Roast Leg of Lamb

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INGREDIENTS

Lamb

• 2 legs of American lamb

• 16 cloves of garlic

• 16 cardamom pods

• ⅓ cup whole peppercorns

Dry Spice blend

• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar

• 2 Tablespoons of Allspice powder

• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon

• 1 tablespoons of onion powder

• 1 tablespoons of garlic powder

• 3 tablespoons of Pepper flakes ( a blend of paprika and turkish spice pepper flakes)

• ¼ cup salt

• 3 tablespoons of cracked black pepper

Wet Blend

• ½ cup yogurt

• ¼ cup ketchup

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup pomegranate molasses

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

To Roast

• 2 onions cut in half

• 2 heads of garlic cut in half

• 5 bay leaves

• 6 cinnamon sticks

• 6 cups stock (beef, chicken, veggie or lamb)

DIRECTIONS

Start by preparing the lamb. Make sure it fits your roasting pan. You will be marinding the lamb in the pan itself. Your butcher can cut off the bone in order for it to fit comfortably.

Line your roasting pan with foil and then parchment paper.

Use a sharp knife to cut 3-4 slits into the leg of lamb deep enough to fit a garlic clove and cardamom. Press down one garlic clove and one cardamom pod along with a few whole peppercorns into each slit.

Next, season the lamb lightly with salt and pepper.

Mix the dry spice blend in a bowl and sprinkle the dry spices evenly over the lamb making sure to cover the sides and every possible part of the leg.

In a deeper bowl or cup, mix the wet blend together. Pour the wet mix over the leg of lamb and use your hands to massage that well into the meat.

Cover the lamb with a sheet of parchment paper and then foil. Marinade the lamb for 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Before roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the onions, garlic, whole spice and Bay leaves around the lamb. Pour the hot stock.

Give the lamb a final seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper. Cover and roast for 1 hour before dropping the temperature to 400 degreesF.

Roast the lamb for about 4-5 hours depending on the size/weight of the meat. On average each leg of lamb is about 6-9 pounds and each pound needs about 45 minutes of roasting. Rotate the pan halfway and make sure to add more stock if needed.

When ready, allow the meat to rest and cool before serving it with the pan juices.

Sheet Pan Lamb Kofta

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Ground American Lamb

• 1 medium yellow onion, grated

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 whole bunch parsley, stems removed (about 1&1/2 packed cups parsley leaves), finely chopped

• 1 or 2 large potatoes, cut into wedges

• 1 large onion cut into wedges

• 3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 3 tbsp of olive oil

• 1&1/2 tbsp of tomato paste

• Spices

○ 1 tsp ground paprika

○ 1 tsp ground turmeric

○ Salt to taste

○ Black pepper to taste

○ ½ tsp chili powder, adjust spice level according to your liking

○ 1 tsp sumac

○ ½ tsp ground allspice

Sauce -

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 2/3 cup of water

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat Oven 400 F

In a large bowl, add the ground American Lamb, all the spices, finely chopped parsley (make sure to reserve some of the parsley for garnish), grated onion, minced garlic, olive oil and mix.

In a separate bowl, add the potato wedges, tomato wedges, onion wedges, drizzle some olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Feel free to season the veggies with the same spices we used for the kofta mixture.

In a large sheet pan, add the veggies and distribute them evenly throughout the pan. Shape the kofta into logs.

Place the koftas onto the pan. I like to arrange the kofta with a potato wedge separating each kofta log. But feel free to arrange the kofta to your liking.

Note: If you want some caramelized edges on the kofta, make sure that the kofta is touching the pan and not on top of the potatoes or veggies

In a cup, add tomato paste, water, lemon juice, salt to taste and mix. Pour the sauce over the kofta and veggies

Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until ground lamb reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Garnish with parsley.

Serve with fries, tahini, basmati rice or you can make sandwiches with them and serve with pita bread on the side. Enjoy!

Middle Eastern Lamb Flatbread

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Ground American Lamb

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 1 large tomato, chopped

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 medium jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)

• 6. 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons olive oil , plus more for brushing the flatbread

• Store Bought Flatbread or homemade flatbread

• 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts, optional

• Toasted sesame seeds, optional

• 1 tsp ground paprika

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp ground 7 spice

• Salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

• ½ tsp Aleppo chili pepper( adjust spice level to your liking)

Flatbread

• 3 cups of All-purpose flour

• 1 packet of instant yeast

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 & ½ cup water

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

Flatbread

In a bowl or stand mixer, add the warm water, sugar or honey and yeast. Mix and allow the mixture to bloom for 5 minutes until the edges get foamy around the edges.

Now, add the flour and using a wooden spoon, mix. Transfer the dough onto a clean well floured surface and knead the dough for a couple of minutes. I used about 1 additional tablespoon of flour while kneading the dough. The dough should be slightly sticky but soft. Place the dough in a large bowl and drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top and cover the dough with a plastic wrap and a tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size, divide the dough into 8 pieces. The size depends on how big or small you want the flatbreads to be. Place the dough pieces on a floured pan, leaving some room between each piece and cover and allow to proof again for 15-30 minutes.

Mixture

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and chopped chili pepper for 1 minute until fragrant.

Now add the ground lamb and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add the tomato paste, spices and stir. Cook the lamb on medium to high heat until it's just cooked through (or until

ground lamb reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees), and the liquid released from the

lamb evaporates. This takes about 6 minutes. Note: the lamb will finish cooking in the oven so try not to over cook the lamb.

Now add the tomatoes and stir.

Remove from the heat and then add the finely chopped parsley and stir. Taste and add additional seasoning to your liking. Add the toasted pine nuts and stir. ( this is optional)

Preparing Lamb Flatbread

Place a baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Try and preheat the stone for at least 30 minutes.

Lightly flour a clean surface, begin rolling out one piece of dough into a medium size circle. If you start to notice that the dough is not stretching well, cover with a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for a couple of minutes to relax the gluten.

Continue this step with the remaining pieces of dough. Note: Make sure to keep every stretched dough covered well to prevent it from drying out. This is very important. You do not want the dough to dry out.

Once you have rolled out the dough, place it on parchment paper. Note: I baked three flatbreads at a time. This depends on how large your baking stone is.

Place two or three doughs on parchment paper. Brush some olive oil along the edges of the dough and sprinkle some sesame seeds. Top the top with the lamb mixture, and using the back of the spoon press it into the dough a little.

Drizzle olive oil and place in the oven to cook for 10 minutes or until golden around the edges and bottom.

Once baked, place it on a wire rack or wooden board and garnish with some fresh chopped parsley.

Slice into pieces and ENJOY!

Lamb Shawarma

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds of Boneless leg of American Lamb, thinly sliced strips

• 3 tbsp yogurt

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 tbsp of olive oil

Spices

• 1&1/2 tsp of ground paprika

• 1 tsp of ground turmeric

• 1&1/2 tsp of ground garlic

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground clove

• 1 tsp ground onion

• Salt to taste

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, adjust spice to your preference

Toppings for Shawarma Wraps

• Tahini Dressing ( Tahini, water, salt, lemon juice, yogurt)

• Harissa

• 3 tomatoes, sliced

• Pickles

• ½ cup of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

• ½ red onion, thinly sliced and tossed in 1 tsp of sumac, lemon juice and salt to taste.

• Fresh mint

• Shredded cabbage or romaine lettuce

• 5 pita bread or lavash bread

DIRECTIONS

Place the thinly sliced lamb strips in a large bowl. Add the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. Mix everything well until the meat is coated evenly in the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.

Then, in a large pan, heat 2 tbsps. of olive oil and sauté the lamb for 5 minutes on high heat. The liquid from the lamb will begin to release. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 7-10 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally to make sure the lamb does not stick to the bottom. If there is a lot of liquid, increase the heat for the liquid to evaporate, stirring frequently. I like the lamb to caramelize around the edges slightly. The lamb is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145F degrees and has rest for 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and I like to drizzle a little bit of olive oil to keep the lamb moist. Top with some fresh chopped parsley and red onion tossed in some sumac and lemon juice.

To make a shawarma wrap, add the juicy lamb and top with tomatoes, pickles, sumac spiced onions, mint, harissa, and a lot of the tahini dressing. Enjoy immediately!

Seekh Kebabs

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp chickpea flour

• 1 Tbsp whole coriander

• 2 tsp whole cumin

• 1 lb ground American lamb

• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced

• 6 garlic cloves, grated

• 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

• 2 Tbsp minced cilantro, tender stems and leaves

• 1 green chilli such as jalapeno, serrano, or bird’s eye

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp ground chilli powder

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 large egg, lightly whisked

• A little oil to help grease your hands while shaping the kebabs

• Naan for serving, homemade or store-bought

DIRECTIONS

Soak 10 flat bamboo skewers in a container filled with water for 30 minutes. This will prevent the skewers from burning. Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.

 Roast the chickpea flour, coriander, and cumin in a small dry stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat until the chickpea flour turns a light toffee brown color and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Quickly transfer the mixture to a cool plate and let cool. Once cool, grind the mixture to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or spice mill grinder.

 Add the ground chickpea flour mixture to the lamb in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the shallots, garlic, ginger, cilantro, green chilli, garam masala, chilli powder, salt, and egg. The mixture does not need to rest but can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for anywhere between 1 hour and overnight.

 Remove the skewers from the water and pat with a paper towel to remove excess water. Lightly grease your hands with a bit of oil, making it easier to shape the kebabs. Take about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ground lamb mixture and shape and wrap the meat along the length of the skewer to form a long cylinder. Press gently. Leave a ½ to ¾ in/12 mm to 2 cm gap on both sides of the skewer. Place the skewers on the lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Place the sheet with the kebabs in the preheated oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the kebabs turn golden brown, and the internal temperature of the kebab reaches 160F/70C. The kebabs can also be grilled over medium heat on an outdoor grill. Brush the kebabs with a bit of oil before grilling. Turn often during grilling to allow even cooking.

 Leftovers can be refrigerated and wrapped with foil or plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For long-term storage, freeze covered with foil or plastic wrap for up to 1 month in a freezer-safe airtight container.

Middle Eastern Lamb Puff Pastry Triangles

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Ground American Lamb

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 1 cup mixed frozen peas and carrots

• 1 medium red chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Store Bought Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets – 17.25 oz

• 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts, add more to your liking

• Toasted sesame seeds for topping

• 1 tsp ground paprika

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground Allspice

• Salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

Egg Wash

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon of milk or water

• 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Lamb Filling

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and chopped chili pepper for 1 minute until fragrant.

Now add the ground lamb and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the lamb is just cooked through, and the liquid released from the lamb evaporates. This may take about 10 minutes.

Add the frozen mixed peas and carrots and stir. Then add the spices and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes or until ground lamb reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Remove from the heat and then add the finely chopped parsley and stir. Taste and add additional seasoning to your liking. Add the toasted pine nuts and stir. The filling is now ready for the puff pastry.

I use store-bought frozen puff pastry dough and move it from the freezer into the fridge the night before to defrost. You want to make sure the puff pastry sheets are fully defrosted before using, because you don't want it to break while handling it.  Note: Don't pull it out of the fridge until you're ready to make the puff pastry triangles. But also make sure it's fully defrosted, you don't want it to break.

Puff Pastry Triangles

Preheat Oven to 375 F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg and milk or water, a little bit of lemon juice and whisk with a fork. Set aside.

Open your defrosted puff pastry sheet onto a clean lightly floured surface and cut into 4 large squares. Note: My package comes with 2 sheets, so it made 8 large puff pastry triangles in total.  But this will vary depending on the size and brand of your puff pastry.

Brush the edges of each puff pastry square with the egg wash.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the cooked lamb mixture in the middle of each square.

Fold squares over the filling to form triangles. Using a fork, crimp the edges to seal.

Repeat steps with remaining puff pastry squares.

Place puff pastries on a baking sheet, allow some room between them. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over each one.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 33-40 minutes or until golden.

Best served warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

American Lamb Kibbeh

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INGREDIENTS

Kibbeh Shell

• 1 ½ cups cold water

• 2 cups bulgur wheat

• 1 pound ground American lamb

• 2 peeled and roughly chopped yellow onions

• 1 ½ tablespoons Lebanese 7 spice (can make your own with toasted allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg; transfer to a spice grinder)

• 15 fresh basil leaves

• 15 fresh mint leaves

• 2 teaspoons sea salt 

Kibbeh Filling

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil

• 2 peeled and small diced yellow onions

• 1 pound ground lamb

• 1 tablespoon Lebanese 7 spice

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• salt to taste

• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

• neutral-flavored oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

Pour the water over the bulgur wheat in a medium-size bowl just until covered. Mix and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Next, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large frying pan over low to medium heat and add in the 2 small-diced onions and brown stirring occasionally, which takes about 20 minutes.

Turn the heat to high and add in the ground lamb and cook until lightly browned and cooked through out, which takes about 4-6 minutes. Stir often to break up into small pieces.

Stir in the spice blend, fresh basil, fresh mint, salt, and toasted pine nuts, and set aside.

Transfer the soaked bulgur wheat to a food processor along with the roughly chopped onions and pulse on high speed until the onions are finely minced.

Next, add in the ground lamb, spices, fresh herbs, and salt, and pulse on high speed until it becomes smooth.

Lightly dip your hands in some water and grab about a golf ball size of the processed meat and wheat and form to a ball.

Dip your thumb in some water and press in the center while rotating the meat with your other hand to form a hollow cone-like shape.

Spoon in some of the cooked lamb and caramelized onion mixture into the inside of the hollowed-out kibbeh shell.

Pull up the sides of the kibbeh shell and pinch the top. Cupping your hands, roll the kibbeh to form a pointy cylinder-like shape or quenelle.

Repeat this process until all the ingredients have been used up and place them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

Fry the kibbeh in batches in a pan of neutral flavored oil at 350° for 2 ½ to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked throughout. USDA recommends ground lamb reach an internal temp of 160F.

Drain on a rack lined cookie sheet tray.

Garnish with parsley and serve with optional garlic yogurt sauce.

Lebanese Seasoned Smoked Lamb Shoulder with NYC White Sauce

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 Bone In Lamb Shoulder

• ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil

• 1 Cup Lebanese Seasoning

• 1 Cup NYC White Sauce

Lebanese Seasoning

• ¾ Cup Zaatar

• ¼ Cup Greek Seasoning Blend

NYC White Sauce

• ¾ Cup Hellman’s Mayo

• ½ Cup Labne / Plain Greek Yogurt

• 2 Tbsp White Distilled Vinegar

• 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

• 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper

• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

• 1 tsp Granulated Sugar

• ½ tsp Dried Dill

• ½ tsp Granulated Garlic

Greek Seasoning Blend

• 6 Tbsp Sweet Paprika

• ¼ Cup Kosher Salt

• ¼ Cup Crushed Oregano

• 2 Tbsp Granulated Onion

• 2 Tbsp Granulated Garlic

• 1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper

• 1 Tbsp Course Ground Coriander

• 1 tsp Chili Powder

• 1 tsp Mustard Powder

• 1 tsp Dried Thyme

• 1 tsp Course Ground Celery Seed

• 1 tsp Course Ground Dried Rosemary

• ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon

• ¼ tsp Ground All Spice

DIRECTIONS

Smoked Lamb Shoulder: Remove the bone In lamb shoulder from the packaging and pat dry. Coat the entire lamb shoulder with vegetable oil (This will assist in having the seasoning stick) then generously season the entire lamb shoulder with the Lebanese seasoning. Allow the lamb to sit at room temperature with the seasoning for 15-20 minutes. While the lamb shoulder is marinating preheat your smoker to 250 degrees with cherry wood. Once your smoker reaches temp place the lamb on the rack away from the heat source and cook for approximately 4 hours. After 4 hours wrap the lamb shoulder with plastic wrap first then heavy duty aluminum foil and return it to the smoker for an additional 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches between. 198-203 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the lamb reaches the desired temperature remove it from the smoker and allow it to rest in a cooler or a warm place for at least 30 minutes to an hour before pulling. Once the lamb shoulder has rested, transfer it to a large aluminum pan then remove it from the plastic wrap & foil (The pan is to catch all the delicious juices). Remove the bones from the lamb shoulder and discard, then pull or chop the remaining lamb meat. Mix the pulled meat with all the natural drippings from the pan and serve with a generous drizzle of NYC White Sauce, and garnish with some lemon wedges and serve.

Lebanese Seasoning: Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Transfer to an airtight container and store in your pantry until ready to use.

Greek Seasoning Blend: Combine all ingredients for the seasoning and mix thoroughly. Transfer to airtight container and sore in your pantry until ready to use.

NYC White Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Grilled Lamb Shawarma

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INGREDIENTS

Lamb Shawarma

• 3-4 lb boneless American lamb shoulder

• ⅓ cup grapeseed oil or other light, neutral oil, plus 2 Tbsp

• 1 large lemon juiced

• 2 Tbsp ground coriander

• 1 Tbsp turmeric

• 1 Tbsp sumac

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 2 tsp paprika

• 2 tsp Kosher salt

• 1 tsp cardamom

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 large onion thinly sliced

• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• Fresh parsley finely chopped, for serving

• Tahini for serving

DIRECTIONS

Cut lamb shoulder. Cut the lamb shoulder into thin strips about ¼" thick, then place in a large bowl or Ziplock bag. Pour ⅓ cup grapeseed oil on top.

Mix the shawarma seasoning. To the lamb, add the juice of 1 lemon, 2 Tbsp ground coriander, 1 Tbsp turmeric, 1 Tbsp sumac, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 2 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp cardamom, ½ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp cayenne. Use your hands (or seal and shake the bag) to thoroughly coat the lamb. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Cook the lamb. Preheat a grill over high heat with a large cast iron skillet. When very hot, add 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil, then add lamb slices and cook until crisp on all sides, about 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The shawarma marinade will eventually cook off and the lamb should crisp up on all sides. Be patient, this takes time! Transfer the lamb to a plate.

Cook the onion. To the same skillet, add 1 thinly sliced onion until tender and browned, about 5-7 minutes total. Season with ½ tsp Kosher salt.

Roughly chop the shawarma. Transfer crispy lamb to a large cutting board, then roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Return to the skillet with sautéed onion, then toss with 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar and 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately!

American Lamb Pizza

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DIRECTIONS

Place a baking stone or baking steel in the oven and preheat the oven to degrees 500 F.

In a large bowl, mix the lamb with the shallot, garlic, tomato paste, pepper paste, chilli, cilantro, coriander, cumin, black pepper, salt, and cayenne until evenly combined.

Divide the pizza dough in half, work with one piece at a time. Roll one piece of dough out, dusting with minimal flour till you get an 8-inch circle. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal over a pizza paddle or the underside of a baking sheet. Place the rolled-out pizza dough on top. Top the pizza with half of the crumbled lamb mixture and brush the sides with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of nigella seeds on top of the pizza and slide the dough directly over the pizza stone. Cook the pizza for about 10 minutes, till the sides begin to puff up and the lamb is cooked, about 10 minutes.

While the pizza cooks, make the pickled onions. In a small bowl or jar, add the onions, sugar, and salt. Pour the vinegar and press the onions to submerge completely. Let sit for a maximum of 10 minutes before using.

When the pizza is ready, top the pizza, drain the vinegar and top with the pickled onions.  Repeat to prepare the second pizza.

INGREDIENTS

For the Pizza

• 22 ounce pizza dough store bought or homemade, at room temperature

• A little all-purpose flour to roll out the dough

• 1 pound ground American lamb

• One shallot, minced

• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons Turkish pepper paste (see my kitchen notes)

• 1 green chilli such as Serrano, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

• 2 tablespoons cornmeal or semolina

• 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons nigella seeds

For the pickled onions

• 1 small red onion or shallot, thinly sliced into half crescents

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 cup vinegar

Lebanese American Lamb Tacos

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INGREDIENTS

American Lamb Shoulder:

• 3.5– 4 pound boneless American lamb shoulder roast

• 3 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon paprika, any variety

• 2 teaspoons mixed spices or 7 spice, you can sub all-spice if you can’t locate

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and trimmed

• 4 Tablespoons olive oil

• 2 large onions, sliced

• 1 cup red wine or veggie/chicken/beef stock

• juice of 2 lemons

Cabbage and Beet Slaw:

• 1–2 cloves of fresh garlic

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

• 2 whole lemons, juiced

• 1 cup yogurt or sour cream

• 2 cups shredded cabbage

• 1 whole fresh beet, peeled and sliced thin into matchsticks

Other Taco Ingredients:

• Pita bread, freshly made or store bought

• Feta cheese, or other preferred cheese

• Additional thick yogurt if desired

• Scallions

DIRECTIONS

American Lamb Shoulder:

Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.

Next, begin preparing your boneless American boneless lamb. Mix your spices together in a small bowl: salt, pepper, paprika, mixed spices (or 7 spices), sumac and garlic powder. Set aside.

Peel 10 cloves of garlic, if some are larger pieces, you can cut in half.

Begin making small slits in the lamb in and then place a garlic clove inside. Continue on all sides of your lamb until you’ve used all your garlic cloves. Use or more or less to your taste. Remember, the garlic will melt and become sweet when roasted, so no heavy garlic flavor.

Once you’ve inserted your garlic, coat your lamb with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and rub your spice mixture all over your lamb until fully coated. Set aside.

In the bottom of a heavy-bottomed dutch oven (or oven safe pot) add your remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and begin sautéing your onions over medium-high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent then remove from pot and set aside.

Turn your burner to high and place your lamb in the same pot and begin searing on one side for 3-4 minutes, then flip and continue to sear on all sides until golden brown all around.

Add your onions back to the pot as well as your wine or other cooking liquid and lemon juice.

Cover and place in preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours, begin checking at the 2.5 hour mark. When you remove from oven, you want the lamb to be fork tender, meaning when you take a fork to it, it will begin to fall apart. If it’s still tough – cover and add additional time in 30 minute increments.

Once your lamb is cooked, remove from cooking liquid and allow to rest 15 minutes.

Place your cooking liquid to the side and allow to cool, once cool – the fat (lamb has a lot of rendered fat) will surface to the top and you can skim away and compost or place in garbage – do not put down sink!

Reserve the remaining liquid/sauce + onions and mix with your lamb.

Cabbage and Beet Slaw:

Make your dressing by smashing your garlic cloves with a mortar and pestle. Next add your salt, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and salt.

Whisk in your yogurt or sour cream until smooth.

Add your shredded cabbage and sliced beets to the bowl. Begin working into the dressing.

Toss until fully combined.

Assembling:

To assemble your tacos, heat your pita slightly over an open flame on stovetop or for just a few seconds in the oven or microwave.

Add in your sliced lamb pieces, top with cabbage slaw then finish with feta cheese, scallions and additional yogurt or sour cream.

Eggplant American Lamb Stew

Recipe provided by | Cosette's Kitchen

Serves: 8 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 2.5 hours

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INGREDIENTS

• 4 American lamb shanks

• 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided*

• 3 teaspoons pepper, divided

• 4 teaspoons all spice, divided

• 2 medium sized onions, cut in large chunks

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 2 large eggplants, cut in large chunks

• 1 can of whole tomatoes, 28 ounces 

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 cups red wine and/or beef stock

• Additional salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Stew

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack toward the lower 1/3 of your oven.

Begin by seasoning your lamb shanks with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1.5 teaspoons of pepper and 2 teaspoons of all spice. If you are using table salt, be sure to cut in half – see note below.

Place your dutch oven on a strong burner on your stovetop on medium-high heat. Once hot, add in your lamb shanks, as many as you can fit and begin searing on each side, flipping to ensure all sides are seared and browned. Repeat with any shanks that were not able to fit at the bottom of your pot. Each seared side should take 3-4 minutes.

Remove shanks and set aside.

In the same dutch oven, add your onions, garlic, eggplant and remaining spices (salt, pepper and all spice). Allow these aromatics to cook and brown slightly – about 6-8 minutes.

Once browned and eggplant wilted down, add in your cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and canned tomato. Finally top with lamb shanks and pour your wine and/or stock.

You can use all wine, or split half and half wine and beef stock.

Be sure to nestle your lamb shanks into the liquid and softened aromatics.

Place your lid on and pop into a 350 degree oven for 2.5 hours.

Lebanese Rice

In a bowl, add your rice. Begin rinsing your rice, fill the rice bowl with water and you’ll notice a cloudy white form. Drain that water and begin again. You’ll repeat the fill, rinse and drain until the water runs clear. It usually takes about 10 times or so. Drain in a small strainer and set aside.

In a non-stick rice pot, melt your butter on medium-high heat and add your cut vermicelli noodles. Continue to stir until noodles become a golden brown. Be sure to keep watch as they can burn quickly if not watching.

Once browned, add your rinsed rice to the pot and continue to cook. Allow your rice to coat with the butter vermicelli mixture and begin to slightly toast - about 10 minutes. 

Next, add 4 cups of water to your rice pot, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and set to high heat and allow to come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer and set a timer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, turn off heat and when ready, fluff with a fork and enjoy with your lamb stew

Turkish American Lamb Wraps

Recipe provided by | Feasting at Home

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

Lamb Filling:

• 1 pound ground American lamb

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or ground)

• 1/2 teaspoon sumac

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes or urfa biber

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1/4 cup chopped mint

Wraps:

• 4 large tortillas or wraps, heated until pliable (over a gas flame on the stove, or microwave)

• 3/4 -1 cup labneh (or plain greek yogurt)

• 1 cup diced tomatoes (or sliced radishes)

• 1 cup diced cucumber

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley (or sub mint and scallions)

• 1-2 cups peppery greens (watercress, arugula or spinach)

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the lamb filling: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add lamb and onion. Using a metal spatula (easiest), break lamb apart into little bits, and cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and salt and continue browning until the lamb gets deeply brown and releases its moisture and fat, about 5 more minutes. Drain.  Add the cumin seeds, sumac, cinnamon, chili flakes and sauce 2 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and water, incorporating it into the lamb. Stir in the chopped mint.

2. Assemble the wraps:  Lather 4 large wraps with labneh, divide and top with the lamb filling, add with the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, parsley, mint and peppery greens. Roll them up and cut in half.

Notes:

Lamb filling can be made ahead, refrigerated, and reheated.

Turkish American Lamb Pide (Turkish Pizza)

Recipe provided by | North 44 Farm

Makes 6 single-serve pides

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INGREDIENTS

Dough

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1.5 cups warm water

• 1 tablespoon yeast

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon salt

NOTE: You could also use a premade pizza dough if you want to speed up the process.

Pide Filling

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 2 pounds ground lamb

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 jalapeno minced

• 4 tablespoons Baharat (Middle Eastern spice blend)

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

• 2 tablespoons tomato puree

• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup feta

• 1/2 cup mozzarella or other mild white cheese

• 1/2       stick of butter, melted

• Fresh chilies for garnish (optional)

• Cilantro/Parsley/Mint for garnish (optional)

• Lemon Wedges for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients for the dough together. Let sit in a shaggy ball for 15 minutes

After dough has rested briefly, knead by hand or with dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic, roughly 5-10 minutes

Place dough in a clean and well oiled bowl, let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size. While the dough is rising you can prepare the pide filling

While the dough is rising you can prepare the pide filling

Place your pan on medium high heat, and cook the onion, garlic, and chilies in oil until the onion has become translucent and slightly browned, roughly 5 - 8 minutes.

Add in ground lamb, all spices, and lemon juice. Break apart the meat as it cooks and continue to stir until lamb is evenly browned.

Add in tomato paste and tomatoes, continue to cook for another 5-8 minutes.

Shawarma-Spiced Roast Pulled American Lamb Leg Tacos

Recipe provided by | Cooking with Cocktail Rings

Serves: 4

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INGREDIENTS

For the pulled lamb: 

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt 

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander 

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 bone-in American lamb leg, about 6 pounds

• 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

• 4 garlic cloves, minced  

For the Greek pico de gallo:

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 

• ¼ cup diced red onion 

• ½ small cucumber, seeds removed and diced 

• Juice from 1 medium lemon 

• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

• Kosher salt, to taste 

For serving: 

• Small flour tortillas, warmed  

• 2 cups Greek yogurt, separated equally in containers 

• 4 cups wild arugula, separated equally in two resealable bags

• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese separated equally in two bags or containers

DIRECTIONS

For the pulled lamb: 

In a small bowl stir together the salt, paprika, cumin, coriander, pepper and cinnamon until combined. Set aside. 

Rub the lamb leg with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and garlic then rub all over with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate to let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. 

Preheat oven to 450°F. Add the lamb to a large roasting pan. Roast lamb until well browned all over, 20–25 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Add enough water so the liquid comes about 1 inch up the side of the roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil, and roast until meat is tender and easily pulls apart, about 4½ hours, turning once halfway through cooking. 

Transfer the lamb to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the braising liquid to a medium saucepan and boil over medium heat until it reduces by half. Shred the lamb and pour the reduced juices over the top. 

For the Greek pico de gallo: 

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, lemon juice and mint. Season with salt, split into two containers (one for your family and one to share) cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to two days in advance. 

For assembly:

To assemble the tacos, top with Greek yogurt, a small handful of arugula, topped with lamb, a scoop of the Greek pico de gallo and crumbled feta cheese. 

Fasolia Bi Lahme (Middle Eastern Lamb and Stew)

Recipe provided by | Cosette’s Kitchen

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INGREDIENTS

FASOLIA

• 3–4 pounds American lamb shanks (2–3 lamb shanks)

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 large onion, diced

• 5 cans of white cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)

• can sub standard kidney beans if you can’t locate cannellini beans

• 1 can tomato paste, 6oz

• 2 tsp Middle Eastern 7 Spices or mixed spice

• can be found online or middle eastern grocery store

• salt and pepper

• 4–5 cups of broth from cooking lamb)

LEBANESE RICE

• 2 cups Jasmine rice, or other long grain rice

• 3 Tbsp butter

• 2/3 cup cut vermicelli noodles

• 4 cups water or broth

• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

FASOLIA

1. Prepare your lamb shanks by generously salting the exterior using a fine kosher salt, such as Diamond brand. For 2 shanks, I’ll use about 2-3 teaspoons and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

2. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat and place shanks to begin searing. Sear on all sides, flipping and placing on sides as needed until all sides are browned.

3. After browning, fill your pot with water, enough to cover the shanks.

4. Add in your cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

5. Once liquid comes to a boil, lower to a low simmer and allow shanks to cook for 2.5 hours until fork tender. Add liquid as needed to keep shanks covered. Every 30 minutes or so, move shanks around in pot to flip sides allowing to cook evenly.

6. Skim any scum that comes to the top of the surface as the lamb cooks.

7. Once shanks are tender, meat falling off the bone, remove carefully and drain liquid into a heatproof container, set aside.

8. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and begin to cook your diced onions on medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook until translucent. Add 1 cup of your reserved broth to deglaze the pot.

9. Add your rinsed and drained beans and finally your tomato paste, 7 spice and 4-5 cups of your reserved broth. Nestle your shanks back into the pot (you may also remove the meat from the bone and add in). Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

10. Cover, reduce heat to low and allow to cook for another 20-25 minutes.

11. Serve with rice and enjoy!

LEBANESE RICE

1. Begin by placing your rice in a bowl and fill with cold water. The water will be cloudy, drain and refill, gently working the rice between your fingers to allow the excess starch to release.

2. Repeat soaking rice and draining water 8-9 times, or until water runs clear. Set aside.

3. In a non-stick pot on medium-high, add your butter and then your vermicelli noodles.

4. Continue to stir watching to make sure noodles brown but don’t burn.

5. Once noodles are a golden brown, add your rinsed rice to the pot.

6. Cook rice for 4-5 minutes with the noodles and butter, continuously stir.

7. Add in your water/broth and allow to come to a boil on high heat.

8. Once pot comes to boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot and set timer for 20 minutes.

9. After 20 minutes, remove from heat but leave lid on for another 10 minutes.

10. Fluff rice with fork and salt if you like. Enjoy with fasolia.

Turkish Cabbage Rolls

Recipe provided by | Feasting at Home

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 head cabbage (extra-large and round)

Turkish Tomato Sauce:

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves rough chopped

• 1 x 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon sugar or alternative sweetener (maple, honey)

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup broth or stock (chicken or veggie)

Lamb Filling: 

• 1/2 cup Turkish tomato sauce

• 2 finely minced garlic cloves

• 1  lb  ground American lamb

• 1 cup bulgar wheat, soaked (or add 1 cup cauliflower rice (raw), or 1 cup cooked rice, or other cooked grain)

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried mint (or sub dried oregano or thyme)

• 1 teaspoon coriander

• 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (aleppo is nice)

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 cup pinenuts (or slivered almonds)

• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped (or sub dried barberries, currants or raisins) ALL OPTIONAL

Garnish: 

• fresh Italian parsly, dill or mint, a few toasted pinenuts, and serve with optional yogurt.

DIRECTIONS

Soak Bulgar Wheat in bowl of cool water, 20 mins.

Blanch Cabbage: Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage and blanch until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Cool. Alternatively you can peel off the cabbage leaves and blanch the leaves in batches for 1-2 minutes. You can also microwave the whole cabbage, covered tightly , in a bowl with 1 cup water for 10 mintues. You can also freeze the whole cabbage, then thaw.

Preheat oven to 350F

Make the Turkish Tomato Sauce: In a large saute pan, over med-high heat, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons oil until tender, 3-4 mins. Lower heat to medium, add garlic, saute 2-3 mintues until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes (and all the juices) sugar, spices, salt and broth . Stir, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, then turn heat off.  Place 1/2 cup of this sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish (just enought to lightly coat the bottom.)

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, place the lamb, drained bulgar wheat, garlic, Turkish tomato sauce, salt, spices, pine nuts, and dried apricots in a medium bowl and mix with a clean, damp hand, until well combined.

Assemble the Cabbage Rolls: Place a blanched cabbage leaf on the counter. Cut 2 inches of the thick vein out of the bottom end. Fill with 1/3 cup lamb filling and roll up like a burrito, tucking edges in and place seam side down in the sauced, baking dish. Repeat with all. You should have 10-12 ish. See notes, for breakage.

BAKE: Once the baking dish is filled with the rolls, pour the remaining Tomato sauce over top. Give the pan a good shake. Cover with parchement, then tightly with foil (or a lid). Bake for 1  1/4 hours. If baking in a saute pan, you could heat this up gently on the stove top (covered)  before placing in the oven and then bake for 1 hour.

Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, mint or dill, and a few pinenuts. Serve with a thick creamy yogurt if you like.

Notes

Feel free to make in stages. (Make the sauce ahead, the filling ahead or blanch the cabbage ahead). You can make them from start to finish, bake, refrigerate and reheat (covered). I have not tried freezing. 

If the cabbage leaves fall apart, split, get holes, or are too small, you can layer them, or lay two side by side and roll into one roll. This is typical once you get to the inner smaller leaves.

For a LOW-Carb Version: leave out the bulgar wheat and replace with raw “cauliflower rice” or the remaining cabbage (shredded finely). Leave out the dried apricots and the sweetener.

Persian Spiced Ground American Lamb with Mint Couscous

Recipe provided by | CLIMBING GRIER MOUNTAIN

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PERSIAN SPICED GROUND LAMB:

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 pound ground American lamb

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

• salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE COUSCOUS:

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 cup couscous

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl combine cumin, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside until ready to use. Preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, shallot, ginger to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Next, add the Persian spices and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the grape tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine to make sure everything is cooking evenly. Cook the tomatoes for a few minutes until softened. Next, stir in the ground lamb and cook until no longer pink about five minutes. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for a few more minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the chopped cilantro and check to see if salt and pepper is needed. Set aside until ready to serve.

Meanwhile in a large heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the couscous. Cover the couscous and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Using a fork fluff the couscous. Add the olive oil, shallot and mint. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. To serve, spread couscous onto a serving tray. Top the couscous with the ground lamb and garnish top with Greek yogurt or tzatziki.

Baked Stuffed Squash Blossoms (Dolmas Style!)

Recipe provided by | FEASTING AT HOME

Preparation time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, rough chopped

1/2 pound ground American lamb

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups cooked brown basmati rice (or other cooked grain- bulgar, freekeh, quinoa)

1/4 cup chopped herbs (dill, mint, parsley- a combo is nice) or sub 1 teaspoon each dried dill and mint.

1/4 cup toasted pinenuts ( optional)

12 zucchini squash blossoms, soaked in cold water, patted dry and checked for bees/bugs.

spray olive oil
Serve with Tzatziki Sauce, greens, sweet summer

tomatoes and fresh herbs.

QUICK TZATZIKI SAUCE

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 cup Persian or Turkish cucumbers, finely diced

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint or dill

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)

1/8 tablespoons salt (or more to taste)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F

Set rice or grain to cook on the stove.

Heat oil in skillet or dutch oven, over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauce until fragrant about 3-4 minutes. Add lamb, breaking it apart with a spatula. Season with salt and spices and continue salting and mixing until cooked through. Add the rice and fresh herbs and optional pine nuts and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Place a sheet of payment on a baking sheet. Spray the parchment with olive oil or cooking spray. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the lamb filling into the blossoms and place on the parchment. Pinch the end of the blossoms together ( it is ok, if they don’t completly close) as best you can. Spray them with a light dusting of olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
Mix the tzatziki ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve as an appetizer on platter (they are also good at room temp) or as an entree alongside a healthy salad.

notes

If using dry herbs, add at the time of the spices.

You can also stuff this flavorful lamb filling into zucchini. Simply cut 4 medium zucchinis in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and spoon the filling into the zucchini. Bake until the zucchini is tender, about 40 minutes at 375 F until zucchini is tender.

Turkish American Lamb Slider with Labneh

Recipe provided by | CLIMBING GRIER MOUNTAIN

Servings: 12 Sliders

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INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

• 1.5 lbs ground lamb

• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3/4 cup labneh

• 1 tablespoon clarified butter

• 2 tablespoon hot chili paste (sambal oelek)

• 2 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 12 sliders buns

• Arugula, for garnish

• Sliced shallot rounds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl combine oregano, cumin, cinnamon, garlic clove, mint, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Next, add in the ground lamb and 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Using your hands work the spices into the lamb until well combined. Be careful to not overmix.

Shape the meat into 12 (2-inch sliders) patties of equal thickness. Next, preheat a cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of clarified butter to the skillet followed by 3 to 4 sliders. Cook the sliders for about 3 minutes per side or until desired temperature is reached. Remove the sliders from the skillet and place on a plate to rest. Repeat process with remaining patties adding more clarified butter as needed until all have been cooked.

Next, in a small bowl combine chili paste, unseasoned rice vinegar, and honey. Take 1/2 tbsp of labneh and spread it on 12 bottoms buns followed by 1/2 tsp of the chili sauce and arugula. Place a lamb patty on top the arugula followed by shallot rounds. Take another 1/2 tbsp labneh and spread it on 12 top buns followed by 1/2 tsp chili sauce. Place the top bun over the lamb patty and serve. Repeat process until all lamb sliders have assembled. Serve and enjoy!