sauce. Add the lamb. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.

A rich and flavorful dish !

Austria

Marinated leg of lamb

“Jagnjéći but”

Serves 6 to 8

Season the meat with salt and place it into a pan. In a saucepan, mix together the vinegar, water, bay leaves, onions, pepper, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Let the marinade cool down and pour it over the meat. Place the lamb into the refrigerator and marinate, uncovered for 6 to 24 hours, turning the meat over from time to time. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Dry the meat with absorbent paper. In a heavy skillet, melt the shortening until a light smoke rises. Sear the meat for 15 to 20 minutes over medium, medium-high heat until golden, rolling it over each side every 4-5 minutes. Place the lamb into a roasting pot merely large enough to fit it. Sift the marinade into a separate bowl. Pour the onions, herbs and spices, as well as 1 ½ cup of the liquid over the meat. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover with a lid and place the pot on the center grill of the oven. Cook 2 hours. Reduce the heat if the liquid is boiling too much. It must only be simmering lightly. Once the meat is fork tender, take it out of the oven and place it into a dish covered with aluminum foil. Set aside and let rest 15-20 minutes. Sift the stock, discard the vegetables and herbs. Degrease the stock if necessary, at least partially. Rectify the seasoning if necessary, bring to a boil and thicken the sauce with a little flour. Sift the sauce if necessary. Slice the roast and nap it with sauce.

Tasty !

Marjoram scented lamb

“Gesottenes Lämmernes in majoran sauce”

Serves 5 to 6

Place the meat, onion, cubed parsnip, cubed carrot and cubed celery into a large pot. Add the water and the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2 ½ hours, or until the meat is fork tender. After the meat has cooked for 2 hours, blanch all the sliced vegetables 3 minutes in unsalted boiling water. Drain and set aside. Transfer the meat on a warm dish, cover with foil and set aside. Sift the stock mashing the vegetables as much as possible. Discard the mashed vegetables. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat and reduce it to about ¾ pint. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet, dust the skillet with flour and cook over low heat until it gets slightly golden. Add the marjoram, lemon juice and parsley. Add some broth and incorporate it slowly in several steps to make a creamy sauce. Place the meat in the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook on low to medium heat for an additional 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Decorate with chopped parsley.

Central Asia

Lamb and vegetables pilaf

“Ouzbek Palov”

Serves 6

Warm up the oil in a heavy skillet, over high heat, until a light smoke rises above the oil. Add cubed lamb and sear the meat for 5 to 8 minutes until golden, rotating the meat with a large spoon to brown all sides. Transfer the meat into a large casserole. Add to the skillet the carrots and most of the onion (set 1 tablespoon aside). Sautéed the vegetables on medium heat until they are fork tender. Mix the rice to the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and cook about 2 minutes until the rice is slightly opaque and nicely covered with the oil. Transfer the rice and vegetables to the casserole with the meat. Add the salt, pepper and the water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed. Rectify the seasoning. Sprinkle the remaining raw onions over the rice and serve.

France

Sautéed lamb chops

“Côtelettes d’agneau sautées”

Serves 4

Dry the meat with absorbent paper. Season with salt and pepper both sides of the chop. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet on high heat. The butter is hot enough when a droplet of water dropped in the skillet immediately evaporates. At that time, place the chops in the skillet, 2 to 4 chops at a time depending on the size of the skillet. Sauté the meat 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Arrange the chops nicely on a warm plate, cover with foil and set aside while you cook the rest of the meat. Add the remaining butter to cook the remaining chops. Lamb chops are best served medium rare. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs. Serve with one or two sides of vegetables.

Spring lamb stew

“Navarin printanier”

Serves 6-8

Preheat the oven at 500° F. Sear the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Only sear 4 to 5 lamb cubes at a time and proceed with searing the meat in small batches, adding oil as needed, until all the meat is browned. Set lightly browned meat aside, in a large pot. Dust the lamb with flour. Add the thyme, salt and pepper. Mix in and place into the oven 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the meat a couple of times. Take the meat out of the oven. Set the oven temperature at 325° F. Add some oil to the skillet and sauté the shallots and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat, mixing constantly. Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute. Pour this sauce over the meat. Add the parsley, leek and bay leaf bouquet. Cover with a lid and put back in to the oven. Simmer 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender.

While the meat is cooking, prepare all the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions, carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Cook 7 to 8 minutes mixing the vegetables together from time to time. Set cooked vegetables aside. Blanch the peas and green beans in a pan with 3 to 4 pints of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the vegetables in cold water.

After the meat has cooked for 45 minutes, remove it from the pot and sift the sauce. Wash the pot and place the onions, carrots, parsnips and potatoes into it. Above the vegetables place the lamb. Degrease the sauce if necessary and pour it back into the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Cover with a lid and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Add the peas and green beans. Cook an additional 10 minutes until the vegetable are fork tender. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Roasted leg of lamb

“Gigot d’agneau rôti”
Serves 6-8

Preheat the oven to 500° F. Cut ½ to ¾ inch slits in the meat and push a garlic slice into each one. Rub the meat with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the leg of lamb 20 minutes, uncovered, in a heavy cooking vessel with the oven grill placed in the middle position. Turn the oven down to 375° F. Add the vegetables and the broth, cover and roast to an internal temperature of 140-145° F. When the meat is done, place it on a warm plate and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. In the meantime, remove the vegetables from the cooking broth and remove excess fat from the broth if necessary. Puree the vegetables using a sift and pressing them through with a wooden spoon, adding some broth as needed. Mix in the puree with the remaining broth as to make a gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enhance with lemon juice (optional).

Great Britain

Mint-stuffed roasted leg of lamb

Serves 8-10

Preheat the oven at 475°F. Mix to combine the bacon, mint, garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Cover the inside portion of the meat with this mixture, roll the leg back over itself and tie it every 2 inches to form a roast. Oil the roast with a brush and place it in a pan. Cook for about 25 minutes. Lower the heat to 375°F. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Dust the meat with salt and some pepper and cook another hour. When the lamb is cooked to your taste, remove it from the oven, cover it with foil and set it aside 10 minutes. You may prepare a sauce with the cooking juice. Bring the juice to a boil on the stove and clean the sides and bottom of the pan. Sift the juice, mashing some of the vegetables through the sieve. Discard the vegetables. Degrease partially the sauce if necessary and rectify the seasoning.

Crown roast of lamb with peas and new potatoes

Serves 6-8

Preheat the oven at 475°F. Tie the meat in a crown. Cut some small openings in the meat and insert garlic slices. Mix together the salt, pepper, rosemary and coat the rack of lamb with this mixture. Place some foil inside the crown so that it keeps its shape while cooking. Also cover the tip of the ribs with foil to prevent burning. Place the crown on a grill inside a pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 400° F. Place the potatoes around the crown. Baste them with the juice from the meat and salt them. Cook for another 1 to 1 ½ hour, basting the potatoes every 15 minutes, but not the meat. Once the meat is cooked to your taste, set the crown on a large dish, remove foil and rest 10 minutes. Mix the peas and butter. Add some salt if necessary. Pour the peas in the center of the crown and arrange the potatoes around it. Garnish with mint and serve.

Greece

Lamb on skewers

“Arni souvlakia”

Serves 8

Place the meat in a bowl. Mix together the lemon juice, oil, salt, oregano, garlic, onion and pepper and pour over the meat. Mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight, turning the meat from time to time. Thread the meat cubes on skewers. Thread the onion and bell pepper on different skewers. Barbecue the lamb and vegetables over medium-hot coals, basting the meat with the remaining marinade. Turn the meat regularly to brown all sides nicely.

Broiled lamb steaks

“Paidakia tis scaras”

Serves 6

Trim excess fat from the meat if needed. Mix together the wine, lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and pour this marinade over the meat. Cover the meat and chill. Marinate several hours or overnight, turning the steaks occasionally. Broil or barbecue over medium-hot coals, turning the meat once, and basting with the remaining marinade. Allow about 12-15 minutes cooking time. The inside of the steak needs to remain slightly pink. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Egg plant and lamb au gratin

“Moussaka”

Serves 4-5

Lightly salt each egg plant slice on one side. Place a few salted slices side by side on absorbing paper. Continue layering in a similar fashion the egg plant and absorbent paper. When finished, place a heavy cooking pan on top of the egg plant to favor the extraction of the water from the vegetable. Set aside to rest for 20 minutes. Coat the egg plant in flour. Slightly shake to remove excess flour. In a large skillet, heat 8 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. When a light smoke rises from the oil, fry several egg plant slices at a time, for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Set aside on absorbing paper. Repeat this process in small batches until all the egg plant is fried. Add oil to the skillet if necessary.

In a different skillet, measure 3-4 tablespoons of oil. Heat the oil until it reaches its smoking point. Fry the onions for about 8 minutes until golden. Add the ground lamb and incorporate so that the meat does not clump. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of salt and some ground pepper. Bring to a boil, mixing from time to time. Reduce the heat to medium and cook long enough for this meat sauce to become thick, mixing it from time to time. Rectify seasoning.

In a medium-size saucepan, warm up ¾ cup of milk and the butter. Do not allow to boil. Set aside. In a bowl stir the eggs, the remaining milk, and flour. Wisk until an homogeneous mixture is obtained. Temper the eggs with some of the warm milk and butter mixture. Incorporate. Add more warm milk. Incorporate. Mix tempered eggs and remaining warm milk and whisk over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Remove from the source of heat. If the sauce thickens too much, transfer it into a bowl.

Preheat the oven at 325° F. In a medium size Pyrex dish layer twice the egg plant slices, followed by the meaty sauce, milk sauce, and parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes in the center of the oven. Increase the heat to 400 ° F and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the top layer of cheese is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Delicious and nutritious !

Barbecued lamb

“Arni roti”

Serves 9-10

Lay out the meat in a large shallow pan or casserole. Mix together the lemon juice, vermouth, oil, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, rosemary and garlic and pour over the meat. Turn the meat to coat both sides and chill for several hours, preferably overnight. Barbecue the lamb on a grill over medium heat, allowing about 20 minutes per side. Baste several times during grilling with the remaining marinade. Place the meat on a carving board and garnish with lemon wedges and citrus leaves. Slice to serve.

Greek-style lamb sandwiches (home-made gyros)

Makes about 5 sandwiches

After chopping the onion, place it into a tea towel and squeeze out some of its water. We do not want to add moisture to the meat. Add all the herbs and condiments and mix thoroughly. Wrap tightly using a plastic wrap or a plastic bag and chill for at least two hours in the refrigerator (you may also chill overnight).

To prepare the sauce you will need:

Mix the yogurt with two pinch of salt. Place in a tea towel, tie and hang the little bag over a bowl or over the sink for one hour to remove excess whey. Finely chop the cucumber, add a pinch of salt, mix and set aside for a few minutes. Then place the cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze the water out. Combine cucumber, olive oil, garlic, mint, red wine vinegar and black pepper. Later add the yogurt and mix to combine. The sauce is ready. Taste it to check on seasoning and refrigerate until needed.

For those who are “hungry now and with little time to spare”.
When you prepare the meat, you can skip one step and use ¼ cup of onion flakes instead of fresh onion. Form the lamb meat into patties which you can grill indoors or outdoors. This is pretty quick and still tastes very good in the end. Cut bite-size chunks of cooked meat to build your sandwich.

For the others.

Two choices. Use your rotisserie to cook the meat or preheat the oven at 325° F. Place the meat in a small loaf pan and the pan in a water bath. Cook uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 170° F. Once cooked, remove excess fat that will have accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Slice the meat and cut bite-size chunks of cooked meat to build your sandwich.

Also needed:

How to build the sandwich: in a warm pita bread smear some sauce, add chunks of meat, top with chopped tomato, feta and if you like, a little onion and fresh mint. Fold in half and enjoy.

India

Curried lamb and cashew

“Korma”

Serves 4

In a mixer place the nuts, peppers and ginger and mix on high speed to brake apart. Add the cardamom, clove, garlic, poppy seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Mix on high speed. Add the water and mix for another 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick pieces.

Boil 4 tablespoons of water and mix in the saffron. Set aside for at least 10 minutes. Warm up the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook them for 7-8 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed. Add the salt. Add the massala paste and the yogurt. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, mixing the sauce from time to time. Add the lamb to this sauce, mix to coat. Add the saffron and its water. Mix well. Set the heat to medium, place a lid on and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the meat is tender. When ready to serve, sprinkle with cilantro and lemon juice. Serve over rice.

A pretty aromatic dish !

Italy

Stewed lamb

“Agnello brodettato”

Serves 6

Preheat the oven at 500° F. Fry the lard in a large skillet over high heat until golden and crisp. Set aside. Sear the lamb in the rendered fat, 4 to 5 cubes at a time. Set aside in a large pot. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Place this meat in the oven for 10 minutes, mixing in 2 to 3 times so that a light crust forms. Take the pot out of the oven. Reduce the heat to 350° F. In a skillet, sauté the garlic over medium-low heat for about 1 minute. Deglaze with the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce to about 4 tablespoons. Add the lamb stock and cook for about 1 minute. Pour this sauce over the meat. Bring the meat and sauce to a boil. Add the bay leaf. Cover with a lid and simmer in the oven for 1 ½ hour or until the meat is fork tender. Take the meat out of the pot and set aside on a dish covered with foil. Sift the sauce into a small saucepan. Degrease if necessary. Beat the egg yolks and lemon juice in a small bowl using a whisk. Temper the yolks by adding 2 tablespoons of warm sauce and mixing it in. Repeat this process once more before adding the yolk mixture to the saucepan. Over medium heat bring the sauce to a boil and cook it for 30 seconds while whisking. Rectify seasoning if necessary. Pour the sauce over the meat and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Tuscan-style lamb skewers

Serves 3-4

Mix together the components of the marinade in a plastic container large enough to contain the meat. Cut out and discard any connective tissue remaining on the meat. Place cubed lamb in the marinade, cover with a lid and marinate at room temperature for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight in the refrigerator). Turn the meat once or twice during the marinating period. Prepare your coals, place the meat on skewers and grill over medium high heat for 10 minutes, turning the meat from time to time to grill each side.

Braised lamb shanks Osso buco style

Serves 2-3

Melt the butter in a large cooking vessel. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic over medium-medium high heat for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and soft. Deglaze with half the wine. Add remaining wine and reduce over high heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the broth, the tomatoes, herbs and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring sauce to a boil over low heat. In the meantime, add the oil to a large pan and bring to smoking point over medium-high heat. Season each shank with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off the excess. Sear the meat on all sides in small quantities. Transfer browned lamb into the sauce prepared before. There must be enough broth to cover the meat half way. Cook at 350° F for 2 ½ hours. The meat is done when it detaches from the bone.

Jamaica

Port Royal lamb shanks

Serves 6

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the oil over high heat in a heavy skillet. When the butter is no longer bubbling, sear the shanks, 2 by 2, turning them over from time to time using tongues. Reduce the heat if necessary in order to obtain homogenous cooking. When the meat is seared, transfer it to a large pot. Add the orange juice, broth, orange zest, vinegar, Tabasco sauce and bay leaf. Mix in well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for about 1 ½ hours or until the meat is fork tender. Transfer the meat to a hot plate, covered with aluminum foil, and keep it warm while you prepare the sauce. Separate as much fat as possible from the remaining cooking liquid, sift and bring back to a boil over high heat. Boil until about 2 ½ cups of stock remain. Reduce the heat. Beat the yolks in a separate bowl. Temper the yolks with 2-3 tablespoons of hot stock, and incorporate them to the remaining stock. Cook over medium heat, continuously mixing the sauce, until it coats the back side of a spoon. Do not allow the sauce to boil. Rectify the seasoning if necessary and pour the sauce over the shanks.

Middle East

Small lamb appetizer pies

“Sfiba”

Makes 16 pies

Pour 4 tablespoons of water into a bowl and sprinkle the sugar and yeast. Rest 2 to 3 minutes. Stir to completely dissolve the yeast. Place this bowl in your oven (OFF), away from air drafts, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the yeast doubles in size. Place the flour in a large bowl and add the salt. Make a well and pour in the yeast, the oil and the remaining water. Mix to incorporate until a homogeneous dough is obtained. You may add up to 8 tablespoons of water, a spoonful at a time, in order to obtain a dough that can later be worked into little balls. Place the dough on a surface lightly covered with flour and knead for 20 minutes until the dough is smooth and springy. Form the dough into a large ball and place it in a bowl lightly sprayed with oil. Cover with a clean, thin towel and place into the oven (OFF) for 45 to 60 minutes. When the dough has doubled in size, punch the air out with the fist and divide the dough into 16 portions. Roll each portion into a 1 ½ inch ball. Cover the balls and rest for 30 minutes.

While waiting for the dough balls to rise, prepare the stuffing. Place the onions in a bowl. Season with a teaspoon of salt and mix in. Rest 30 minutes. Remove the water and place the onions back in the bowl. Warm up in a skillet a tablespoon of olive oil up until it reaches its smoking point. Pour the pine nuts in the skilled and roast them up, stirring continually. Add the onions and the lamb, then the tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, allspice, 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper. Mix in thoroughly until obtaining a smooth paste. Rectify seasoning if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 500° F. Oil the baking sheets. Roll each dough ball on a lightly floured surface until you form a 4″ in diameter, 1/8″ thick circle. Fill in with the stuffing. Shape into a triangle or half circle and close the dough on each side. Arrange the small pies on the baking sheets and bake on lowest oven level for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve hot or warm. These are usually served with plain yogurt. You may also experiment with a “pico de gallo” or spicy tomato sauce of your liking.

Braised lamb and celery

“Kborech Karafs”

Serves 4-6

Bring half the oil to its smoking point in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove the onions and set them aside in a heavy pot. Add the lamb and bones and sear the meat on all sides. Place the lamb with the onions. Add the water to the skillet to deglaze. Bring to a boil over high heat. Pour this liquid over the meat and the onions. Add the salt, turmeric and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-medium low, cover with a lid, and simmer for an hour.

Clean the celery. Chop the leaves and slice the stems in ¼ x 3 inch pieces. To the skillet add the remaining oil. Cook the celery over medium heat for 10 minutes, until golden, making sure they are not sticking. Add the celery to the pot with the meat, and add the lemon juice. Simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or until the meat is fork tender. Rectify seasoning if necessary.

Lamb-stuffed grape leaves

Serves 6

Cover the grape leaves with boiling water and set aside to rest for 20 minutes. Rinse and dry the leaves. In a large pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meat and cook thoroughly. Turn the heat ‘off’. Add all remaining ingredients and season to taste. Use 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of this mixture for each grape leaf and roll nicely. Reserve a few leaves to line the bottom of a large cooking vessel. Arrange the stuffed leaves in this vessel. Add the wine and broth and simmer lightly for 30 minutes. Transfer stuffed grape leaves to a plate to cool before serving. May be accompanied by a garlic-yogurt sauce.

Morocco

Marinated lamb kebob

“Qodban”

Serves 4

MiMix together in a bowl the lemon juice, oil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, salt and spices. Mix to combine. Place the lamb cubes in the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or 6 hours in the refrigerator, mixing the meat from time to time. Prepare your grill. Take the lamb out of the marinade that you will discard. Place the meat on skewers, keeping the meat cubes tight against one another. Grill at about 4 inches from the source of heat turning the meat from time to time. The lamb is usually cooked in 10 to 15 minutes depending on your preferences.

Quick and delectable

Moroccan-style leg of lamb

Serves 6-8

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Cut ½ to ¾ inch slits in the meat and push a garlic slice into each one. Rub the meat with oil and season it with the mixture of the spices. Transfer the meat to a roasting pan and sear it for 20-30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375° F and roast to an internal temperature of 140-145° F. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Braised lamb shanks in onion and honey sauce

“Tagine Qamama”
Serves 4-6

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Warm up the oil over medium high heat in a large and heavy cooking vessel. When the oil reaches the smoking point, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, working in small batches. Set seared meat aside on a plate and add more oil between batches if necessary. After all the shanks have been seared, empty the cooking vessel to brown the onions for 5-6 minutes. Add ½ cup of broth or water to deglaze, stir the onions for one minute. Add the remaining broth or water, saffron, cinnamon, ginger, salt, pepper, and honey and mix well together. Arrange the seared shanks in this juice. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours until the meat is fork tender and detaches itself from around the bone.

Moroccan-style lamb patties

Serves 2

Prepare your grill. In a large bowl, as quickly and lightly as possible, mix together all the ingredients until well blended. Form patties, about ¾ to 1-inch thick. Place the patties on a greased grill rack set 4 to 6 inches from the source of heat. Cook the meat for about 10-15 minutes, turning the patties once or twice until well browned on the outside and just slightly pink in the center. Serve with fresh vegetables or in a bun.

North America

The recipes of this section are adaptations of recipes that have been made with beef or pork, and which also turn great with lamb.

Lamb-stuffed zucchini boats

Serves 6

Slice the squash in half. Cook for 4 minutes in a microwave. Cool down for a few minutes. Empty the center of the zucchini using a spoon and set aside. Leave about ¼ inch of rind to form the ‘boat’. Cook the boats another 4-5 minutes in the microwave, until fairly tender but also allow them to hold themselves nicely. Remove excess water that formed in the boat and set aside to cool. In a large skillet brown the meat and season it with salt and pepper while it cooks. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the tomatoes and the “squash meat” that was set aside, mint and chili powder. Cook at high heat for about 15 minutes to concentrate the juices. Mix in the rice. Adjust seasoning. Fill in the zucchini boats and place them side by side in a dish just large enough to fit nicely. You may garnish with freshly chopped tomatoes for color, and a shredded cheese of your choice. Cook for 20-25 minutes at 350° F.

Challenge your taste buds!

Grilled lamb patties

Serves 5

Prepare your grill. In a large bowl, as quickly and lightly as possible, mix together all the ingredients until well blended. Form patties, about ¾ to 1-inch thick. Place the patties on a greased grill rack set 4 to 6 inches from the source of heat. Cook the meat for about 10-15 minutes, turning the patties once or twice until well browned on the outside and just slightly pink in the center. Serve with buns, trimmings and fries.

A new classic!

Lemon and basil lamb chops

Serves 2

Place the lamb chops in a zip tight plastic bag. In a small bowl or a large measuring cup, mix the garlic, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the meat. Close the bag after removing excess air. Marinate 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Prepare your grill. Place the chops on a grill set 4 to 6 inches from the source of heat. If the chops are individually pre-cut, grill for 10 to 12 minutes turning once and brushing the meat with the remaining marinade. If the chops were left together as in a roast, the meat will take a little longer to cook but will be easier to cook uniformly. The lamb should be well browned on the outside but slightly pink in the center.

Lamb flavor that rules!

Lamb stock

Gives about 6 cups

Pour the water in a large pot. Add the lamb bones and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 1 hour. Skim. Add the vegetables, herbs and spices. Simmer for another 1h30 hour. Cool for a half hour. Discard the bones and vegetables using large tongues. Sift the broth into a large bowl. Set the broth aside to cool. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Degrease if necessary before use. Freezes well in smaller portions.

Twin County rack of lamb

Serves 3-4

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Rub the rack with extra virgin olive oil and season with pepper and salish alder smoked sea salt. Warm up the oil over high heat in a large and heavy skillet. When the oil reaches the smoking point, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan and roast 20 to 25 minutes or until the center eye reaches an internal temperature of 125-130 F. Let the meat rest 5 to 10 minutes on a plate under loose aluminum foil before cutting and serving.

Lamb chops in Port sauce

Serves 4-5

SSprinkle the chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat an ovenproof pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil reaches the smoking point, sear the lamb to a golden brown, about one minute per side. Place the pan in the oven and roast at 400° F for four minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F. Place the chops onto a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest.

In the same pan, cook the shallots, garlic and mushrooms for four minutes over high heat. Deglaze with half a cup of Port. Add the remaining Port and the broth. Bring to a boil and cook about five minutes, or until reduced by half. Reduce the heat. Whisk in the mustard and the butter pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the chops to the pan to coat with the sauce.

Twin County lamb chops

Serves 2

Preheat the grill or charcoal. Rub the chops with extra virgin olive oil. Season with pepper and Fenugreek or lightly coat with Thai rub. Grill 3 minutes or less on each side.

Vermouth marinated lamb steaks

Serves 2-3

Mix together the lemon juice, vermouth, oil, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, rosemary and garlic in a plastic container large enough to contain both steaks side by side. Place the steaks in this juice, cover with a lid and marinate at room temperature for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Turn the meat once or twice during the marinating period. Prepare your coals and grill the steaks over high heat for 3 ½ minutes on each side.

Braised lamb shanks and fennel

Serves 2-3

Melt the butter in a large cooking vessel. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and fennel over medium-medium high heat for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and soft. Add the garlic towards the end. Deglaze with half the wine. Add remaining wine and reduce over high heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the broth, the tomatoes, herbs and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring sauce to a boil over low heat. In the meantime, add the oil to a large and heavy pan and bring to smoking point over medium-high heat. Season each shank with salt and pepper. Sear the meat on all sides, always proceeding in small quantities. Transfer browned lamb into the sauce prepared before. There must be enough broth to cover the meat. Cook at 350° F for 2 1/2 hours. You may add another 30 minutes if the meat is not thoroughly cooked and detaching from the bone after that time period.

Twin County leg of lamb

Serves 8-10

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Cut slivers of peeled garlic and insert with a knife all around the roast, about ½ inch deep. Rub the meat with olive oil and season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Warm up the olive oil over medium high heat in a large and heavy skillet. When the oil reaches the smoking point, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the leg of lamb to a roasting pan and cook to an internal temperature of 125° F. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Meanwhile, deglaze pan juices with red wine and swirl in a part of butter.

Apple-glazed lamb ribs

Serves 4-6

In a small cooking vessel, cook the apples. Puree or mash the apples to a smooth consistency. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, and all the spices. Bring the sauce to a boil. Coat generously one side of the ribs with the sauce, reserving some sauce for the other side. Cook about 45 minutes at 300° F before turning the ribs over. Coat with the remaining sauce and cook another 45 minutes. The ribs are done when they detach from the bones. This recipe is easily done in an electric skillet.

Stewed lamb shoulder steaks

Serves 2-3

Preheat the oven to 300° F. Warm up 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat in a large and heavy cooking vessel. When the oil reaches the smoking point, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, working in small batches. Set seared meat aside on a plate and add more oil between batches if necessary. After all the meat has been seared, brown the onions for 5 minutes mixing regularly. Add the other vegetables, cook for 3-4 minutes. Deglaze with the wine. Add all the spices and the water. Stir well. Add the meat. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours until the meat is fork tender. Very good on a bed of rice.

Lamb-stuffed cabbage leaves

Serves 6-8

Preheat the oven at 375° F. In a large cooking vessel, place the cabbage and cover it with salted water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer 8 minutes. Carefully remove the cabbage from the water, drain and set aside to cool down. When cool, detach the leaves and set on a cloth to cool completely. In a bowl, mix all the other ingredients except the tomato sauce. Fill the cabbage leaves with this mixture and roll the leaves nice and tight, folding the ends in. Use a toothpick to hold in place if necessary. Line the bottom of a large cooking vessel with tomato sauce. Arrange the stuffed leaves in this vessel. Add the remaining tomato sauce and cover with a lid. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, move the cooking vessel to the oven and cook for about 1 hour until the leaves are tender. Pull toothpicks out and serve.

Twin County lamb patties

Serves 2-3

Mix all the ingredients and form into a ball. Wrap in a plastic bag, being careful to remove any air. Refrigerate for 3 hours (I also have done it overnight). Form the patties which can be cooked in a large skillet or over the grill. Makes the best lamb burgers ever !

Lamb-stuffed bell peppers

Serves 2-4

Select 4 medium to large size bell peppers, choosing if possible bell peppers with a nice shape and a flat base. Clean the outside skin very well and rinse thoroughly. With a small knife, cut a lid on the top of the bell pepper around the stem. Pull the lid out gently and remove the seeds that are attached to it. Rinse out as well the seeds found inside the bell pepper. Fill a deep pot with water. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Plunge the bell peppers into the water so they fill up with liquid and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain the water and set the peppers aside, upside down on a towel, to cool down.


Sauce

InIn a large cooking vessel, warm up the oil over medium high heat, add the onion, garlic, parsley and basil. Cook for a few minutes, stirring from time to time, until the onions turn lightly golden. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, just enough to start blending in the flavors. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Place the lamb into a non-stick skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the onions turn golden and tender and the meat turns brown. Reduce the heat if necessary and stir the mixture from time to time. Take the skillet off the heat source, and drain out the excess fat. Add the rice, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, basil and cheese and cook few more minutes to blend in the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Fill the bell peppers with this mixture, replace the bell pepper lid and arrange the stuffed peppers in the tomato sauce prepared earlier. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes in the tomato sauce, until the peppers are tender.

Twin County BBQed shoulder

Serves 3-5

Mix the brown sugar, seasoned salt and pepper. Rub the meat thoroughly and wrap in a plastic bag, being careful to remove any air. Refrigerate overnight. Prepare your coals and sear the meat on high heat on all sides, turning every 15-20 minutes for a total duration of 1h30. Place seared shoulder in an aluminum foil pouch along with the BBQ sauce. Double wrap and seal tightly. Cook for 4 hours at low heat.

Puerto Rico

Braised lamb in wine and orange sauce

“Guisado de carnero”

Serves 6

Warm up the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches its smoking point. Dry the meat with absorbent paper. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in small batches. Adjust the heat level and add oil if necessary. Set seared meat aside while browning the remaining cubes. When all the meat is browned, discard most of the oil. Add the wine to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot with a heat resistant spatula. Add the orange and lime juice, raisins, capers, olives, garlic, chili pepper, clove and bay leaf. Place the meat back into the pot, along with the juice that may have formed. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 1h30, or until the meat is tender. Take the bay leaf out. Rectify seasoning if necessary. Place the meat in a large plate surrounded with the potatoes and sauce.

Turkey

Grilled lamb Shish Kabob style

“Sis Kebabi”

Serves 4

Place the onion rings in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and add the salt and pepper. Add the lamb and mix well until the meat is coated with the marinade. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature, or 4 hours in the refrigerator, turning the meat from time to time. Prepare your grill. Take the lamb out of the marinade and place it on skewers, keeping the meat cubes tight against one another. Using different skewers, thread the tomato and bell pepper quarters. Placing the meat and vegetables on different skewers insures that the different ingredients can grill to perfection. Cover the lamb evenly with the cream, and grill at about 4 inches from the source of heat turning the meat from time to time. The lamb is usually cooked in 10 to 15 minutes. Cook the vegetables until tender. Serve with pilaf rice and the grilled tomato and bell pepper.

Bon appétit !