American Lamb Shoulder with Moroccan Spice

Recipe provided by | Two Purple Figs

Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

Lamb

• 3 - 4 pounds of American Lamb shoulder cut into 4 equal chunks

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Moroccan Spice (use half this amount only)

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon pepper

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon allspice

• 1 tablespoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

Sweet and Spicy Sauce

• 1 onion diced (large Spanish onion)

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cardamom pod

• 2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar (any balsamic vinegar works too)

• 1 cup figs fresh and cut in half, or 1/2 cup dried figs diced

• 4 red chillies who, or use less or swap for any type of spicy pepper

• 1 1/2 cup water , stock or wine

To Serve

• 3 cups cooked Moroccan herbed couscous

• Fresh mint

• Extra red chillies

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare the spice blend my mixing all ingredients together in a deep plate or jar.

Trim off excess fat from the lamb and make sure the meat is dry.

Flavor the lamb with half the spice mixture and toss them well.  

Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over medium high heat and sear the lamb for 3 minutes per side until a golden crust is formed.

Now lower the heat to medium and start adding the ingredients for the sauce in order.

Make sure to toss the ingredients well and let the cook just until the mixture begins to simmer.

At that point, cover the pan with foil and continue roasting it in the oven for 1 hour. Roast the lamb for more or less time depending on how tender you prefer it to be.  

Remove from the oven and serve the lamb on a bed of couscous, drizzled with extra sauce form the pan.

Enjoy!

Braised American Lamb Shoulder with Pumpkin Smoked Gouda Grits

Recipe provided by | The Daley Plate

Serves: 6-8 Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 3 pound bone-in American Lamb shoulder

• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, sliced

• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 tablespoon white miso paste

• 1 tablespoon brown gravy powder

• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 cups grits or polenta

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 8 ounces grated smoked gouda cheese

• To serve: Sage leaves crisped up in olive oil, steamed vegetables

DIRECTIONS

Season lamb shoulder with Cajun seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set Instant Pot to saute, add olive oil and sear lamb shoulder for 5 minutes per side or until golden. Remove and place on a plate until ready to braise.

Add onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf  to the Instant Pot and saute for 5 minutes. Deglaze by adding the vegetable broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the inner pot with a wooden spoon until nothing is sticking. Add white miso paste and gravy powder, followed by the lamb shoulder. Place lid on and set Instant Pot to Manual Pressure for 50 minutes. After cooking, allow pressure to release naturally (10 minutes), remove the shoulder bone and set to saute to reduce liquid until desired consistency. The meat should be fall-apart tender and the garlic and onions completely reduced to form the gravy. Remove bay leaf, season to taste and serve with smoked pumpkin gouda grits.

Tip: To thicken the gravy, add a slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water then stir gently until thickened.

For the grits: Add vegetable broth or water and butter to a large pot over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, add grits then stir and cook for 10 minutes until thickened. Add pumpkin puree, cream and grated smoked gouda cheese. Stir and simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes and season to taste. Serve immediately with crispy sage, braised American lamb and vegetables of your choice.

Instant Pot Moroccan American Lamb Stew

Recipe provided by | Zestful Kitchen

Serves 8 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds American boneless leg of lamb, or shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1–1½ inches thick

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces (1 1/4 cup)

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tablespoon ras el hanout

• 1/8 teaspoon allspice

• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth

• 2 tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces 

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 cup diced dried apricots or golden raisins

• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

• Cook basmati rice, couscous, or quinoa

• Cilantro, parsley and or preserved lemons

DIRECTIONS

Pat lamb dry with paper towels; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot for 5 minutes (or until just smoking). Add lamb and cook until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl and reserve drippings in pot.

Add onion and carrot to drippings, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook on highest sauté function until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic, flour, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, allspice, and ras el hanout; cook until fragrant, 30–60 second. Whisk in a few splashes of broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out the mixture after each addition. Gradually add in the remaining broth; add browned lamb back and any accumulated juices to pot, stir to incorporate.

Lock lid in place, close pressure release valve, and select high pressure cook function; cook for 50 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing for steam to escape away from you.

Select sauté functions and add tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots and simmer for 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar and season with salt (I use 1 teaspoon) and pepper to taste.

Serve stew over rice and finish with parsley, cilantro, and/or chopped preserved lemons. 

How to make this stew in a Dutch oven

Don’t have an Instant Pot? You can instead make this in a large Dutch oven. Brown the lamb and cook the vegetables according to recipe instructions.

Add the broth as directed and bring to a boil, add the browned lamb and bring the stew to a simmer. Cover and transfer to a 325ºF oven and braise until lamb is tender, about an hour and 45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Moroccan American Lamb Bowls

Recipe provided by | Climbing Grier Mountain

Serves:4

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

• olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 pound boneless American lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 small fennel bulb, sliced thinly

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup Labneh or greek yogurt

• Fresh mint, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook the sweet potatoes for about 20 to 25 minutes (flipping halfway through) or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat a skillet with a lid to medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the skillet and then the lamb. Sear the lamb for a few minutes on each side then add in the cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover the skillet with a lid. This will help lock in the flavor and make sure the lamb doesn't dry out. Keep the lid on for about 7 to 10 minutes and then remove the lamb from the skillet and set aside on a plate.

In a bowl combine fennel, red onion, and apple cider vinegar. To serve: place three sweet potato slices on a plate. Top with lamb cubes, fennel mixture, a dollop of labneh, and fresh mint. Repeat process for remaining plates.

Grilled American Lamb Salad Bowls

Recipe provided by | Blue Bowl

Serves: 2 bowls Preparation time: 20 minutes Marinating time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

For the Lamb Marinade

• 1 pound American Lamb shoulder or leg meat cubed (or purchase lamb stew meat)

• 3 tablespoon olive oil

• juice of 1/2 a large lemon

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

• 1 tablespoon oregano

• generous pinch salt + pepper

For the Salad Bowls

• lettuce or mixed greens

• 1 cup chickpeas

• 1 cup black olives

• 1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• feta cheese

For the Zippy Lemon Dressing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• splash of water

• a pinch each of salt, pepper, and sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon oregano

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Marinate the Lamb Meat: Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large reusable tupperware container. Add the lamb and stir or shake the container with the lid tightly on to coat it with the marinade. Let this hang out in the fridge for 1 1/2 hours before grilling the meat.

2. Grill: Heat your grill over medium heat, and lightly spray a grill pan with nonstick spray - do this AWAY from the grill. Add the marinated lamb meat to the pan and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes. Cut into one of the larger pieces to check for doneness - if a larger piece is done, the rest should be too. Smaller pieces will be well done, and larger pieces will be medium well.

3. Shake up the Lemon Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a jar and attach the lid securely. Shake until well combined.

4. Assemble Salad Bowls: Assemble your bowls! Build them starting with the lettuce, then add the veggies, lamb meat, and feta to top them off.

5. Serve + Store: Pour the dressing over, dividing it between the two bowls just before serving. Enjoy! Store any leftovers in the fridge - if you're planning to keep the second salad for the next day, store the components separately, and assembling and dressing it when you’re ready to eat.

Grill Foil Packets with American Lamb and Potatoes

Recipe provided by | Two Purple Figs

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INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 pounds American Lamb shoulder -deboned and cut into an inch and a half pieces (you can also use pre-cubed lamb stew meat).

• 4 cups of chopped potatoes or baby potatoes

• 1 red onion, finely diced

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves chopped

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Fresh rosemary sprigs

• chilli flakes (optional)

• Fresh baby tomatoes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the grill at medium heat or the oven at 420 degrees F.

Cut out 4-5 foil sheets approximately 9 by 13 inch size.

In a large bowl, toss the lamb, potatoes and remaining ingredients.

Divide the lamb potato mixture among the 4 foil sheets and fold over the edges of the foil to form a packet.

Place the packets on the grill or in the oven on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!

Foil Packet Tips:

Make sure the lamb chunks and potatoes are approximately the same size.

Season the lamb and potatoes together in the same bowl ( garlic, onion, herbs, lemon juice, and your favorite spices).

Feel free to add extra veggies here: corn, red pepper chunks, green beans, carrots, and your favorite!

Cut the foil into about 9 by 13 inch sheets. If you have a pan of this size, it would be easy to use it as a guide.

Divide the mixture and wrap each foil while sealing the edges.

Grilled Lamb & Vegetable Kabobs

Recipe provided by | Nourish With Lamb

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

• 12 (10-inch) wooden skewers

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves peeled and smashed

• 2 lbs boneless leg lamb, trim of fat, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces w/layers

• 2 small zucchini cut crosswise to 1/2in rounds

• 2 yellow squash cut crosswise to 1/2in rounds

• 2 bell peppers cut into 1/2in pieces

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp pepper

Honey Mustard Thyme Dipping Sauce

• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

• 3 tbsp coarse grain mustard

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp mayonnaise

• 1/8 tsp pepper

• 1/8 tsp salt

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

• 2 tsp chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 cucumber peeled, seeded and finely chopped

• 1/4 cup greek yogurt

• 1/8 tsp pepper

• 1/8 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

Place wooden skewers in a shallow dish and cover with water, set aside. In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer olive oil and garlic until garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes, transfer to small bowl and set aside to cool.

Thread 6 skewers alternating lamb and red onion. Thread remaining 6 skewers with zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper. Place on clean tray.

On a gas grill, turn all burners to high, close lid and heat until hot, about 15 minutes. Brush lamb and vegetable kabobs with garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skewers on the hot grill rack. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until each side has grill marks and lamb is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes or until lamb reaches 160 degrees for medium doneness.

Remove from grill onto clean tray. Serve with dipping sauces and whole-wheat pita.

Lamb Shoulder, White Bean, Hominy & Green Chile Stew

Recipe provided by | Nourish With Lamb

Serves: 8

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 lbs lamb stew meat, shoulder, trimmed

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 cups white onion, chopped

• 2 cups celery, chopped

• 1 tbs garlic, minced

• 1 cup chicken broth, reduced sodium

• 1 can or 8 ounces diced roasted green chilies

• 12 oz jar salsa verde

• 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 can hominy or corn, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups fresh chayote (or other summer varietals) squash or frozen/fresh vegetables of choice, such as green beans, spinach, etc.

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb to the hot oil and season with salt and pepper.

Stir and allow the meat to brown on all sides. Add in the onion, celery, and garlic; continue to stir and cook until vegetables are softened.

Add broth, green chilies, salsa verde, beans and hominy or corn; bring mixture to a simmer. Continue to cook over a low simmer until meat is tender and stew is slightly thickened, about 20-30 minutes.

Add the fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice and continue to simmer on low until vegetables are cooked, about 5-10 minutes.

Serve in bowls and garnish with assorted toppings such as chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or crema.