Grilled Chihuahua style leg of lamb

Grilled Chihuahua style leg of lamb: Pierna de cordero a la parilla by Karen Hursh Graber © 2008

This northern Mexican recipe, which typifies the outdoor cooking characteristic of the region, is adapted from Larousse de la Cocina Mexicana by Alicia Gironelli. One end of a leg of lamb is thicker than the other, going from about 1 - 2 ½ inches thick, making it easy to satisfy the different tastes for rare, medium and well done in the same cooking time.
Ingredients
1 boneless, butterflied leg of lamb, about 4 pounds
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup each chopped fresh parsley, cilantro and hierba Buena (mint)
4 dry arbol chiles, crumbled
½ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Start the fire if using charcoal or wood to grill. The coals should be covered with white ash when they are ready for grilling the meat. If using a gas grill, set the flame to medium high. Grease the grill and place it about 4 inches from the heat source.

Place the lamb, opened like a book, on a large platter. Combine the remaining ingredients and rub the lamb on both sides with the mixture. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Grill the lamb for 10 minutes, turn and cover with a grill cover or foil tent. Grill for another 10 minutes. Remove cover and insert an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb. It should register 140ºF for medium rare. Let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes before cutting, during which time the internal temperature of the meat will rise to 145º, considered the minimum safest temperature for red meat. The current trend is for very rare lamb but, if everyone likes it well done, cook until it reaches 150º. Serves 6-8.

CYPRUS EASTER SOUVLA

5 kilos/11 lbs lamb shoulder/neck cut in (7.5cm) 3 inch chunks
5 medium size onions
1 whole fresh garlic bulb
2 cups canola oil
1/4 cup water
zest and juice of 3 fresh lemons
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground rosemary
1 tablespoon ground Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons ground/powder (for better absorption & flavor) salt
5 ounces lamb fat
2 ounces bacon fat
Marinade:
In a blender, mix onions, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and water. In a pan, heat 1 cup of canola oil until just starting to slightly smoke, then very slowly pour into separate bowl with cumin, rosemary, Spanish paprika and crushed red pepper while constantly stirring. Once mixed, pour immediately into blender with onion, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and water combination and continue to blend.
Put meat into a big enough bowl, then pour the above marinade over it and mix together. Let it sit for no more or less than 6 hours.
Cooking:
When ready to cook, discard the marinade and wipe the excess off the meat with a clean towel. Pass meat evenly through 0. 8meter/2. 5foot long and (2cm) 1/4 inch thick metal skewers so that it won't slip down while on the rotisserie (foukou).

Prepare charcoal in the "foukou" to high heat. If you can hold your hand where the meat will be for no more than 2-4 seconds before having to move away, then it's "high heat". 6-8 seconds is medium heat, while 10 seconds or more is low.
Set the meat on the rotisserie over high heat, and high speed. You do this first so that to sear the outside of the meat and seal in the juices and flavor. When you notice the meat starting to change color, dust it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt. If you mix in MSG with your salt (2 parts salt to 1 part msg) the flavor of the meat will double!
When the meat just starts to turn brown, remove skewers and lightly wrap meat with aluminum foil (to make the meat tender & juicy), then put the skewers back on over high heat and low rotisserie speed until you can measure an internal temperature of 65 °C (150 °F).
Remove aluminum foil, and raise meat until over "medium high" heat.
Melt lamb and bacon fat with 1 cup of canola oil in a microwave and brush onto the meat, then dust on the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.
Remove and serve when color is golden brown.

Honey and Mint-Marinated Lamb Skewers

Ingredients
Marinade:
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Salt and pepper
3 pounds lean, boneless lamb, cut into 1" pieces
36 skewers
Lemon Feta Dip:
2 (8 ounce) containers feta cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 finely minced jarred pepperoncini
1 Tablespoon pepperoncini juice
Method

Whisk together marinade ingredients, add lamb cubes and marinade overnight. Discard marinade and thread marinated lamb on skewers; preheat broiler. Place kabobs on oiled broiler pan and broil about 8 minutes, turning skewers as needed until browned and caramelized. Serve with Lemon Feta Dip: Combine all the dip ingredients in a blender or food processor, puree until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Notes:

These hearty bites are nice addition to the appetizer offering of any party. These kabobs can be marinated and skewered up to a day ahead. At party time just pop them under the broiler for a few minutes and they're ready to serve. The dip is a tasty accompaniment that can be made ahead as well.
Number of Servings: 36 skewers

Marinated Grilled Apples with Mint

Serve these highly flavored apple rings as a side with pork or chicken. We liked this recipe with Granny Smiths. For a dessert version, use Pink Lady apples, and serve with low-fat ice cream.
YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 3 apple slices)
Ingredients
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 Granny Smith apples, cored and each cut crosswise into 4 (1/2-inch) slices
Cooking spray
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add apple slices; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare grill.
Remove apple from bag, reserving marinade. Place apple slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade. Arrange apple slices on a platter; drizzle with any remaining marinade.
Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2002

Turkish Mint Marinade

This intriguing marinade is wonderful for grilled lamb or chicken. It's cool and hot at the same time. I particularly like to grill the meat and then serve it in pitas with lettuce and tomato and lots of feta cheese, passing some of the reserved marinade as a sauce. This marinade is also a great dip for crisped pita bread!

Ingredients:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup chopped fresh mint
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Method
Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, and peel in small bowl until smooth. Add mint, garlic, salt, cinnamon, cayenne, and allspice. (Can be made one day ahead, covered and chilled.)
Using only 1/2 to 3/4 of the marinade, marinate lamb or chicken (1 1/2 pounds) for one to four hours in the refrigerator. Remove from marinade, leaving a thin coating on meat. Grill. Pass remaining marinade separately (i.e. not the part that touched the raw meat).

http://www.raspberryworld.com/recipes/turkish.html

A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover, By Deena Prichep, Photograph by Mike Davis, April 2011

From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover, By Deena Prichep, Photograph by Mike Davis, April 2011
Makes 8 servings
This dish is incredibly rich and flavorful, but easy to put together. That's not to say it's fast. Browning eight shanks on all sides takes time, as does sauteing about six cups of diced onions. But it's simple work easily accomplished with a nice glass of wine in hand.
· 8 lamb shanks, about 1 pound each
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
· 3 large onions, diced
· 2 heads garlic, peeled and minced
· 2 cinnamon sticks
· 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
· 1 teaspoon ground ginger
· 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
· 1/2 teaspoon cumin
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
· 2 tablespoons dried thyme
· 4 cups chicken broth
· 1-1/2 cups unsulphured dried apricots
· 1 bunch cilantro, washed and leaves roughly chopped
· 1 lemon, thinly sliced for garnish


Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the lamb shanks all over with salt and pepper. Heat half of the oil over high heat in a large Dutch oven or saute pan. Add the shanks, and sear on all sides (do this in two or three batches if necessary). Remove from the pot and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining oil and the onions. Saute the onions until softened. Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pepper, cumin, cardamom and thyme.

If your Dutch oven isn't large enough to hold all the shanks, or if you were using a saute pan, divide the onion mixture among 2 or 3 oven-safe pots with lids that will accommodate the shanks. Add the lamb shanks, broth and apricots (dividing evenly if using more than one pot). Cover and roast for about 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Taste and adjust seasoning. If serving right away, garnish with cilantro and lemon slices and serve over rice or couscous. Or allow the shanks to cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, covered, until shanks are heated through.
-- Adapted from "Sephardic Israeli Cuisine" by Sheilah Kaufman (Hippocrene Books, 2002)

Herbed nuts

2 cups pecan halves
2 cups cashews
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Spread nuts on an ungreased jelly-roll pan.
Bake at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Store in an airtight container.
Source: "Farmers Market Cookbook: A Fresh Look at Local Flavor" by Southern Living (Oxmoor House, $29.95)