Lamb Burgers

 

Lamb Burgers

Lamb burgers are such a delicious, great alternative to traditional beef patties! Mix with fresh herbs, garlic, and seasonings for an incredibly flavorful burger.
Ingredients
1 pound ground lamb
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Toppings:

4 leaves lettuce
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup garlic sauce, or other favorite sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon dried mint
4 hamburger buns

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the ground lamb, garlic, chopped mint, dried mint, salt and pepper. Do not overwork the mixture; it's okay if the meat has a just-ground look to it rather than a smooth look, to keep the burgers from becoming too dense.

Divide the mixture into four meatballs (about 4 oz. each), again without overworking the meat (these should not be smooth). Gently flatten each ball to about an inch thick, and collect back to the patties any meat that may be falling away from the patties. If making ahead, cover and chill these for up to 2 days (bring to room temp before cooking).

Coat the cooking surface with the oil before heating. Heat a skillet, griddle, or grill to medium high. Cook the patties until they are cooked through to 160°F, flipping them over halfway through cooking (6-8 minutes total, depending on the thickness of the patties). Cook the burgers couple or even one at a time if needed, depending on the size of your cooking surface.

Layer the bottom half of each bun with lettuce, onion, and tomato. Place a patty on each. Top each patty with a dusting of dried and fresh mint. Top with sauce and serve immediately.

Lamb With Anchovy And Rosemary Sauce

Lamb With Anchovy And Rosemary Sauce

On A Bed Of Beans With Swiss Chard

 This Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce is incredibly easy to make, with anchovy and lifted by the zing from the rosemary and lemon.  Great on chicken thighs roasted radicchio (or any vegetable for that matter), but utter heaven against the fattiness of lamb.  Swiss chard is one of easiest things to grow.  If you cannot find it, lacinato kale or spinach 
are great replacements for this recipe. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb
1 lb. Swiss Chard
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cooked white beans, such as Cannelloni or Marcella                              
1 unwaxed lemon
Rosemary and Anchovy Sauce:
3 sprigs of Rosemary
12 salted anchovies (about 1 can)
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Directions:
Sprinkle the lamb generously with salt and allow to rest coming to room temperature.

To make the rosemary and anchovy sauce, Put the rosemary leaves in a blender first followed by anchovies and olive oil, blend until smooth.  Taste and add a squeeze of lemon, blitz again and have another taste and keep adjusting until you get the balance right.

When the salt has penetrated the lamb, preheat oven to 400*F.  Heat a large ovenproof frying pan and place the lamb skin side down.  Fry slowly until the fat renders and becomes crisp and caramelized.  You want a deep brown color.  Turn over and briefly brown the other side, then place on a baking sheet in the oven.   For lamb that is pink in the middle, cook 10 to 20 minutes until the center of the meat is 122*F, then remove from oven and tent with foil.  Leave to rest 10 minutes.  By the time the lamb has rested, the temperature will have increased to 131*F which is perfect.

If you don't have a meat thermometer, proof the middle of the meat-if it is still squishy, it is not quite ready.  You are looking for a medium-firm but with some give.  While the lamb is cooking separate the chard leaves from the stalks.  Roughly cut the chard leaves into smaller pieces.  Finely cut the garlic.  Put a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat. drizzle the olive oil, once warm add the garlic.  Gently sizzle to infuse the garlic, then pour in the beans.  Gently simmer with the lid on until the beans are soft.  You may need to add a splash to two of water if there isn't enough liquid.  I sometimes use a potato masher to thicken the sauce if it needs it.

Grate in the lemon zest,  then stir through the chard stalks and make sure there is enough liquid to cover them.  Gently simmer until the stalks are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes, then add the leaves and mix them thorough-they will take no time at all to cook.  Turn the heat off and squeeze some of the lemon juice, grind in some pepper and mix well.  Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.  Carve up the lamb and hopefully it should be a beautiful pink-add a generous scoop of beans to each plate, then top with the lamb and top with the rosemary and anchovy sauce.    Julius Roberts of The Farm To Table.  

 

Lamb Meatball Soup With Chickpeas

Lamb Meatball Soup With Chickpeas

Tangy and sinus-clearing like sopa de lima, consomé de barbacoa, and Tex-Mex tortilla soup. For an even tastier result without much extra lift, try swapping the cans for freshly cooked chickpeas (approx. ½ lb dried). We love the enhanced texture as well as the aromatic broth you can use instead of the canned stuff.

Ingredients:

Carrots
Red onion
Ground lamb
Chicken stock
Cilantro
Bay leaves
Chickpeas
Tortilla chips
Lime
Directions:
Cut 2 large carrots into ¼-inch pieces.  

Finely chop 1 large red onion. 

In a medium bowl, season 1 pound ground lamb with 

1 teaspoon salt and some pepper.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high. Add the carrots and all but a handful of the red onion, season with S&P, and cook until softened and browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add 4 cups chicken stock, 

2 cups water, 

6 or so cilantro sprigs, and 

4 bay leaves. 

Season with S&P,

bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the broth is flavorful, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, including their liquid.

 Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to plop lamb meatballs into the broth. Simmer, stirring gently and occasionally, until the lamb is cooked through (160°F), 5 to 7 minutes. (Keeps for 4 days in the fridge.)

Finely chop ½ cup cilantro, stems and all. Remove the soup from the heat and discard the bay leaves and cilantro sprigs.   Season to taste with S&P. 

Crumble some salty tortilla chips into serving bowls, 

then spoon the soup on top. 

Add the remaining red onion, 

chopped cilantro, 

and a lot of fresh lime juice.     Serves 4

Grilled Lamb Chops With Rosemary Sauce

Grilled Lamb Chops With Rosemary Sauce

By Traeger Kitchen

A simple and classic lamb chop dinner just got even better thanks to this infusion of herby goodness from the homemade rosemary sauce. 

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing

1/4 cup roughly chopped onion or shallot
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoon balsamic or sherry vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
2 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon water (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Four 8 oz lamb chops

Directions:

• Preheat to 450 F. / 232 *C, lid closed for 15 minutes.

  
  

  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened and translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
  
  

  Transfer the onion mixture to a blender. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, rosemary, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 7 tablespoons of olive oil until the sauce is emulsified, adding the water if needed if the sauce is too thick. Season with black pepper.
  

  
  

  Brush the lamb chops on both sides with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

  
  Place the lamb chops directly on the grill grates. Insert the probe horizontally into one of the chops, avoiding the bone. Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 135℉ for medium-rare, 4-6 minutes per side.
  
  Serve the chops with the rosemary sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Moorish Lamb Chops With Charred Lemons

MOORISH LAMB CHOPS                   WITH CHARRED LEMONS Garlicky and robustly spiced, these lamb chops come together quickly for an easy weeknight dinner. Charring lemons softens their acidity and adds caramel notes to the juice. More commonly done with kebabs, this Spanish-style preparation was influenced by the Moors, who occupied parts of the Iberian Peninsula for centuries. Ingredients: 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander 1 tsp (5 mL) paprika 1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper 2 cloves garlic, finely grated on a rasp 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing lemons 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice 12 small or 8 large lamb rib chops Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 small lemons, halved crosswise, visible seeds removed Directions: 1. In a small bowl, whisk spices, garlic, oil and lemon juice. Set aside. 2. Lay out the lamb chops in a large nonreactive baking dish. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Spoon marinade over lamb and rub in with fingers to coat both sides evenly. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. 3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Clean and oil grate. 4. Brush cut sides of lemons with olive oil. Grill lamb chops until nicely charred and pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side for small chops and about 4 minutes per side for large. While lamb chops are cooking, grill lemons on cut-sides only until charred, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chops and lemons to a serving platter. Serves 4

Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

Here’s the perfect centerpiece for your dinner. For next-level flavor, try using Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon in the sauce and topping the meat with fresh, citrusy gremolata made with orange zest instead of the more traditional lemon. Served alongside mashed potatoes or polenta and paired with the Cabernet, this dish will have your family heading back for seconds.  

Ingredients:
8 large Lamb Shanks (about 6 1/2 to 7 lbs.)
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1½ cups chopped carrots
½ cup thinly sliced celery
8 large garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup unsalted beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (5- to 6-in.) rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
¾ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 medium garlic clove, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F

Season lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of the lamb shanks; cook until browned all over, turning every few minutes, about 8 minutes total. Place browned lamb on a plate. Put remaining lamb into pan and repeat process. Set lamb aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic; sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon to pan, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Boil for 5 minutes. Add beef stock, tomato paste, rosemary, bay leaves, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nestle lamb shanks in the pan, overlapping as needed. Cover, place in the oven, and braise at 350°F until lamb is very tender, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Discard rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine parsley, orange zest, the minced garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste; toss well to thoroughly combine. Sprinkle over lamb before serving.

Pecorino-Crusted Lamb Chops With Fennel Salad

Pecorino-Crusted Lamb 

Chops With Fennel Salad

Ingredients:

2 blood oranges
1 shallot, thinly sliced
6 pitted green olives, slivered
5 tbsp  olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head fennel
1 egg
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
2 tbsp chopped thyme
12 lamb rib chops

Ingredients:
Trim ends from oranges to expose the flesh. Working with one at a time, stand upright and use a sharp knife to remove peel and pith. Over a small bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Reserve segments.

Squeeze membranes over a large salad bowl to release juices then discard membranes. Add shallot and olives; drizzle 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil over and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

3. Thinly slice fennel and refrigerate until ready to assemble. Reserve fennel fronds separately to garnish.

4. Whisk together egg, balsamic and garlic in a shallow bowl. Combine panko, Pecorino Romano and thyme on a plate; season with black pepper. Coat chops in egg mixture then in crumbs, pressing to adhere.

5. Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chops in batches, 2 minutes per side, or until golden and medium-rare.

6. Add fennel and orange segments to a salad bowl; toss gently to coat. Serve warm chops with salad. Sprinkle reserved fennel fronds over before serving.

Serves 4

Swedish Lamb

Swedish Lamb

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 five-pound leg of lamb

3 onions, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 ½ cups hot strong coffee

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Rub salt and pepper into the lam . b. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and surround with onions.

Roast in a hot oven (425 degrees) for 30 minutes and skim off the fat.

Reduce heat to moderate (350 degrees) and add the carrots and broth. Roast 30 minutes longer and add the coffee, cream and sugar. Continue roasting, basting frequently, for 40 minutes.

Transfer lamb to a warm platter and force the gravy through a sieve or purée in an electric blender

Shepherds Pie

Shepherd’s pie recipe

Ingredients:
For lamb mixture:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 diced onion
2 pounds lean ground lamb
1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp ketchup
2 1/2 cups water or broth (use more or less to adjust thickness as needed)
12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots, thawed, drained well

For the potato topping:
2 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 pound Irish cheddar
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp milk

Julie Landoll

Persian Spiced Lamb Shanks

Persian Spiced Lamb Shanks

Ingredients:
4 meaty lamb shanks (ask for the hind shanks),  

    about 4 1/2 to 5 lbs.
Salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground dried rosebuds, optional
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
Vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron
Juice of 2 limes, about 4 tablespoons
3 teaspoons rosewater, available from Middle Eastern 

    grocery stores
1 large onion, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon ground dried lime, or the zest of 1 fresh 

    lime
Zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tablespoon more for garnish
A few thyme sprigs
2 fresh bay leaves
6 cups hot chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint or dill, for garnish

Directions: 

Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt. 

Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosebuds (if using), black pepper and turmeric. Sprinkle evenly over shanks and rub into meat. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour, or wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature. 

Place a Dutch oven or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. When oil is hot, add 2 lamb shanks and fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside, then brown the 2 remaining shanks. 

Meanwhile, put saffron in a small bowl with lime juice, 2 teaspoons rosewater and 1/2 cup warm water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Season onion with salt, then add lime zest, orange zest, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in saffron mixture. Lay in the lamb shanks and add the broth.
Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover pot. 

Transfer pot to oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender when probed and beginning to fall from the bone. Remove lamb shanks to a deep serving dish and keep warm. 

Strain braising juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to obtain all the liquid (discard thyme, bay leaves and onions). Skim fat, then taste and add salt if necessary. Add 1 more teaspoon rosewater, if desired. 

Reheat strained juices and pour over lamb shanks. Combine parsley, mint and reserved orange zest and sprinkle over top.

Use a large spoon to break the tender shank meat into large chunks. Serve in low, wide soup plates, giving each portion a spoonful of the juices. Accompany with steamed Basmati rice, lavash flatbread or a loaf of crusty French bread.

Seared Lamb Chops With Mint Salt

Seared Lamb Chops With Mint Salt

Seared Lamb Chops with Mint Salt Dry Rub, Maureen Abood

The chops can be broiled or grilled rather than pan-seared. For searing, it's helpful to use a splatter guard.
Serves: 3

Ingredients:
6 lamb chops (or more, or fewer)
Mint Salt, Garlic Mint Salt, or your own combination of dried mint and sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

*

DirectionsRub the lamb chops liberally with mint salt on all sides. Rest for up to an hour, or refrigerate over night, then bring the chops to room temperature.
In a heavy saute pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium high heat until the butter is melted and hot, but not smoking. Swirl the pan to combine the fats.
Place the lamb chops in the hot pan, listening for the big sizzle. Adjust the heat down a touch if needed. If there’s no big sizzle, remove the chops and heat the pan until it’s hot but not smoking.
Cook the chops until they are deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook to desired doneness. For medium rare, cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Be sure to turn the chops to sear the fatty sides so those are golden and the fat is somewhat rendered.

Braised Lamb and Mushroom Shepherds Pie

BRAISED LAMB AND WILD 

MUSHROOMS SHEPHERD’S PIE

Yield: Serves 4



INGREDIENTS
The bottom layer:

2 cups leftover braised lamb
3/4 cup cooking liquid from leftover braised lamb (or bone broth)

The middle layer
2 cups dried mixed wild mushrooms
2 cups fresh sliced button mushrooms
3-4 tbsp ghee (Ghee is melted butter with the milk solids water and water removed.)
Generous sprinkle of Himalayan salt
Generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper

The top layer
1 large head cauliflower, arranged into florets
3 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp tapioca starch
2 tbsp coconut flour

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375F.

Rehydrate the dried mushrooms per the instructions on the package and then drain well. 

With your fingers, tear the leftover lamb into bite size chunks and arrange the meat at the bottom of a baking dish. 

Add the cooking liquid and some or all of the vegetables that were at the bottom of the pan to a food processor or blender and process until smooth; pour ¾ cup of that sauce over the meat. If you didn’t have any of that cooking liquid left, you could simply use some bone or meat broth. It won’t be quite as thick, but if you wanted to thicken it up a bit, you could add a couple of tablespoons of tapioca starch. 

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee to a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) set over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot enough, add the mushrooms and sauté them until they turn a beautiful golden color, about 5 minutes. 

Arrange the mushrooms on top of the meat. 

Steam the cauliflower until fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of your food processor or high speed blender , add ghee, salt, pepper, tapioca starch and coconut flour and process, stopping to scrape the sides as needed, until a smooth and silky consistency is achieved.
Pour the cauliflower mash over the mushrooms and delicately spread it all the way to the edge of your dish.

Put your Shepherd’s Pie in the oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top turns slightly golden.

Drizzle with additional extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired and serve.

Savory Lamb Chops With Mint

1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped mint
4 large garlic cloves
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
8 (1 to 1 1/2 inch thick) Lamb Loin Chops

***

Place olive oil, chopped mint, garlic cloves, salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, and finely ground black pepper in a small bowl and mix well.  Spread mixture over both sides of lamb chops to broiler pan.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

*

Preheat broiler.  Broil chops until brown and crusty, about 4 minutes each side for medium rare.  Arrange chops on a platter, garnish with fresh mint sprigs and serve.

Lamb Shanks Braised With Cinnamon and Honey Post 1100

Lamb Shanks

The only possible accompaniment for this rustic dish of tender lamb shanks is mashed potato but, in a pinch, hunks of crusty baguette will mop up the flavourful juices nicely too. Since frozen lamb shanks often come in packages of three, feel free to braise all of them; the meat from the leftover one would be perfect added to a shepherd’s pie or tucked into a wrap with crisp salad greens and tzatziki. Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made of yogurt, garlic and cucumbers.

***

Ingredients:

2 lamb shanks, about 10 oz (300 g) each

¾ tsp (4 mL) kosher salt

¾ tsp (4 mL) freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon

1 cup (250 mL) low-sodium beef or chicken stock

¼ cup (60 mL) liquid honey

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce

4 bay leaves

Finely chopped parsley for garnish

*

Directions:

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

*

2 Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels, then sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook lamb shanks for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove lamb shanks to a large plate.

*

3 Reduce heat to medium and add onion to fat remaining in pot. Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 6 minutes, until onion is golden brown. Add cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

*

4 Stir in stock, honey, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from bottom of pot.

*

5 Return lamb shanks to pot, cover tightly and transfer to oven. Cook for about 1½ hours or until lamb is very tender, turning lamb shanks over halfway through cooking time.

*

6 Remove lamb shanks to a warm plate, cover and keep warm. With a slotted spoon, remove garlic and set aside. Discard bay leaves. When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic from skins and mash smoothly. Whisk garlic into cooking juices and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until juices have reduced and thickened slightly. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

*

7 Place lamb shanks on 2 warm plates. Spoon cooking juices over shanks and sprinkle with parsley.

***

Serves 2 From my favorite site: LCBO

Persian New Year

Persian New Year

The Persian New Year begins the first day of Spring and continues for thirteen days. Each day is celebrated with a different custom. During the celebration a "Khoresh" which is the Farsi word for stew is served. The showstopper of the feast is not the khoresh, but the accompanying rice, chelow. For centuries young Persian brides were judged by their mother-in-laws on the success of their chelow. The crust - the tah dig - is the prized currency and is given to the prized guest.

***

Our daughter Anne invited us to dinner and we were served this menu. The meal was more than just "wonderful". Anne executed the meal to perfection. I will share the recipes Anne used.

***

Persian Eggplant And Lamb Stew

Ingredients:

3 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

6 large lamb shanks

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

2 cups organic tomato juice, as needed

4 tablespoons lemon juice

9 small Italian eggplants or 3 standard eggplants

1 teaspoon advich (recipe follows)

***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

*

Dry meat with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

*

In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 3 tablespoons of the oil until it caramelizes on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add onions and cook until translucent, then add garlic and cook, stirring a minute or two more. Pour off excess oil. Return lamb to pot and add salt, pepper, turmeric, saffron water, tomato juice, stock and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to its lowest setting and cook, covered for three hours.

*

Meanwhile, peel eggplant and slice lengthwise into three pieces if using Italian eggplant and five if using standard ones. Lay pieces side by side on paper towel. Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let set for thirty minutes. This will remove any bitterness. Rinse eggplant and thoroughly pat each slice dry.

*

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil and saute the eggplant, shaking the pan to toss until the eggplant turns a rich gold. (This takes a bit longer than you might expect, as it will need to be done in batches.) Set aside.

*

Stir advich spice mix into khoresch and season to taste. Then add eggplant, stirring gently to combine. Cover and bake for thirty minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. (You may reduce heat to 200 degrees and continue to bake, uncovered, until your guests are ready, for up to 30 minutes more.

***

Advieh (Persian Spice Mix)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground dried rose petals

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon ground angelica

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon dried Persian lime powder

***

Directions:

Thoroughly mix the spices together. Store what you don't use in an airtight container away from direct sunlight. Note: these spices are available from kalustyans.com

***

Yogurt and Cucumber Accompaniment

Ingredients:

1 long seedless cucumber, peeled and diced

1/2 cup raisins

3 cups plain yougurt, preferably full fat

2 tablespoons chopped scallions, the white part only

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

3 tablespoos fresh dill, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, the petals from a few dried rosebuds for garnish (optional)

***

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, except for the rosebuds. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Garnish just before serving.

***

Chelow (Gold Crusted Basmati)

Ingredients:

4 cups long grain basmati rice

8 cups water

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons plain, full fat yogurt

1 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water

1 cup butter, vegetable oil, or ghee

***

Directions:

Rinse rice five times in lukewarm water.

*

Parboil rice in the water and salt for 6 to 10 minutes, just until soft to the bite. Rinse under cold water for a minute or two.

*

In a small bowl, mix yogurt, 3/4 cup of the butter or oil, 1/2 cup water and about 1 cup parboiled rice. Spread mixture over the bottom of a non-stick Dutch oven and pack it down. This will be the golden crust once the rice is cooked.

*

Mound remaining parboiled rice into a pyramid shape in the pot. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-heat to form a golden crust.

*

Dissolve remaining butter in 1 cup hot water and pour over rice pyramid. Do same with saffron water. Place a clean dish towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat for 50 more minutes.

*

Remove pot from heat. Allow it to cool on a damp surface for 5 minutes without uncovering. Then holding a serving platter tightly over the uncovered pot, invert the two together, unmolding the rice onto a platter.

The rice will emerge as a golden crusted cake. If this does not happen, break the crust into pieces and serve it on the side. It will be every bit as good.

Curried Lamb Burgers With Mango Chutney

Curried Lamb Burgers With Mango Chutney

Recently I made Curried Chicken Burgers with a Mango Chutney which were delicious! The only problem was that it took two nights of inviting neighbors to dinner to eat all of the recipe. Lamb is my most favorite meat. A grocery store is advertising that Australian lamb will be available each weekend. I am searching recipes to try.

Cilantro makes a fresh alternative to lettuce as the garnish on this burger and is a great accompaniment to both the lamb and chutney. If possible, try to make patties 2 hours in advance so the flavors in the burgers have time to develop.

Ingredients:

2 lb (1 kg) ground lamb

¼ cup (50 mL) fresh mint, finely chopped

2 tbsp (25 mL) curry powder

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin

½ tsp (2 mL) chili powder

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

6 onion buns, halved crosswise

Mango Chutney

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil

¾ cup (175 mL) onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup (125 mL) red pepper, finely diced

¼ tsp (1 mL) chili powder

½ tsp (2 mL) ground coriander

¼ cup (50 mL) cider vinegar

¾ cup (175 mL) brown sugar

2 large ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and finely chopped

¼ cup (50 mL) water

¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

¼ cup (50 mL) golden raisins

2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Garnish ½ cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix lamb, mint, curry powder, cumin, chili powder and salt. Form the mixture into 6 equal-sized patties of 1-inch (2.5-cm) thickness. Make sure not to compress the patties too tightly as this allows them to remain tender.

2. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and ginger and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper, chili powder and dried coriander and cook for a minute longer.

3. Add cider vinegar, brown sugar, mangos, water and salt. Bring to the boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until thickened and mangos are very soft. You may need to add more water if the mixture becomes too dry before mango is fully cooked, add 2 tbsp (25 mL) water at a time.

4. Remove from heat, stir in raisins and cool. Once cooled stir in fresh cilantro.

5. Heat the barbecue on high. Place patties on the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked to desired doneness. Do not overcook or they will be dry.

6. While burgers are finishing warm onion buns on cooler part of the grill.

7. Serve burgers on buns topped with fresh cilantro and Mango Chutney. 
Makes 6 Burgers