Lamb Merguez Sausage

Yield: About 24 (10-inch) links
4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, diced
1 pound pork fatback, diced (see note)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 1/2 cups diced roasted red peppers
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano (see note)
1/4 cup red wine, chilled
1/4 cup ice water
20 feet natural sheep or hog casings, soaked in water (see note)
1. Combine lamb, fatback, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic, roasted red peppers, black pepper, paprika and oregano. Toss to distribute seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grind.
2. Grind the mixture through a small die into a bowl resting in ice.
3. Add wine and water to the meat mixture. Mix with paddle attachment or a sturdy spoon until the mixture develops a uniform, sticky appearance, about 1 minute.
4. Cook a small portion of the sausage in a sauté pan. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
5. Stuff sausage into casings, and twist into 10-inch links. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate or freeze links until ready to cook.
6. Sauté, roast or grill the sausages until cooked through.
Per link: 610 calories; 54g fat; 19g saturated fat; 120mg cholesterol; 25g protein; 5g carbohydrate; 2g sugar; 0.5g fiber; 1,410mg sodium; 65mg calcium.
Notes: Attachments for grinding and stuffing are available for most KitchenAid stand mixers. Pork fatback and natural casings are available at specialty butcher stores like G&W Bavarian Style Sausage Co. in St. Louis or Frandeka Meats & Fish at Soulard Market. If fresh oregano is not available, substitute 2 teaspoons of dried oregano.
Adapted from "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing," by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn (W.W. Norton & Co., 2005)

Hearty Chipotle Chicken Soup

• 8 Servings
• Prep: 15 min. Cook: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups frozen corn
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Stir in chicken; heat through. Garnish with sour cream; sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 8 servings (3-1/4 quarts).

Crockpot Lamb Shanks Recipe

Lamb shanks are not very tender and require slow braising. The crockpot is a perfect choice to tenderize tough meat. These lamb shanks are flavored with garlic, onions, mushrooms, herbs, red wine, and tomatoes. To reduce the fat, refrigerate overnight, scrape off the congealed fat, and reheat before serving. The garlic cloves are extremely mild when cooked whole. If you like a stronger garlic flavor, mince some of the garlic before adding to the crockpot.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings
4 lamb shanks
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp olive oil
10 whole, peeled garlic cloves, large ones cut in half
8 ounces mushrooms, brushed clean, large ones cut in half
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup strong beef broth
1 (14 ounces) can diced tomatoes (about 1-3/4 cups)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp ground allspice
1 small bay leaf, broken in half
Preparation:
Spread sliced and separated onion rings on bottom of crockpot.

Rub lamb shanks with Worcestershire sauce, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and brown the lamb shanks. Place browned lamb shanks, along with any browned bits from the skillet, in the slow cooker crock on top of the onions. Top with garlic and mushrooms.

In a bowl, combine red wine, beef broth, tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, allspice, and bay leaf. Pour mixture over the vegetables and lamb shanks.

Cook on low for 8 hours or until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Serve with pan juices and vegetables.

You may wish to make this a day ahead of time and refrigerate. This way you can easily scrape off the excess fat from the gravy before reheating and serving.

Yield: 4 servings

Stuffed Breast of Lamb

From Delish

Let the aromatic blend of cinnamon, coriander, feta, and lamb transport you to the Medieval Middle East with this savory roast of stuffed lamb. Cooks often served this dish with thin noodles soaked in a spiced, reduced broth.

Recipe courtesy of Cathy Kaufman, chairperson of the Culinary Historians of New York.
Ingredients
1/2 pound(s) ground lamb
1/2 cup(s) minced yellow onion
1/2 cup(s) finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) ground coriander
1/2 pound(s) feta cheese, grated
1/4 cup(s) ground almonds
2 tablespoon(s) ground walnuts
4 tablespoon(s) soy sauce
1 tablespoon(s) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon(s) ground ginger
1  (3- to 4-pound) full breast of lamb, cut into 2 halves, rib bones cracked for slicing
1/4 cup(s) extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1.. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2.. Place the ground lamb, onion, cilantro, ground coriander, feta cheese, almonds, walnuts, soy sauce, cinnamon, pepper and ground ginger in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse about 10 to 15 times to combine thoroughly. Sauté a bit to check the seasonings, make any adjustments and reserve.
3.. If the lamb breast is fattier than you would like, remove the excess fat from the top, leaving a thin layer. Using a boning knife, start at the top of the ribs and gently cut a pocket between the rib bones and the meat, leaving the meat attached to the ribs at the sides. Place the stuffing inside this pocket. Sew up the pocket with a trussing needle and butcher's twine.
4.. Place the lamb breast on a roasting rack in a roasting pan, smear it with the oil and coat it with the flour to form a crust. Season to taste. Roast in the oven for approximately 90 minutes, or until a thermometer registers 140 degrees F in the center of the stuffing. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes before removing the strings and carving.

Hawaiian Lamb Sliders W/hoisin-sauce

These cute little sliders are a fun twist on the Hawaiian combination of pork and pineapple. The prosciutto wraps wonderfully around grilled pineapple and the hoisin-soy glaze adds a subtle layer of flavor along with the wasabi mayonnaise

Ingredients

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• FOR THE HOISIN-SOY GLAZE:
• 2 T. hoisin sauce
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. Sriracha hot sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple rings in juice
• FOR THE BURGERS:
• Around 1 pound ground lamb
• salt and freshly ground peppershopping list
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• wasabi, to taste
• Hawaiian sweet rolls, toasted on the grill

How to make it

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• Make the hoisin-soy glaze: In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, Sriracha and 1 Tablespoon of pineapple juice, reserving pineapple rings for later. Whisk together until combined.
• Mix mayonnaise with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of ready-made wasabi and set aside.
• Make the burgers: Prepare grill to medium-high heat, or preheat broiler. In a medium bowl, add lamb, salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of hoisin-soy glaze, reserving remaining glaze. Gently mix to combine, and form into miniature patties for sliders.
• Drain pineapple rings and set on a plate, ready for the grill.
• Same with Hawaiian sweet rolls. Slice sets of three in half, ready to toast on the grill over indirect heat.
• Cook lamb patties on grill or in broiler 2 minutes per side, longer depending on desired doneness. TOP LAMB PATTIES WITH HOISIN-SOY GLAZE 1 MINUTE BEFORE YOU FINISH COOKING. Put pineapple slices on grill during the last 2 minutes of grilling patties along with the buns.
• ASSEMBLE: Cut pineapple slices into 4 sections and wrap each section with a strip of prosciutto. Put mayonnaise mixture on bottom buns, then lamb patty, 2 sections of pineapple wrapped in prosciutto, then top bun.

hoisin-glazed australian lamb shoulder chops

with stir-fry noodles

RECIPE SERVES 4

• 8 Australian lamb shoulder chops, trimmed
• 2-3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1-2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

SAUCE

• ¼ cup dry sherry or rice wine
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup beef stock or water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped

STIR-FRY NOODLES

• 1 teaspoon peanut or vegetable oil
• 7 ounce package rice noodles
• 8 stalks asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced
• ½ pound snap peas or preferred vegetables

1. Soak the noodles according to directions on packet, drain and rinse well. Set aside.
2. Brush the lamb generously with the hoisin sauce. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan large enough to hold the chops in a single layer, on medium high. Add the chops and cook for 2 minutes each side to brown. Add the sauce ingredients, reduce the heat to low and simmer the chops, turning regularly, for about 8-10 minutes or until cooked as preferred. Add additional stock or sherry if sauce becomes too thick.
3. While chops are cooking, add the oil to a wok or nonstick frying pan over high heat, and stir-fry the asparagus and peas for 1-2 minutes until tender-crisp. Add the noodles and stir-fry just to heat through. Transfer stir-fry immediately to warm plates, top with the lamb and spoon over the sauce.

Lamb with hoisin sauce and noodles

A jar of hoisin sauce is a great thing to have in the fridge, but you need to add things to it to round out the flavour.

Serves 4 (doubles or halves easily). Ingredients Olive or vegetable oil 454g (1lb) of lamb pieces, cut into strips 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced 2 tbsps of hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon of soy sauce 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar 12 mange toute Mint leaves, chopped 1/4 cucumber, cut into thin strips, skin on

    

Directions

1. Mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce and rice vinegar together.  Fry the lamb strips in the olive oil, add the chilli and fry for 30 seconds, add the mange toute and fry for a minute. add the hoisin sauce mixture and stir fry, turning the meat in the sauce. Top with the mint leaves and serve with cucumber strips and rice or noodles.

Recipe note: You can use cooked turkey instead of lamb - just heat the turkey through in a wok or non-stick frying pan with a little vegetable or olive oil until it is hot, add the chilli and some mange toute, stir fry for 30 seconds, add the hoisin mixture, stir to coat the turkey and when everything is hot, serve it with rice or noodles. Don't serve the mint leaves or cucumber strips as they won't work with the flavour of turkey.

Mange Tout

From the French words mange (meaning eat) and tout (meaning all), the flat pods of mange tout are eaten whole. They are actually young peas still in the pod and picked before they have a chance to develop.
Seasonal availability: All year.
Uses: Delicious blanched and tossed in salad dressing, or steamed or stir-fried and served hot, they are extremely versatile. They can also be eaten raw in salads.
To store: Best eaten fresh, they can be kept in the fridge for a day.
To prepare: Top and tail the pods. Leave whole or slice, according to your recipe.
To cook: Cook in a steamer for 5-10 minutes or stir-fry until they are tender but still have some 'bite'. They can also be boiled in salted water for 2 minutes.