Episode 151: Lamb

Crown Roast of Lamb w/ Mustard Rub & a Shallot & Mint Sauce
Lamb Roasted in Oiled Parchment w/ Percorino
Tangy Braised Lamb Shanks
Lamb in a Fennel Coconut Sauce

CROWN ROAST OF LAMB WITH MUSTARD RUB AND A SHALLOT & MINT SAUCE

3 tablespoon butter, room temperature - (45ml)
2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard - (15ml + 5 ml)
3 teaspoon dried rosemary - (10ml)
½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper (2.5 ml)
1 crown of lamb made from (2) 8-rib rack (about 4 ½ pounds total) - (2250grams)
2 large shallots, chopped
1 cup of dry white wine - (250ml)
3 tablespoon chopped fresh mint - (45ml)
¼ cup chicken stock - (50ml)

Preparation time is 25 minutes and cooking time is 55 minutes
Preheat over to 450F

Mix your butter, Dijon mustard, and fresh rosemary together in a bowl. Season the rub with cracked black pepper & salt to taste. Rub this mixture generously over your racks of lamb and place into a roasting pan. Cover the tips of your roast with foil so that they won't burn.

Place your racks in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes reduce heat to 350 F and continue roasting until meat thermometer registers 140F. The meat will then be medium-rare; this should take about 40 minutes.

Transfer rack of lamb to a platter and let stand for 15 minutes.

In a heavy bottomed skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over a low heat. Add your chopped shallots and ½ teaspoon of fresh rosemary; sauté for about 5 minutes or until shallots are tender and set aside.

Pour off the fat from your roasting pan and discard of it. Add your wine and bring it to a boil. Be sure to scrape up any tasty morsels from bottom of the pan.

Pour wine from roasting pan into skillet with the sautéed shallots and rosemary. Add

Your chicken stock and bring to boil until slightly thickened. Mix in a ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard and freshly chopped mint.

Season with salt and pepper, serve the sauce drizzled over your crown roast of lamb.

Yield: 6 servings
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LAMB ROASTED IN OILED PARCHMENT WITH PECORINO

1/3-cup olive oil - (75ml)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon dried oregano - (15ml)
1 tablespoon thyme - (15ml)
2 bay leaves
a pinch of sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea Salt
2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 4 equal portions - (900grams)
Pecorino Cheese, slices
Parchment paper
Butchers Twine

Preparation time is 20 min. Marinating time is 3 hrs. Cooking time 45 min -1 hr

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Place your lamb in the marinade being sure to coat all sides. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Preheat 375F

Cut your parchment paper into 8 fourteen inch square pieces. Overlap 2 pieces on top of a table. Place one portion of lamb on them without wiping off the marinade and season sparingly with salt and pepper (remember that the cheese is salty as well). Place a slice of cheese on top of leg of lamb and spoon an additional helping of the marinade on top. Fold the part of the parchment paper nearest you over the lamb and cheese, and cover with the opposite side. Tuck the 2 sides under the lamb and secure the wrap with butcher twine. Repeat until all legs of lamb are wrapped.

Using a pastry brush, lightly oil a baking dish. Place your lamb packages in the dish and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Lower your oven to 350 degrees and continue to cook your lamb for another 25 -40 minutes.

When the lamb has finished baking, cut the butcher twine, lift the wrapped legs of lamb from the baking dish. Carefully undo your parchment wrapping to reveal the contents. Be careful to avoid the steam and not to spill the sauce. Serve in the peeled back parchment wrapping and enjoy.

Yeild: Serves 4
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TANGY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

2 Chipotle chillies
1-cup boiling water
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
4 Lamb Shanks - Frenched to eye of meat *
2 medium white onions - halved
1/3-cup raisins
4 cloves garlic - minced
Pinch of oregano
Pinch of sugar
½ teaspoon cumin
28oz tomatoes - peeled
¾ cup beef stock
4 bay leafs
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Salt & pepper

Preparation time is 20 Minutes, Soaking time in 1 hour, Cooking 2 hours 45 Minutes

For this recipe the lamb shanks are frenched all the way down to the eye of the meat.

Place your Chipotle chillies in a bowl with 1 cup of boiling water. Set them aside to soak for 1 hour.

Heat your oil in a heavy skillet. Meanwhile season your lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Place your shanks in the hot oil and brown on all sides. This should take approximately 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the skillet and set it aside.

Remove all but 2 tablespoon of oil from skillet, being sure not to remove any of the browned bits left behind from browning your lamb shanks - these are flavour! Add your onions and sauté over a medium heat until onions are soft.

Meanwhile, remove your chillies that have been soaking for an hour and place them in a blender with 1/3 of the soaking liquid. Mix until smooth.

Reduce heat on your onions to low. Stir in the raisins, sugar, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Pour in your chilli puree and cook while stirring constantly for a few minutes. Add your tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaf to the skillet and bring this to a boil.

Add the lamb shanks and simmer over a low heat, covered, turning occasionally until lamb is very tender, should take about 2 to 2 ½ hours.

Remove lamb shanks and place them into a serving dish and keep warm.

For the sauce, skim and discard fat from cooking sauce. Stir in the vinegar and bring it back up to a boil, uncovered, over medium high heat. Stir frequently until sauce is thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over lamb shanks and serve.

Yeild: Serves 4
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LAMB IN A FENNEL COCONUT SAUCE

For Coconut spice paste
½ cup - (125ml) desiccated coconut or ¾ cup freshly grated coconut - (175ml)
8 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 ½ tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger - (30ml)
1 cup of water - (250ml)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, finely ground - (15ml)
2 tablespoons ground coriander - (30ml)
1 ½ teaspoon Indian red chilli powder - (7.5ml)
½ teaspoon turmeric - (2.5ml)
½ teaspoon cumin - (2.5ml)

For Lamb
1/3-cup vegetable oil - (75ml)
1 teaspoon cumin seed - (5ml)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seed - (5ml)
½ teaspoon fennel seed, finely ground - (1.25ml)
3 green cardamom pods
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
10 fresh curry leaves
1 lager onion, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon salt - (5ml)
2 ½ pounds trimmed boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-½ inch pieces - (1100grams)
3 cups of water - (750ml)

Preparation time is 50 Minutes, Cooking time is 1 hours 30 Minutes

When using desiccated coconut, you will need to soak it a bowl of warm water. Cover the coconut, soak for 1 hour, and drain using a sieve before you use. When using fresh coconut, it will need to be graded, either using a food processor or a hand grader. To open a fresh coconut use the back (blunt) side of a cleaver. Whack the coconut with the back of the cleaver a few times all around the center until it cracks open cleanly into two nearly equal halves. Do this over a bowl in the sink to catch the juice as it drains from the cracks.

In a blender combine graded coconut, ginger and ½ cup of water and blend. Then add another ½ cup of water, fennel, coriander, chilli powder, cumin powder and turmeric. Blend together until the mixture is thick and paste like.

In a 6 quart heavy pot, warm oil over a med high heat until hot but not smoking. Add cumin, fenugreek, fennel, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cook until fragrant. Stir in curry leafs and cook for 1 minute. Add your chopped onions and cook until onions begin to soften and brown - about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, stirring occasionally and cook until they begin to soften, approximately 1 minute.

Stir in your coconut paste, and season with salt. Cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add lamb and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until no long pink. Add water, cover and simmer, until lamb is tender, about 1-½ hours.

Transfer your lamb to your serving plates and cover. Simmer sauce until it thickens. Return your lamb to the pot, mix and serve.

Yeild: Serves 6
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Recipe compliments of Chef Ned Bell