Spring Lamb

Spring Lamb—treat yourself with delicious chefs’ recipes for local lamb.

by Mary Bailey

Lamb in the spring is a given in food cultures around the world. Young lamb has none of the mutton taste that people may remember (and didn’t like). Roast or braised lamb is ideal for the Easter weekend or Sunday lunch. Make the stir fry, chops or ragu for a Thursday night; the Indian-style dishes for a dinner party; the cabbage rolls or meatballs for a casual get together.

Fine Alberta lamb is available from Haywire Farms online and Four Whistle Farm at the Downtown, Strathcona and Bountiful Farmers’ Markets. Both raise Katahdin sheep which have less lanolin and makes for lovely mild lamb.

Rose Petal Lamb Chops with Chile Herb Lime Drizzle
Kaelin Whittaker, Ruby Apron/Awn Kitchen

6-8	lamb chops
6 T	olive oil
5 T	dried rose petals, gently crushed
2 t	turmeric
3 t	ground cumin
3 t	cumin seeds
1 t	cinnamon
2 t	salt
3 cloves	garlic, thinly sliced
2 T	rose water

Chile Herb Drizzle

1	red chile, finely chopped
	good handful cilantro, finely chopped
2 t	dried mint
	juice of 1 lime
6-8 T	olive oil
1 t	salt
½ t	ground pepper

In a large bowl mix together the ingredients for the lamb chops. Stir well. Add the lamb chops and coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinade in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.

Preheat the oven to 475ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment, lay the chops on the tray and roast for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the chops.

While the lamb is cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the drizzle in a small bowl. Mix well. Taste and correct the seasoning if needed, adding more salt or lime juice.

Remove the lamb from the oven and generously dot with the drizzle. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Roman Lamb Ragu
“What makes this ragu particularly Roman and delicious is the addition of anchovies adding a subtle umami that works perfectly with lamb. I find that the absence of tomato in this recipe allows the flavours of the lamb to truly shine. A few cuts of pasta that work great with this ragu are pappardelle, tagliatelle, rigatoni or mezze maniche. You can also serve this ragu with slow-cooked creamy polenta as an alternative to pasta,” –Daniel Costa, Corso 32.

800 gr	boneless leg of lamb, cut into small pieces
1 med	carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks	celery, finely chopped
1 sml	red onion, finely chopped
1 clove	garlic, left whole
1 sprig	fresh rosemary, left whole
4	fresh sage leaves
3	olive oil preserved anchovy fillets (optional if allergic)
2 c	white wine
¾ c	extra virgin olive oil
3 t	kosher salt
10 cracks	black pepper
1½ c	water
2 c	milk
2 t	red wine vinegar

Season the lamb with 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a medium-sized dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Add the lamb, allow to sear until dark golden in colour. Using a slotted spoon remove the lamb from the pot. Discard the searing oil.

Return the pot to medium heat, add the remaining ½ cup of olive oil along with the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, herbs and anchovies. Fry the vegetables until lightly golden, stir frequently. Add 1½ teaspoons of salt and return the lamb to the pot.

Add the white wine and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the water and allow to gently simmer over low-medium heat with a lid on for 30 minutes. Add the milk and continue to simmer with the lid on for an additional 40 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat, with the back of a spoon check to see that the lamb falls apart easily. If the lamb is not tender enough continue to simmer until it is the desired texture.

Add the remaining salt, black pepper and vinegar and allow the ragu to rest for 15 minutes. Break the rest of the lamb apart with the back of a spoon. Season to taste with more salt if necessary.

Toss the ragu with pasta and a little grated Pecorino Romano. Serves 4-6.

Quilon Lamb
Chef Joe Thottungal, Coconut Lagoon, Ottawa
We first fell in love with chef Thottungal’s food when he podiumed at the 2018 Canadian Culinary Championship and again when he served this at the opening reception of the championships in Ottawa in February. Many thanks to Anne des Brisay, Ottawa’s senior judge, for tracking down this tasty lamb dish.

1	lamb leg, boneless, 2 lbs, cut into ½-inch cubes
4 T	Kashmiri chile powder, divided
2 T	turmeric powder, divided
¾ c	coriander powder, divided
3 T	coarsely crushed black pepper, divided
	fresh curry leaves from 3 sprigs
5 c	roughly chopped onion
1/3 c	finely chopped ginger and garlic, equal amounts
3 c	fresh ripe tomato, chopped
3 T	garam masala (recipe follows)
1¼ c	coconut oil
2 t	black mustard seed
2 t	cumin seed
3 T	fresh lemon juice
10 c	water
½ c	cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
	salt to taste

Wash the lamb, pat dry and put in stockpot. Stir in the spices: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon turmeric, ¼ cup coriander, 2 tablespoons crushed pepper, 2 teaspoons garam masala and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the water, cover and simmer for an hour, or until meat is tender. This can also be done in a pressure cooker.

In a separate pan, heat the oil, then add the black mustard and cumin seed. Let them sizzle and crackle. Add the ginger-garlic mixture and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the onion and curry leaves. Cook until the onions are lightly brown. Add the remaining spice powders and stir it until the spices are cooked (the oil will go from cloudy to clear when spices are cooked.) Add chopped tomato and cook for 12-15 minutes over medium heat. Add to the cooked lamb in the pot and let it simmer for another 15 minutes.

To finish the dish, add the lemon juice, garam masala, remaining black pepper and salt. Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro. Serves 6.

Garam Masala

5 T	fennel seeds
1 T	cloves
1 T	green cardamom
2 pcs	cinnamon bark, 1” long
3	star anise

Dry roast all spices until fragrant, and grind in a coffee grinder to a fine powder. Makes ½ cup.

Greek-style Lamb and Feta Cabbage Rolls
Adapted from a recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine.

1 lrg	green cabbage, outer leaves discarded, cored
1 lb	ground lamb
1 lrg	yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lrg	egg
1 c	crumbled feta
½ c	short-grain rice, such as Arborio (don’t use long grain, takes too long to cook)
¼ c	finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T	finely chopped fresh oregano
1 T	fresh lemon juice
1 t	ground cumin
½ t	fennel seeds, crushed
	kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ c	olive oil
1 lrg	can crushed tomatoes (about 2 cups)
1 c	home-made chicken broth or low-salt chicken broth
1/3 c	ouzo or sambuca

Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the whole cabbage and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the cabbage until the visible leaves are bright green and start to pull away, about 4 minutes. Carefully pull them off with tongs and lay them on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel. Continue boiling the cabbage and removing its leaves in layers as they soften until the entire cabbage is cooked, 15 to 20 minutes total. Let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the lamb, onion, egg, feta, rice, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, cumin, fennel, 2½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

With a paring knife, remove the hard ribs from the cabbage leaves. Cut the larger leaves in half lengthwise.

Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with the olive oil. Arrange several cabbage leaves on a work surface so they run lengthwise away from you. Working with one leaf, put about 1½ tablespoons of the lamb mixture on the end closest to you. Fold the long sides in toward the lamb, and then roll away from you to enclose the meat. Put the roll in the pot, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining cabbage and filling, arranging the rolls in a snug single layer.

Combine the tomatoes, broth, and ouzo in a medium bowl, then pour the mixture over the rolls. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook, shaking the pot occasionally so the rolls don’t stick, until the rice in the filling is completely tender, 60-90 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Butter Lamb
“This recipe is best with a shoulder roast or shank. We make it both with raw roast or leftover roast—works great both ways.”
–Trevor Riehl, Haywire Farms

Spice Mix

1½ t	salt
1 t	turmeric
1 t	chile powder
1 t	paprika
½ t	garam masala

Combine all in a bowl and reserve.

3 T	canola oil
2	onions, chopped
1 t	garlic, minced
1 t	ginger, minced
½ c	water
½ small can	tomato paste
	lamb, see note above
2	bay leaves
	chicken broth to cover
1 c	whipping cream
½ c	fenugreek leaves, dried (kasoori methi is the Indian name)*
½ t	garam masala

Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Sauté onions until golden, then push to the side of the pan. Add garlic and ginger to the pan and sauté for one minute; combine with onions after sautéed. Push this mixture to the side of the pan. Add the spice mix to the pan and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant. Add 1/3 cup water and the tomato paste; stir to combine everything in the pan. The oil will separate from the tomato paste. Add the lamb and bay leaves. Add enough chicken broth to cover the meat and bring to a simmer. Cooking time will vary between 2-4 hours depending on the size of the meat. Once the meat is tender, remove and debone (if necessary). Boil down sauce to a thick gravy consistency. Add the meat back to the sauce. Add heavy cream, fenugreek and the garam masala. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve with rice or naan. Serves 6-8 * Dried fenugreek leaves can be tricky to find, but they are worth it. We buy our Indian spices in from the Spice Centre, 9280 34 Avenue. –TR

Classic Roast Leg of Lamb
Adapted from the Saveur 25th Anniversary issue

1	7–8 lb. leg of lamb, at room temperature
4 cloves	garlic, medium-sized, peeled, divided
¼ c	fresh breadcrumbs
¼ c	finely chopped fresh rosemary
	kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T	olive oil
2 T	Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven (with the rack positioned in the center) to 350°F.

If your butcher has not already done so, remove the excess fat from the lamb, leaving a very thin layer to protect the meat while cooking. Use the tip of a paring knife to make small incisions all over the lamb. Cut three of the garlic cloves into slivers and slip them into the incisions.

Mince the remaining garlic, then add it to a large bowl, along with the breadcrumbs, parsley, and rosemary. Toss to combine, then season with kosher salt and black pepper. Mix well. Rub the lamb all over with olive oil, then brush with the mustard. Sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the lamb and pat it with your hands to form a thick, even coating. Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil, then place the lamb fat side up in the pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest point registers 130°F, about 1½ hours. Remove the lamb from the oven and set it aside to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before carving.

Serves 8-10.

Lamb Kofta with Green Tahini Yogurt
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller magazine

70 g	fine bulgur
2 T	olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1	Spanish onion, ½ finely chopped, ½ thinly sliced
2 cloves	garlic, finely chopped
500 g	minced lamb
1	egg
1 t	ground cumin
1 t	ground coriander
1	dried mint
½ t	dried chilli flakes
	finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
	chopped mint, coriander, flat-leaf parsley and Lebanese cucumber, and extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Place bulgur in a bowl, cover with cold water and let stand for 10 minutes, then drain in a fine sieve. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until softened (3-4 minutes). Cool, then combine in a bowl with lamb, egg, ground spices, mint, chilli flakes, rind and bulgur, and season generously to taste. Mix well with your hands, roll into walnut-sized oval balls, thread onto metal skewers, then cover and refrigerate to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat barbecue to medium-high heat.

Drizzle kofta with oil and grill, turning occasionally, until browned and just cooked through (4-5 minutes). Toss herbs, cucumber, sliced onion, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl.

Serve kofta hot on flatbread with green tahini yoghurt, herb salad and lemon wedges. Serves 6-8.

Green Tahini Yoghurt

3-4	coarsely chopped kale leaves
½ c	mint (firmly packed)
½ c	coriander (firmly packed)
½ c	flat-leaf parsley (firmly packed)
1 clove	garlic, coarsely chopped
1/3 c	extra-virgin olive oil
250 g	Greek yoghurt
80 g	sesame seeds
	juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

Finely chop the kale, herbs and garlic in a food processor. Add oil and process to combine. Add yoghurt, tahini and lemon juice, season to taste and process to combine.

Braised Lamb Shoulder
“It’s one of my favourites for a big get together.” –Riley Aitken, Smokey Bear

2-3 kg	bone-in lamb shoulder
1 clove	garlic, skinned
2	onions, peeled and cut in quarters
2 c	red wine
3 c	water
10 g	dried thyme (fresh works if available)
10 g	dried rosemary (fresh works if available)
10 g	salt
	canola oil

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Place a small amount of oil in a large frying pan and bring to high heat. Once the pan is hot place your lamb shoulder in and seal until golden brown, making sure to do all sides. Remove the shoulder from the pan and place in large pot or a Dutch oven. Deglaze the frying pan with 1 cup wine and pour the liquid into the pot with the lamb. Add the remaining liquid, onions, garlic and herbs. Making sure the lamb shoulder is at least 3/4 covered with liquid. Cover and put in the oven. Set a timer for 2 hours. (It may need an additional 30 minutes depending on the oven—you should be able to pull the meat apart with a fork). Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the shoulder on a plate and pour sauce over (recipe below).

Sauce

25 g	butter
100 g	flour
2 c	cooking liquid

Once the lamb is cooked strain off 2 cups worth of liquid. Place the butter in a sauce pot on medium heat. Rain in the flour slowly to form a roux. Cook the roux for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Slowly pour 2 cups liquid into the roux, whisking as you do so. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6-8.

Crispy Cumin Lamb with Aubergine and Ginger
Adapted from an Ottolenghi recipe via The Guardian.
“Lamb and cumin are a pairing you’d normally associate with Middle Eastern cooking, but it is also a staple in the north-west of China, where there is a large Muslim community. According to my Taiwanese friend Gary Chang, there’s only one heat when stir-frying, and that’s ‘very hot,’ so keep the flame high to achieve a good sear. Use a wok if you have one, or a high-sided sauté pan if you don’t.” –Yotam Ottolenghi

700 g	boneless lamb shoulder, silver skin and gristle removed, then cut into 6 cm x 5 mm strips
2 t	corn flour
1½ T	ground cumin
90 ml	dark soy sauce
60 ml	Shaoxing rice wine
1 T	caster sugar
2	aubergines, cut into 6 cm x 2 cm pieces
	salt
60 ml	vegetable oil
2 cm	piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 T	cumin seeds
3	red chillies, finely sliced on an angle (deseeded, if you prefer less heat)
3	spring onions, finely sliced on an angle
15 g	coriander, leaves and stalks separated
1½ t	rice wine vinegar

Pat the lamb dry. Put it in a bowl with the corn flour, a tablespoon of ground cumin, half the soy sauce, half the rice wine and the sugar. Toss to coat and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour.

Toss the aubergine with the remaining cumin and half a teaspoon of salt. Heat half the oil in a large wok or sauté pan on a high flame, then fry the aubergine, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until it’s beginning to brown.

Add the ginger and 1 tablespoon of soy, and fry for 3 minutes more, stirring very often, until the aubergine is a dark golden brown. Remove the aubergine from the wok, wipe the pan clean, then return it to the heat. Put the cumin seeds in the hot pan and, taking care not to burn them, dry fry for around 30 seconds, until fragrant, then tip into a saucer.

Return the pan to a high heat and, once it’s smoking, add the rest of the oil and swirl around. Add a third of the lamb, separating the pieces with a spoon, so they don’t clump together, then leave to sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes, until crisp and golden brown all over, then lift out of the wok with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan. Repeat with the rest of the lamb in two more batches, then drain and discard half of the fat.

Return all the meat to the wok and, over a high heat, quickly toss with the aubergines, the remaining soy and rice wine, the chillies, spring onions, coriander and toasted cumin seeds, for only a few seconds, to warm through. Transfer to a platter, drizzle over the vinegar and serve straight away. Serves 4-6.