Shirley MacLaine’s Gourmet Lamb Stew

(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb, weighing 5 to 6 pounds
• 1 tablespoon lard or shortening
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ teaspoon bouquet garni
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 sugar cubes
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon beef extract
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled
• 6 pearl onions, peeled
• 2 small yellow turnips, peeled
• 2 small carrots, scraped
• 3 tablespoons sweet butter
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• French bread

Directions

1. Have the butcher prepare lamb as follows: Remove fell and bone, trim off excess fat, cut lamb into 1 ½ inch cubes.
2. Heat lard or shortening in large skillet until sizzling; add lamb, brown on all sides until golden, stirring.
3. Sprinkle flour over meat, cook a few minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add garlic, cook over very low heat until garlic begins to smell.
5. Add water (enough to barely cover meat), tomato paste, bouquet garni, beef extract, and salt and pepper.
6. Cover, simmer about 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, put sugar lumps and 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan; heat over low heat until sugar caramelizes.
8. Add to meat, stir to blend well.
9. Cover; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Prepare vegetables as follows: Chop yellow onions. Leave pearl onions whole, chop turnips into large dice and chop carrots.
11. Heat butter in large skillet until hot; add vegetables, sprinkling with 1 teaspoon sugar.
12. Cook over low heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
13. Add vegetables to lamb; cover and simmer 50 minutes or until vegetables and meat are fork-tender, stirring often.
14. Remove vegetables and meat to heated platter.
15. Skim off surface fat before pouring sauce over the meat.
16. Garnish with chopped parsley.
17. Serve with crusty French bread and a tossed, crisp green salad.

Grilled Lamburgers with Lemon-Rosemary Aioli

(Makes 4 servings)
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes

Lemon-Rosemary Aioli

Photo courtesy of the American Lamb Board.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ¾ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic, rosemary and lemon juice; mix well.
2. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Lamburgers

Ingredients

• 1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 4 slices, each about ½-inch thick
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 ½ pounds ground American Lamb
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 4 Roma tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 hamburger buns, split

Directions

1. Place eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; sprinkle both sides of slices liberally with 1 teaspoon salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine lamb, garlic, pepper and the remaining salt; mix lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape lamb mixture into 4 patties, each about ½-inch thick.
3. Rinse eggplant slices; pat dry. Brush both sides of eggplant slices and tomato slices with olive oil.
4. Grill eggplant and tomato, covered, over medium indirect heat 14 to 16 minutes. Place lamb patties over medium direct heat; grill, covered, 7 to 9 minutes to medium doneness (160°F), turning occasionally. Remove vegetables and burgers from grill. Place hamburger buns on the grill; toast 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Spread 2 teaspoons aioli on bottom of each bun; top each with a burger. Place one eggplant slice and two tomato halves on each burger; top with additional 1 teaspoon aioli and top of bun.

Loin Chops with Lemon Honey Thyme Marinade

Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Marinate time: 4 hours or overnight
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 American Lamb chops (loin, rib, sirloin or shoulder)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine honey, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper flakes. Over medium heat, bring to a slight simmer; remove from heat immediately. Cool. Set aside 1/4 of the marinade for later use.

2. Pierce lamb chops with a fork several times on all sides. Place chops in a plastic food storage bag; coat with marinade. Marinate at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove chops, discarding remaining marinade.

3. Cook times will vary depending on thickness of chops. For 1-inch chops, broil or grill chops over medium heat for approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Or, pan-fry chops then transfer to a baking sheet; finish cooking at 400°F until desired doneness. Brush with warmed reserved marinade before serving.

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board.

Hearty Shepherd’s Pie

(Makes 12 servings.)

Ingredients

• 3-pound lamb leg, ground or diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon oil, canola or vegetable
• 3 medium yellow onions, peeled, 1/4-inch dice
• 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 medium carrots, peeled, 1/4-inch dice
• 1 cup peas
• 1 cup corn
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups lamb stock
• Sea salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 pound salted butter
• 8 ounces English Derby and/or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil. Add onions, cooking until softened. Add lamb; cook until browned, then dust with flour. Mix thoroughly; cook an additional 1 minute. Add carrots, peas, and corn; incorporate well. Add tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Gradually add stock; bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low approximately 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley; set aside to cool.

In a pot, cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and steam dry. In a bowl, add heavy cream and butter. Grate potatoes, skin on; gently mix with cream and butter until semi-smooth with small chunks.

Spoon the cooked lamb mixture into a large casserole pan or 12 individual casserole dishes. Spread a layer of the smashed potatoes over the lamb mixture. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 375°F until internal temperature of 165°F is reached.

Caramelized American Lamb Roast with Apricot and Cranberry Stuffing

(Serves 8 to 10.)

Ingredients

• 1 American lamb leg, boned and trimmed
• 2/3 cup dried apricots, snipped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Salt and coarse ground pepper, to taste
• Butcher’s string to tie roast
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup

Directions

Lay lamb flat on cutting board. Trim off all visible fat. Use meat mallet to flatten pieces of meat so that all of the lamb is about 2 inches thick. Wrap up meat and refrigerate. 

In small bowl combine apricots and cranberries; set aside. In small skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Add orange juice and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Pour over dried fruit; mix and let stand for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Lay meat flat on board, cut side up, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut meat in half, making two rectangles. Divide filling between the two pieces of meat. Evenly spread fruit mixture over meat. Start at the smallest end and roll up meat as tightly as possible. Place seam-side down on board. Tightly tie string around roast at 1-inch intervals. Tie string around roast from end to end. Repeat process, making two roasts. Place roasts on a rack in roasting pan. Place roast in oven, and immediately turn down temperature to 325°F. Baste roast with corn syrup every 15 minutes. Roast for about 50 to 60 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices.