Lamb and Accompaniments for Easter Sunday

I usually post my menu for the coming week on Saturday. I'm going to beg off this week, because I know it will be a week of carry-out and sandwiches for us, and I suspect my brown bag choices won't be of interest to you. While I haven't honed in on my final choices I have, however, been giving some thought to what  I'll serve for dinner on Easter Sunday. Lamb will most certainly be our main course and I'll make my final choice from the options I'm sharing below. I'm also including some of the side dishes that will likely share the table with the lamb.  

A Slow Cooker Recipe for Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic and Rosemary

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe should be tried by any of you who enjoy lamb. It comes from the book from Slow Cooker Cooking and the recipe below appears exactly as it was written by its developer, Lora Brody. I'd like to suggest several changes that I think will make a good recipe great. For maximum flavor, brown the lamb shanks and vegetables in olive oil before you put them in the slow cooker. I also think you'll also want more liquid for cooking the lamb shanks. I suggest you double the amount of wine used to braise the shanks, and, at the very end of cooking, strain any liquid remaining in the pot to a small pan to which another cup of wine and a cup of beef stock have been added. The sauce will have wonderful flavor if you reduce this stock/sauce by half and use it to moisten the lamb shanks. My biggest problem with the recipe regards the amount of time the shanks are cooked. The recommended 12 hours is way to much and the meat will literally shred off the bone if you cook the shanks for that length of time. Try cooking the lamb on HIGH for 3 hours, then on LOW for another 3 and I think you'll be happier with the results. This is a wonderfully flavorful dish and it is a great example of the best of peasant cooking. I served ours with polenta, but noodles or rice would also work well. I hope you'll give the recipe a try. It is a perfect dish to serve on a wet or snowy day. Enjoy!

Chopped Lamb or Steak Sandwiches with Peppadews, Olives and Feta Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a nice sandwich to serve for lunch or a light supper. It is Greek-inspired and packed with the fragrances and heady flavors of the Mediterranean. The meat used in this sandwich is chopped rather than ground and it provides some unexpected texture that helps make the sandwich more interesting. The filling comes together quickly once the meat is chopped, and while it can be served on any type of roll, I like to use pita pockets to help keep the filling in place. This is one of our favorite sandwiches and I think you will enjoy it too. Here is how it's made.


Chopped Lamb or Steak Sandwiches with Peppadews, Olives and Feta Cheese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked lamb or flatiron steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped peppadew peppers
1 bunch scallions, sliced white and tender green (about 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup salt-cured or Kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 pita pockets or flatbread
2 cups baby arugula

Directions:
1) Place half of lamb or beef in bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and repeat process with remaining cubed meat. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2) Heat oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add peppers, scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Add meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it loses most of its raw color, about 3 minutes. Stir in olives, oregano and vinegar and cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in cheese until melted, about 1 minute more. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
3) Warm pita in microwave for 30 seconds. Split and line with arugula. Spoon filling into pockets and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.







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Roasted Lamb with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We are going to have a classic Easter dinner with friends next Saturday. I love these folks, but they've been at my table so often that I feel compelled to try something new, or at the very least, rework something old and give it a new life. I did some searching this week and was able to find a recipe for lamb that sounded really interesting. It was a Martha Stewart recipe, so I was reasonably confident that the recipe would work, but it was strongly flavored and I wanted to make sure it played nicely with the other dishes I planned to serve with dinner. Tonight we had a dress rehearsal. It work well enough that I'm happy to share the recipe with those of you who enjoy food with robust and gutsy flavors. I did vary a bit from the recipe.  I used very small potatoes that did not lend themselves to peeling or fussing of any sort, so they went into the roasting pan with their skins intact.  My omission caused no problems with the finished dish. There was one problem that I had to address when the roast came out of the oven. It did not brown and I found the color it did have off-putting. I added a teaspoon or so of Kitchen Bouquet to the scant pan drippings and used them to paint the surface of the meat. Voila! Only you and I know where that meat got its lovely brown color. Having completed had the test run, I'm going to change the vegetables I originally planned to serve with the lamb. The potatoes are so strongly flavored that I'm reverting to plain steamed asparagus or green bean bundles  as an accompaniment. I think they will provide better balance to the meal. I really liked this dish and I think you will too. Here's the recipe.

Roasted Marinated Lamb with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Wide strips of zest and fresh juice from 2 lemons
1 head garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds boneless leg of lamb roast, tied at 1-inch intervals
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled

Directions:
1) Roughly chop strips of lemon zest. In a medium bowl, combine lemon zest and juice, garlic, and rosemary; whisk in oil. Pat lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. Place lamb in a 1-gallon resealable bag and pour in marinade. Seal bag, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Turn bag several times to coat lamb in marinade. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight), flipping bag halfway through.
2) Preheat oven to 450. (If lamb was marinated overnight, remove from refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches; season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes.
3) Remove lamb from marinade, letting excess marinade drip back into bag. Place lamb on a plate; season generously with salt and pepper. Pour marinade into a roasting pan; add potatoes. Cook 15 minutes. Push potatoes to edges of pan; place lamb in center. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 300 and cook until medium-rare (an instant-read thermometer should read 125 when inserted in thickest part of lamb), 1 to 1 1/4 hours, tossing potatoes halfway through.
4) Tent pan loosely with foil and let lamb rest 20 minutes before slicing. Toss potatoes with pan juices and serve alongside lamb. Yield: 8 servings.






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Moroccan Lamb Sausage with Golden Raisin Couscous

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I thought I had escaped the annual curse, but I just can't beat back the wanderlust that overcomes me at this time of year. It's the kind of yearning that a day trip to the coast or mountains simply will not cure. So, I pull out the travel brochures and the unrequited wish lists from years past, and the Silver Fox and I spend hours charting the course for yet another adventure. Our destination this year will be North Africa and the Middle East, but the specific areas we'll be visiting are completely dependent on the political climate come next fall. In the meantime, I'll be delving into the cooking of the region, so the food we encounter won't come as a complete surprise to us. I've made the recipe I'm featuring tonight several times, and it has much to commend it. It is fast, easy and relatively inexpensive. Better still, I think you'll find the spicy lamb sausage, called Merguez, to be absolutely delicious. I found the recipe for the lamb patties in an old issue of Gourmet magazine, and I think you'll find it to be is straight forward and hard to spoil. I do, however, have one caution to share with you. It is easy to overcook the lamb and you don't want to do that. The time listed in the recipe below will give you medium rare lamb patties, but I aim for something pinker, so I cut the cooking time from 9 to 7 minutes. The raisin-couscous is a perfect foil for the spicy and juicy lamb and the entire meal can be on the table in about 30 minutes. If, like me, you tire of repetition and enjoy sampling food from other regions, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. You will not regret it. Most of you will be able to find harissa in large grocery stores, but should you have to make it, I have a recipe for you HERE. Here's how this simple flavor packed meal is made. Enjoy!

Merguez Lamb Patties with Golden Raisin Couscous...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Andrea Albin and Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/4 teaspoons fennel seeds
1-1/4 pounds ground lamb
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons harissa (spicy North African condiment)
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or water
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 cup couscous
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:
1) Toast fennel seeds in a small heavy skillet over medium heat until fragrant and a shade darker, about 1 minute. Grind to a fine powder in grinder.
2) Mix together lamb, garlic, harissa, spices (including fennel), and 1/2 teaspoon salt thoroughly with your hands (do not overmix). Form into 4 oval patties (about 3/4 inch thick).
3) Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook patties, turning once, about 9 minutes total for medium-rare.
4) While patties cook, bring broth, raisins, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in couscous. Let stand off heat, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; stir in cilantro, zest, and salt to taste. Serve patties on couscous. Yield: 4 servings.








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Ottolenghi's Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...They are both chefs and partners in Ottolenghi, the renowned London restaurant and deli. While they met in London, both hail from Jerusalem and they have recently collaborated on a cookbook, called Jerusalem, that has been described as a love letter to their childhood home and its culinary traditions. Ottolenghi is from the Jewish part of the old city and Tamimi is from the Arab sector. Together they are trying to bridge the gap between the two cultures with their food. Their food, which features Mediterranean ingredients, is boldly flavored, vegetable based and wildly colorful. I found the recipe I'm featuring tonight in Food and Wine magazine and it meets all the criteria the pair is famous for. I am going to pull you all aside for just a moment, however. The quantities in the recipe didn't compute for me. I was concerned that there would be more eggplant than lamb with which to fill it. The eggplants that I am able to buy here are short and squat and have more surface area to cover than the more slender varieties I suspect were used to test the recipe. So, while I made no other changes to the dish, I used only two halved eggplants for our meal. It work out well, though I suspect we had slightly more meat on each portion than was intended. This is a delicious dish, and if you enjoy well-flavored Mediterranean food, you will really like this. Here's the original recipe.

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine Magazine and Chefs Ottolenghi and Tamimi

Ingredients:
Four 1-pound eggplants, halved lengthwise (I used two 1-pound eggplants)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground lamb
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate *(see cook's note below)*
One 1-1/2-inch cinnamon stick

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange eggplants in a large baking dish, cut sides up. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in upper third of the oven for about 20 minutes, until browned.
2) Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cinnamon, cumin and paprika. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and half of spice mixture, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add lamb and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 4 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat in skillet. Stir in pine nuts, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
3) Spoon filling onto eggplants. Add 1/2 cup of water, lemon juice, tamarind concentrate, remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and a pinch each of salt and pepper to remaining spices. Mix well and pour into baking dish. Add cinnamon stick and cover dish with foil. Bake for about 50 minutes, basting twice with pan juices, until very tender.
4) Transfer  eggplants to plates or a platter and discard cinnamon stick. Pour pan juices over eggplants, sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

***Cook's Note: Tamarind concentrate, also called tamarind paste, is a pure concentrate of tamarind. Tamarind is the pod of a tree native to Africa, but now mostly cultivated in India. Although tamarind contains natural sugar, it also contains 12% tartaric acid, which makes it extremely tart. It is a souring agent commonly used in Indian curries and chutneys, and is also popular in Thai, Mexican and Mediterranean cooking. It is the ingredient that gives Worcestershire Sauce its unique flavor. It can be found in ethnic market, large markets and on-line.

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Lamb Roasted in the Style of Bordeaux

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had reservations about posting this recipe on several counts. Not everyone likes lamb and this recipe, developed by Paula Wolfert, uses ingredients that are expensive and not always easy to find. I decided to feature the recipe because the Silver Fox and I both love this entree and I thought at least a few of you might like to give the recipe a try. In a perfect world, this dish would be made with a bone-in leg of lamb. Despite the fact that huge flocks of sheep graze here in Oregon, a whole leg of lamb is next to impossible to find, and I usually have to settle for a boned roast. That makes for easy carving, but makes the use of a meat thermometer an absolute necessity to keep the meat from overcooking. This recipe calls for goose or duck fat, ingredients that I suspect are not gathering dust in your pantries. I understand that some butchers stock it, but I have not been able to find either ingredient in our local markets. I have, however, found an online source that you can link to here. Fortunately, goose and duck fat can be frozen, so I buy a year's supply at a time and tuck it in among the other eclectic items in my freezer. While, in theory, any red-wine vinegar can be used to baste and sauce the lamb, I am partial to one that comes from the Bordeaux region of France. I think it makes a smoother, less acidic sauce. It, too, can be purchased online and you can find it here. Once you have the proper ingredients, this lamb is very easy to prepare. It is studded with garlic, rubbed with goose fat and basted with a vinegar marinade as it cooks, all of which contribute to its great flavor. I do hope you will try this recipe which comes from Paula Wolfert's, The Cooking of Southwestern France. The lamb is wonderful with roast potatoes and I really think you will enjoy it. Here's how it is made.

Lamb Roasted in the Style of Bordeaux...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Paula Wolfert

Ingredients:
1 whole bone-in leg of lamb (about 5-1/2 pounds)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and cut into thin slivers
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons rendered goose or duck fat
2 tablespoons grapeseed or peanut oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 cup water
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

Directions:
1) Trim off  fell and excess  fat  from lamb, leaving a thin layer of fat. Make about 10 incisions near  leg bone and insert garlic slivers. Rub meat with  measured salt and pepper, then coat with  fat and oil. Massage into meat. Refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 3 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 2 to 3 hours before roasting.
2) Heat  oven to 500 degrees F and arrange a rack in  middle.
3) Meanwhile, combine  vinegar and shallots in a small nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce  heat to low and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes. Strain, reserving the shallots and vinegar separately.
4) Place lamb on a rack in a large roasting pan and roast until browned all over, about 25 minutes. Remove  lamb from the oven and reduce  temperature to 350 degrees F. Pour  reserved vinegar and water into  roasting pan. Return lamb to  oven and roast, basting with the pan juices every 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F to 140 degrees F,  about 1 hour. Remove  lamb to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.
5) Meanwhile, make shallot sauce: Add  chicken stock and reserved shallots to the drippings in roasting pan and bring to a boil,  scraping up any browned bits from bottom of  pan. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Slice lamb and serve with the shallot sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

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Minced Lamb with Glass Noodles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have, all of my life, been a list maker and planner, so, I guess it's only natural that I'm drawn to lists compiled by others. I normally wouldn't bother you with my findings, but I came across one that I think all food lovers can have some fun with. Cuisines of the world are now ranked by popularity and I think you'll have great fun impugning the intelligence of the list makers who put your favorite choices in the wrong slots. A complete list of one group's choices for the ten most popular cuisines can be found here. I know many of you don't have time to follow links, so I'll briefly summarize their results for you. The countries, first to last, are China, Italy, Thailand, India, the United States, France, Mexico, Japan, Spain and Lebanon. While no methodology is given for the study, I think these folks are brilliant. My favorite cuisine was a clear winner.  Actually, China and France  tie for first place in my kitchen. I have a lot of family friendly Chinese recipes that I haven't posted yet and this bit of silliness is my segue into one of them. Glass or cellophane noodles are a type of transparent noodle made from mung bean starch and water. Once softened, they cook quickly and that makes them perfect for a fast family meal. This recipe combines them with minced lamb that is flavored prior to stir-frying. You can control the heat in this dish by varying the amount of chili paste you use as it is assembled. I found the recipe for this stir-fry on the Sheep Creek Farm site several years ago and I prepare it whenever I want to serve something that is Asian but not too highly spiced. This is not an authentic Chinese dish, but it is a delicious Chinese-ish interpretation of a noodle bowl that I hope you will try. Here's the recipe.

Minced Lamb with Glass Noodles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Sheep Creek Farms

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground lamb
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, divided use
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided use
2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil, divided use
6 ounces cellophane noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sliced scallions, white and tender green, divided use
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1-1/2 inch ginger root, peeled, chopped, and minced
2 teaspoons chili paste, or to taste
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons scotch or dark rum
1 teaspoon sugar
Cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1) Lightly mix lamb with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a non-reactive bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour.
2) Soak noodles in warm water to cover about 15 minutes. Drain, place cold water, and drain again. Cut into 3-inch pieces and set aside.
3) In a wok or a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add lamb and chili paste and stir-fry mixture, breaking up any lumps until well cooked.
4) Add garlic, ginger and half the scallions, stir-frying just until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add noodles, broth, scotch or rum reserved soy sauce, reserved rice vinegar and sugar. Simmer, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the noodles have absorbed all the liquid. Transfer to a warm serving platter and drizzle with the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil. Sprinkle the remaining scallions and the cilantro over the top as a garnish. Yield: 4 servings.

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Moroccan Lamb Meatball Tagine and Ras El Hanout

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the next few weeks I'll be featuring a series of recipes for Moroccan-style entrees. Our original travel plans for the year included an extended trip to North Africa. That, of course, meant lots of time would be spent in Morocco, becoming familiar with its history and culture and sampling the cuisine for which it is so justly famous. Fate is fickle. Just before we contractually committed to that adventure, we were notified that spots had open on an Amazon trip that the Silver Fox, who, by the way,  will be home from the hospital on Monday,  has wanted to take for years. So, guess who will be trekking in Brazil and Peru rather than touring in Spain and Morocco. I'm thrilled, but in anticipation of the original trip, I had been collecting and testing recipes for Moroccan food. This wonderful tagine is one of them. The recipe was developed by Kerry Saretsh who writes a weekly feature for Serious Eats. The dish is very easy to make, but it does use some spices that may be difficult to find in your neighborhood grocery store. Piment d'Espelette is a Basque chili pepper that has a unique flavor. For those of you who don't have  time to search it out, Hungarian hot paprika or New Mexico red chili powder can be used as substitutes. Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend that's made with more than 30 individual spices. It, too, can be difficult to find. I make a reasonable facsimile  and have included a recipe for it  following the instructions for the tagine.  These meatballs and the sauce in which they cook are  wonderful and I do hope you will try this stellar tagine.  It has become a favorite of mine. Now, all I have to do is figure out what they eat in Peru. I have a friend, now enrolled in a remedial PC program, who suggested conquistadors. Life is never boring in these climes.


Moroccan Lamb Meatball Tagine...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Kerry Saretsky via Serious Easts.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 egg (beat one whole egg and use half)
1 shallot, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons), and 4 shallots, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, plus 10 leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1/4 cup, roughly chopped
3 teaspoons ras el hanout, divided
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon piment d’Espelette or hot paprika or New Mexico red chili powder
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on a bias (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1-1/2 cups canned or homemade low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons golden raisins

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk until the milk is absorbed into bread. Add egg. Add 1 shallot, finely minced, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1-1/2 teaspoons ras el hanout, the piment d’Espelette, and season with salt and pepper. I used a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir together until combined. Add lamb, and gently toss together until evenly mixed. Divide mixture into 8 meatballs. Place flour in a shallow pan. Roll meatballs in flour, patting off excess flour. Reserve any remaining flour.
2) In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium to medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Place floured meatballs into hot oil and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Set meatballs aside, and lower heat. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and sauté on medium-low until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and carrot, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved flour, and toss to coat vegetables with flour. Add tomato paste, drained tomatoes, beef broth, raisins and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons of ras el hanout. Stir to combine, breaking up whole tomatoes with a fork or back of a spoon. Bring liquid to a boil.
3) Add meatballs back into stew, and top with remaining mint, cilantro, and olive oil. Cover pot with a lid and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Place a lid on the pot, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After half an hour, remove pot from oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until sauce is very thick, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with couscous tossed in Meyer lemon olive oil, or just serve with baguette. Yield: 4 servings.

Ras el Hanout

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cardamon
2 teaspoons ground mace
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
Blend all of the spices in a bowl. Transfer to a glass jar, and store in a dry, dark place. Will keep several months.

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Lamb Sausage - Shepherds and Flocks for Hire

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Bob and I were at the King winery this past weekend. We had gone to watch a marathon and sample a flight or two of some highly recommended wines. We weren't the only visitors. Sheep, an uncommon occurrence on the estate, were grazing in the orchards and the vineyards. The flocks had been rented to assist in "vegetation control". Goats, as in herds for hire, are not uncommon here. The state uses them to clear vegetation on slopes that are too steep for highway crews to safely work on. This was, however, the first time I'd seen sheep used to clear the land of others. It seems they are more discriminating in what they eat than goats, and there is less chance they will eat vines or damage trees. While watching the race, I struck up a conversation with the man standing next to me. I asked him what he did. He said he was a shepherd. Choking back a laugh, I was about to introduce myself as Mother Goose, but my better angels and long dead mother stopped me. Turns out, he was one of three people responsible for the flocks. He was the "lead shepherd". His words, not mine. A lot of lamb is raised in the areas surrounding the estate, so the same farms that supplied sheep for vineyard maintenance also provided a fresh supply of lamb for my freezer. I have several recipes that I've wanted to try and I though this would be a great time to test those for lamb sausage. I'll be featuring them over the course of the next two weeks. This recipe is based on one developed by Michael Symon. His recipe makes a delicious Middle Eastern-style sausage but it is very spicy and I'm not sure it would appeal to all of you. So, I've cut way back on the amount and source of the chilies used to season the lamb. I've also taken a few shortcuts that make the sausage easier to prepare. I hope you'll give the recipe a try. If you like lamb, I know you'll like this sausage. Here's the recipe.

Lamb Sausage... from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Michael Symon, Live to Eat

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely minced shallot
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 pounds ground lamb
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (Pimenton)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:
1) Warm oil in a medium frying pan. When oil shimmers, saute shallots over medium heat until translucent , about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Remove from heat. Cool completely.
2) Combine onions, garlic, lamb, paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, chili powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cover and chill from 2 to 24 hours. Form into patties or logs. Sausage may be refrigerated for up to a week. It may also be frozen. Fry over medium heat until patties reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Yield: 12 patties.

As an afterthought, I thought some of you might enjoy reading about the sheep at the King Estate Winery. Here's a bit more information for you.

The Sheep Are Back
Sheep in the Vineyard






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Homemade Country Sausage - Look Whose Cookin'
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Homemade Italian Sausage - Cooking with Michele
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How to Make Homemade Sausage - Simply Recipes
Making Andouille Sausage - New Orleans Cuisine
How to Make Sausage - Michael Ruhlman
How to Make Italian Sausage - Farmgirl Fare
How to Make Polish Kielbasa - About Eastern European Food
Smoked Beef Sausages - Menu in Progress

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Lamb Shreds with Deep-Fried Rice Vermicelli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the most memorable meals we've had while traveling, was in the Muslim quarter of Xi'an, China. The food culture in this area is based on bread and noodles, and while pork is the meat of choice in most of the city, only lamb or beef are served within the Muslim quarter. The city is famous for hot pots and dumplings, but the dish that I most remember was one made by a street vendor situated just outside the mosque. Defying common sense and suspect sanitation, residents and tourists alike patiently queued for plates of fragrant and spicy lamb piled atop clouds of deep-fried rice vermicelli. It was in a word, wonderful. Once home, I, of course, attempted to duplicate the dish. I found a recipe developed by Jacki Passmore that was awfully close to the dish I remembered. I fiddled with it a bit and finally came up with something we really liked. I also developed an unintended reputation. My grandsons, watching the vermicelli expand as it was fried, were sure I had magical powers unknown to other grandmothers. I was a witch sorceress. This dish is very easy to prepare, even if you lack special powers, and it is wonderful to serve when the weather is being schizophrenic. While the dish is light, the hot sauce will beat back winter's chill. I think you will enjoy the lamb. The children will enjoy the crunchy noodles. Here's the recipe.

Lamb Shreds with Deep-Fried Rice Vermicelli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Jacki Passmore

Ingredients:
Seasoning
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 pound lean lamb, thinly sliced and cut into fine shreds or very thin batons
Noodles
4 cups vegetable oil
2-ounces rice vermicelli
Vegetables
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut in thin wedges
Sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sriracha chili sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt + salt to taste
Garnish
1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
1 tablespoons finely sliced scallion greens

Directions:
1) To make seasoning: Combne rice wine, brown sugar and hoisin sauce in a medium-sized bowl. Add lamb shreds and toss to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
2) To make noodles: Heal oil in a wok or large, deep skillet until temperature is 375 degrees F. Slide noodles into oil and cook just long enough for the noodle mass to expand. Quickly turn and cook the other side, about 1 minute more. Do not let noodles color. They should remain cloud-like and puffy. Lift into a colander that is lined with several thicknesses of paper. Set aside.
3) To make vegetables: In a separate skillet, heat vegetable and sesame oils until almost smoking. Add onion wedges and stir-fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add lamb to skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes longer. Return onions to pan and toss with lamb to mix.
4) To make sauce: Add hoisin sauce, chili sauce and salt to pan. Toss to coat and cook about 30 seconds longer. Add salt to taste. Remove pan from heat.
5) To serve: Spread vermicelli on a serving platter. Spoon lamb over noodles and garnish with orange peel and chopped scallions. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 to 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Tomato Chilli Prawns - Christine's Recipes
Pork and Snow Pea Stir-Fry - SpiceOpolis
Oyster Beef with Broccoli - Angie's Recipes
Vegetarian Vermicelli Stir-Fry - Indochine Kitchen
Thai Pork Stir Fry - Pots and Plots
Chicken-Stir Fry with Noodles - Food and Whine

Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Peppers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make stuffed peppers once or twice a year. When I was newly married, they were touted as an inexpensive dish that all budget conscious cooks should master. The trouble, then and now, is that they're not a bargain to make and it's really possible for non-vegan types to buy a steak or gorgeous piece of fish for what they cost to assemble. Now, for those who love stuffed peppers, the cost is inconsequential and they can be enjoyed at any time of year. Those who like, but do not love them, are usually more circumspect and will enjoy them towards the end of summer when peppers are plentiful and can be purchased for just pennies on the dollar. Following the holiday, I was left with 6 gorgeous red peppers of the non-bargain variety. They had originally been purchased for a stir-fry of red and green peppers that never happened. I wanted to use the peppers before they began to wither in the vegetable crisper and stuffed peppers came to mind. I ran with the idea. I have several recipes for them and, I promise, before we're finished with each other, you'll have them all. However, the one I want to share with you today, is one I used when my children were still fairly young and not yet ready for truly spicy food. These are vaguely Moroccan in taste but they are mild and very pleasant on the tongue. I use lamb to make these because I think it is a better fit for the spices used in the recipe. The recipe appeared in Sunset magazine nearly thirty years ago. I've played with it, but it closely follows the one they published all those years ago. If you are looking for a recipe for stuffed peppers, I think you'll like this one. Technically, you need not serve anything with them, but I think they look so naked when plated by themselves that I weaken and serve them with mashed sweet potatoes and steamed spinach. Here's how the peppers are made.

Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Peppers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers
1 pound ground lamb
1 cup finely chopped onion
1-1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
Salt (About 1 teaspoon)
Optional garnish: toasted pine nuts

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Stem peppers. Cut tops from bell peppers. Reserve. Remove ribs and seeds. Finely chop reserved tops. Set aside
3) Brown lamb in large frying pan set over medium heat. Add onion and reserved bell pepper. Cook until onion is limp and becomes translucent. Remove from heat. Discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Stir in rice, catsup, raisins, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper and egg. Add salt to taste.
4) Fill peppers with rice mixture. Bake until peppers are soft when pierced with tip of a knife, about 30 to 40 minutes. Garnish with pine nuts if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lamb, Rice and Feta Stuffed Peppers - Farmgirl Gourmet
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers - A Bitchin' Kitchen
Vegetable and Barley Stuffed Peppers - Proud Italian Cook
Stuffed Poblano Peppers - Christine's Cuisine
Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers - Modern Comfort Food
Red Peppers Stuffed with Orzo and Feta Cheese - One Perfect Bite
Creole Stuffed Peppers - Deep South Dish
Couscous and Feta Stuffed Peppers - Cookography

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Glaze

Featured in Food News Journal, Best of the Blogs - January 10, 2011

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...For better or for worse we are a nation of meat eaters. On average, a typical American consumes 61 pounds of beef, 59 pounds of chicken and 46 pounds of pork each year. Strangely enough, that love of meat does not extend to lamb, and that typical American will eat less than a pound of it a year. Buried in the data is the fact that fully one-third of Americans have never tasted lamb. Those numbers astound me. I live in a region where sheep are raised and lamb is readily available. It is also fairly priced. Bob and I have lamb at least four times a month and enjoy it immensely. I suspect we skew the numbers that statisticians report. I know for a fact that my family consumes at least 50 pounds of lamb in the course of a year, and the Armenian family at the bottom of our hill consumes even more of it than we do. We have our own little "cluster" on this hillside and that means because we eat so much of it, 200 of you probably aren't eating any at all. More's the pity. Because we have lamb so often, I make it a point to look for new recipes and ways to cook it. Among the holdovers I had from the holiday, were four double cut lamb chops and some generic pomegranate juice and seeds. I searched for a recipe that used those three ingredients, and Google found one developed by the California Sheep Commission. It was exactly what I was looking for. While the recipe is quite easy to do, the lamb requires at least 8 hours to marinate, so, you'll have to plan accordingly. This is a lovely recipe. You will have to watch the chops closely as they brown very quickly and can burn. I hope you'll give it a try. Here's how the chops are made.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Glaze...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of California Sheep Commission

Ingredients:
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves + mint leaves for garnish
4 double-thick lamb loin chops
2 teaspoons olive oil
Garnish: 1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds

Directions:
1) Combine pomegranate juice, garlic, peppercorns and chopped mint in non-reactive bowl; mix well. Add chops and turn several times to coat all sides. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours, turning occasionally.
2) Remove chops from marinade; drain and set aside. Pour marinade into small saucepan. Heat to boiling and simmer 20 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup.
3) Brush chops with reduced marinade and oil. Salt.
4) Broil or grill chops about 3 inches from heat, brushing once or twice with marinade. Cook about 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes for medium and 9 to 10 minutes for well done. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lamb Mini-Meatball Pita - Girlichef
Braised Lamb Shank - The Average Foodie
Rack of Lamb and Swedish New Year's Traditions - Delishhh
Grilled Lamb Chops - What's Cookin' Chicago?
Homemade Grilled Lamb Sausage - Hand's On Gourmet
Lamb and Carrot Tagine - Dinners and Dreams
Caprese Lamb Stacks - Simply Delicious
Turkish Lamb Burgers - Home Recipes

Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My family loves lamb in all its iterations, and while they're visiting we'll enjoy it several times. We were out for most of the day, so dinner had to be quick and light enough to overcome the damage done by a lunch of thickly battered fish and chips. Lamb chops are perfect for a quick, light meal. The chops I prepared are based on a dish that is served in the village of Las Pedroneras, which is considered to be the garlic capital of Spain. The recipe was originally developed by Janet Mendel for Food and Wine magazine, and she has given us a classic that I've made over and over again with slight variations. The chops cook very quickly, so it's best to have your sides ready to go before you begin to saute them. I served the chops with a lovely pilaf, that I'll be featuring later in the week, and with an Andalusian Salad that's made with oranges, avocados and almonds. It really was a satisfying dinner that had lovely color and variety of textures as well. While I should have made a flan to end the meal, I decided, instead, to serve a lovely lemon scented iced milk with berries and a wine sauce that been featured here before. The original recipe calls for thin loin chops, but I prefer to use double cut chops instead. Visiting family was made to be spoiled and if you're in for a penny, you may as well be in for a pound. Those who try these chops will love them. Here's how they're made.

Lamb Chops Sizzled with Garlic...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Janet Mendel

Ingredients:
8 double cut lamb loin chops, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or a pich of dried
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 small garlic cloves, halved
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Season lamb with salt and pepper and sprinkle lightly with thyme. In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add lamb chops and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until chops are browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. If garlic looks like it might burn remove it from the pan. Turn over chops and garlic and cook until chops are browned, about 5 minutes longer for medium meat. Transfer chops to plates, leaving the garlic in the skillet.
2) Add wine, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper to pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until sizzling, about 1 minute. Pour garlic and pan sauce over the lamb chops and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lamb and Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce - Ladyberd's Kitchen
Lamb Keftedes - Edible Aria
Greek Lamb Burgers - Guilty Kitchen
Greek Roast Lamb with Potatoes with Feta - Authentic Greek Recipes
Grilled Lamb Kebabs Plus Tzatziki - Smitten Kitchen
Roasted Stuffed Lamb - Poppy Planet

Pastitsio - Lamb and Eggplant Casserole

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Casseroles are a bit like life. They're not always pretty, they can be messy and full of surprises, but when all is said and done, they are enormously satisfying. Casseroles have been with us since women began tending pots suspended over fire, but the idea of the casserole as a one-dish meal was initiated in America during the Great Depression. They became really popular in the 1950's when new materials for cooking appeared on the market and advertisers began touting the virtues of one-dish meals that freed women from kitchen drudgery. They remained popular through the 1970's but fell into disfavor as diner's became more sophisticated and diet conscious. I still have several casseroles in my permanent recipe rotation, but today's recipe was a test run. My family will be visiting in August and our two oldest grandsons are beginning to display symptoms of, what we call, "hollow leg syndrome" - they are always hungry. I like to have a casserole or two available to supplement regular meals while they're here. I'd seen this recipe in Gourmet magazine years ago. I clipped it because it was so much lighter than my version of this Greek classic. Pastitsio is a Greek casserole that contains layers of macaroni and chopped meat that are topped with a cream sauce. I made it this evening and must say I found it to be a nice, but not great, casserole. I expected more from this multi-step recipe than it could deliver. None of the steps are hard, but this is not a dish that you can throw together in minutes. I expect recipes this involved to be great and it missed the mark. I am, however, going to keep and recommend the recipe because it is a nice alternative to lasagna when you have a crowd to feed. Here's the recipe. You be the judge.

Pastitsio - Lamb and Eggplant Casserole...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
Lamb Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (28- to 32-oz) can crushed tomatoes
Cheese Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 garlic clove
1 whole clove
1/2 lb feta, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
Pasta
10 ounces penne (3 cups)

Directions:
1) To make lamb sauce: Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add lamb and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and sauté, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2) To make cheese sauce: While lamb is simmering, melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated. Remove from heat. Discard garlic clove and whole clove. Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking.
3) To make pasta: Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander. Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.
4) To assemble pastitsio: Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly. Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Moroccan Shepherd's Pie - One Perfect Bite
Arroz con Pollo - One Perfect Bite
Microwave: Smoked Sausage Casserole - One Perfect Bite
Cheesy Squash and Tomato Casserole - Sugar and Spice by Celeste
Spinach Macaroni Casserole - Served with Love
Pierogi Casserole - Neo-Homesteading

Lamb and Feta Patties with Red Pepper Relish

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I so wish you could have joined us at the table tonight. It was a simple burger supper, but one so packed with flavor that I know you'd have enjoyed it. With an assist from a recipe that appeared in an old issue of Gourmet magazine, I was able to fashion Greek-inspired lamb patties with a pepper relish so delicious that I guarantee one bite would have your socks going up and down. Really. These burgers are that good. While I rarely add anything other than salt and pepper to beef burgers, I have no problem using cheese and herbs and spices to take other meat patties to new levels. Fortunately, I still had ground lamb that had been sent to me by the folks at Lava Lake Ranch and this gave me the opportunity to use their ground lamb in a worthy application. While there is some chopping involved, these burgers are very easy to do and can be assembled hours before serving. The relish can actually be made several days before you plan to use it. While I served our burgers on warm pita bread, good buns would also work here. I know you'll like these. Here's the recipe.

Lamb and Feta Patties with Red Pepper Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
For relish
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 orange or red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
For patties
1 slice firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1 scallion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1-1/4 pound ground lamb
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 pound feta, crumbled (3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1) To make relish: Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a 2-quart nonreactive heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Add remaining relish ingredients and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peppers and apple are tender, about 25 minutes.
2) To make patties: Preheat broiler. Pulse bread, scallion, garlic, and mint in a food processor until finely chopped. Add to lamb in a bowl along with egg, feta, salt, and pepper. Blend with your hands until just combined (do not overwork mixture, or patties will be tough). Form into 4-1/2 inch patties (about 1/2 inch thick).
3) To cook: Broil patties on oiled rack of a broiler pan 5 inches from heat until browned but still slightly pink in center, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve patties with red pepper relish and warm pita bread or buns. Yield: 4 patties.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chimichurri Turkey Burgers - One Perfect Bite
Green Curry Turkey Burgers - One Perfect Bite
Salmon Burgers - One Perfect Bite

Roast Lamb - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was sent this photo by a friend who has long insisted that photography is an art form. She's made it very hard for me to argue the point and in the process managed to stimulate my taste for lamb and excite an already chronic case of wanderlust. Hopefully, the yen for lamb will be satisfied by tonight's dinner, but wanderlust is another story. Normally, we'd just pack up and go. That would be fine if Bob and I could agree on which continent to visit, but at this juncture he's in Africa and I'm in Asia and we may have to settle the stalemate with a roll of the dice. After looking at the photograph, I decided that if I paired the photo with a recipe, I could share it with you. I still had a gorgeous piece of of lamb that had been sent to me by the folks at Lava Lake Ranch several months ago. It was a top round roast which I decided to bake and serve with a new sauce. I really like this particular cut of meat. It comes packed as a 1 to 1-1/2 pound roast which is perfect for folks who love lamb, but don't want to deal with leftovers for days on end. Roasts this size can be baked in about 20 minutes and while they require another 20 minutes to rest, they can be table ready within an hour. I decided to do a coffee based sauce but I wanted to brighten it with pomegranate molasses and orange essence or zest. It worked out well and we had a lovely meal. Here's the recipe for the roast lamb.

Roast Lamb with Coffee and Orange Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs lamb top round, room temperature
1 large clove of garlic, finely slivered
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
.
1 cup strong coffee
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Cut slits into top of lamb with knife tip and insert garlic slivers into them. Rub outside of roast with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover top surface of lamb with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3) Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until very hot. Add reserved olive. Place lamb, seasoned side down, into skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle exposed meat surface with reserved salt and pepper before turning. Turn and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and cook for about 15-20 minute, or until an instant read thermometer reads 145 degrees. Remove from oven, transfer roast to a serving platter and tent with foil. Let sit for 20 minutes.
4) Deglaze skillet with 1 cup strong coffee. Add sugar, molasses, orange zest and juice and boil rapidly to reduce by half. Add cream and any accumulated meat juices. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Keep warm.
5) Cut lamb into thin slices and serve with sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lamb Shanks with Black Cherry Wine Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Moroccan Shepherd's Pie - One Perfect Bite
Persian Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Quick Roast Lamb with Mint Sauce - No Recipes
Pomegranate Molasses - The Hungry Mouse
Lamb Stew with Dill - Bitten

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday