Lamb Tagine With Prunes And Cinnamon

This well-balanced stew is intense yet mellow. The prunes soak up the fragrant spices, and long, slow cooking turns the lamb fork-tender. View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.

Yield:

Serves 6

Ingredients

1. 2 1/2 lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2. 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
3. 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
4. 3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
5. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6. 1 teaspoon ground ginger
7. 1 teaspoon turmeric
8. 1 pinch saffron threads
9. 1 tablespoon white wine or water
10. About 2 1/2 cups water
11. 1/2 lb prunes (about 2 cups)
12. 3 tablespoons mild honey
13. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
14. 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds

Directions

1. Toss together lamb, onion, 3 tablespoons oil, spices (except saffron), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot.
2. Lightly toast saffron in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until just fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Crumble into wine and let stand 1 minute. Add wine to pot, then add enough water to just cover lamb. Gently simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours.
3. Stir in prunes and honey and simmer until meat is tender and sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt.
4. Toast sesame seeds in dry small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until pale golden, then transfer to a small bowl.
5. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then fry almonds until golden. Drain on paper towels.
6. Serve tagine sprinkled with sesame seeds and almonds.

Notes

Tagine can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Reheat gently, thinning with water if needed.

Provençal Rack Of Lamb With Roasted Tomatoes

Rack of lamb, a popular restaurant cut, is easy to cook at home. Smaller Australian or New Zealand racks are the perfect size to serve two. Roasting the meat over sliced potatoes enlivens them with savory juices.

Yield:

Serves 2

Ingredients

1. 2 garlic cloves
2. 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
3. 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
4. 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5. 2 medium tomatoes, halved
6. 1 (1-lb) frenched rack of lamb (4 to 8 chops, depending on size), cut in half
7. 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (1/3 cup)
8. 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
9. 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
2. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir together with herbs and 1 Tbsp oil.
3. Put tomatoes cut sides up in an oiled small baking dish and drizzle with a third of garlic mixture. Roast until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pat lamb dry and season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown lamb on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and discard oil from skillet.
6. Heat remaining Tbsp oil in skillet over medium heat and cook shallots and potatoes, stirring occasionally, until edges are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in water and half of remaining garlic mixture and remove from heat.
7. Rub remaining garlic mixture on fat side of lamb racks. Arrange lamb over potatoes and roast in oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 130°F for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Let stand, loosely covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with tomatoes.

Notes

Brochettes of Lamb

Serve with harissa, a hot sauce sold in Middle-Eastern markets.

Yield:

8 servings (serving size: 1 brochette)

Ingredients

1. 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3. 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
4. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
5. 3/4 teaspoon salt
6. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
7. 2 garlic cloves, minced
8. 3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except the cooking spray in a large bowl. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours.
2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
3. Thread lamb pieces onto each of 8 (8-inch) skewers. Lightly coat lamb with cooking spray. Place brochettes on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Notes

Lamb Ragu Over Ricotta Gnocchi

Ground lamb is the perfect choice for a quick and easy ragu, and the light and tasty ricotta gnocchi dumplings complement the flavor of lamb and tomatoes beautifully. Unlike traditional potato gnocchi, the ricotta gnocchi are dropped into boiling water like dumplings.

Yield:

4 dozen gnocchi and 4 servings of ragu

Ingredients

1. For the gnocchi:
2. =================
3. 1 lb ricotta cheese
4. 3 eggs, well beaten
5. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6. 1/4 cup butter, softened
7. 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
8. 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
9. .
10. For the ragu
11. =================
12. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
13. 1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced
14. 2 cloves garlic, minced
15. 1 lb ground lamb
16. 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
17. 1/2 cup Pinot Noir or other red wine
18. 1/4 cup water
19. 1/2 teaspoon salt
20. 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the onion slices. Allow them to caramelize over medium to low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly whisk the ricotta and eggs together. Stir in the parmesan, butter and salt and combine well. Mix in the minimum quantity of flour. If necessary, add more flour in 1 tablespoon increments, until the dough reaches a fairly thick consistency. Set aside and start the ragu.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the lamb, breaking up the chunks with a fork as it browns. Add in the caramelized onions, tomatoes, Pinot Noir, water and salt and combine thoroughly.
4. Reduce the heat, stir gently and allow the ragu to simmer for about 20 minutes while you finish cooking the gnocchi. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add in the chopped parsley just before plating.
5. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, drop in your gnocchi in batches of no more than 8 or 10 at a time to avoid sticking. The easiest way to do this is to use two teaspoons. Scoop out a rounded teaspoon, then use the other teaspoon to gently drop the gnocchi into the boiling water. Don't worry about uniformity - each "dumpling" will be different.
6. Boil the gnocchi for about 3 to 4 minutes total, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Gnocchi is done when firm all the way through. Repeat the process in batches with the remaining dough.
7. When the gnocchi have drained thoroughly and cooled just a bit, plate them and top with the lamb ragu.

Notes

Prior to plating your gnocchi, you can melt a little butter over medium heat and give them a quick saute to brown the edges and impart some extra flavor.

Tangy Lamb & Asparagus Lettuce Cups

Asparagus is low in fat, sodium, calories, and cholesterol, and an important source of vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and other nutrients. The National Cancer Institute notes that asparagus has more glutathionea, a cancer-fighting micronutrient, than any other food.

Yield:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. Dressing:
2. 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and sliced
3. 1/4 cup lemon grass, sliced
4. 1/4 cup lime juice
5. 2 tablespoons fish sauce
6. 2 tablespoons water
7. 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
8. Filling:
9. 2 tablespoons sesame oil
10. 1 lb. ground lamb
11. Salt and pepper to taste
12. 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut on diagonal into 1 inch pieces
13. 1 small red bell pepper, diced
14. 12 iceberg or butter lettuce leaves

Directions

1. For dressing, puree first 5 ingredients in blender. Let stand 15 minutes to 1 hour. Strain mixture into a small bowl. Squeeze liquid from solids and discard solids. Add sweet chili sauce.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add seasoned ground lamb. Sauté until cooked through. Drain off fat. Remove from pan and transfer to mixing bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil to sauté pan. Sauté asparagus and red pepper until tender. Add to lamb. Reserve 1⁄4 cup dressing and add the remaining dressing to coat mixture well.
3. Arrange lettuce cups on a platter, trimming edges on any oversized leaves. Spoon approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the lamb-asparagus mixture into lettuce cups. Serve remaining sauce along side.
4. Serve at room temperature.

Notes