Help! What Do I Do With Ground Lamb

[pmuhlhan]

Hello all...had a mix up at the butcher whereby he gave me 1-1/2 pounds of ground lamb instead of ground round. Any good recipes out there for ground lamb?

Thanks,

[Kitchen Witch]

Lamburgers


* 1/3 cup rice simmered until very tender in 2/3 cup chicken stock
* 1 cup minced onions sautéed and lightly browned in 2 Tbs butter
* 1 egg
* 1 clove of garlic, puréed (optional)
* 1 pound (2 cups) lean ground lamb
* salt
* freshly ground pepper
* ground rosemary or thyme
* Clarified butter or olive oil, for sautéing

Purée the cooked rice, onions, egg, and optional garlic in the food processor or blender. Scrape into a bowl and blend with the ground lamb, adding a teaspoon of salt, several grinds of pepper, and a good pinch of rosemary or thyme. Form into patties and arrange on wax paper -- they will be rather soft.

(The patties may be prepared several hours or a day in advance; cover and refrigerate.)

Film a 10-inch no-stick frying pan with butter or oil and set over moderately high heat. When hot, scoop in the patties with a pancake turner and sauté a minute or so on each side -- watch that they do not brown too much. They are done to medium rare when just springy rather than squashy to the touch of your finger. Remove to hot plates or a hot platter.

Makes 4 large patties 3½ inches across and 1¼ inches thick, or 6 smaller patties.

Optional sauce


* 1/3 cup dry white French vermouth
* 2/3 cup fresh tomato sauce

Pour excess fat out of the pan, and pour in the wine and tomato sauce, stirring with a wooden spoon for the few minutes it takes the sauce to boil up and thicken. Spoon the sauce over the patties and serve.



Lamb Meatballs


* 1 lb ground lamb
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 2 T ground cornmeal
* ¼ cup ground Pecorino Romano cheese
* ¼ cup fine bread crumbs
* 1/3 cup sour cream
* 2 T chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
* 1 T paprika powder
* ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and shape into golf-ball size meatballs.

Coat with olive oil and bake in an uncovered casserole dish for at 350°F for about 45 minutes.

Serve with hot buttered pasta noodles with freshly grated nutmeg.




Leek & Lamb Croquettes

* 2 slices toasted white bread with crusts removed
* 1 pound leeks
* 2 tablespoons water
* 6 ounces ground lamb
* ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
* ¾ teaspoon dried parsley
* 1 egg
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* ¼ teaspoon black pepper
* oil for frying

In the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade, chop the bread into bread crumbs and reserve. Discard the green part of the leeks and coarsely chop white part. Remove to a microwavable bowl, add 1 tablespoon water and microwave on high for 2½ minutes. Return to food processor bowl.

Brown lamb in a nonstick frying pan with the remaining tablespoon water, breaking up lumps and frying until all the water is absorbed and meat is browned.

Add lamb, bread crumbs, cinnamon, parsley, egg, salt and pepper to the leeks in the food processor bowl and process with off-on pulses until combined.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy frying pan; when oil sizzles, fry 1 tablespoon amounts of leek-lamb mix as small flat pancakes, turning them so they brown well on both sides.

Alternately, walnut-sized balls of leek-lamb mixture may be deep fried in 1½ inches of olive oil heated to 325° until lightly browned. Drain and serve hot.

Makes 12 to 14 croquettes.



Lamb & Blackbean Chili


* 2 lbs. ground lamb
* 1 lg. yellow onion, coarsely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, pressed/minced
* 2 cans stewed tomatoes
* 1-2 cans tomato sauce
* 1-2 cans tomato paste
* 1 lb. black beans, soaked overnight (or longer :-/ )
* 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced thick
* 4 T chili powder
* 2 T cumin, ground
* ½ T fresh ground pepper
* 1 t salt

Brown the lamb, add onion, drain, put into stockpot (or crock-pot). Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste (adjusting sauce and paste amounts to suit your likes), black beans, mushrooms, chili powder, cumin, pepper and salt. Simmer at least four hours, then taste and add more chili powder/cumin/pepper/salt to taste (preferably simmering more if more spices were added).

Options: add or substitute garbanzo or kidney beans.

[Kitchen Witch]

lamb meat pies

Pastry

* 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon Jamaican or Columbo spice blend (or curry powder)
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* ¾ cup vegetable shortening (chilled)
* 1/3 cup ice water

Meat Filling

* 1 pound ground lamb (lean)
* 2 Tablespoon butter (unsalted)
* 1 medium onion (chopped)
* ½ hot & fresh chile pepper (preferably a Scotch Bonnet or milder if you prefer)
* 1 garlic clove (minced)
* 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons Jamaican or Columbo spice blend (or curry powder)
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon thyme (dried)
* ¼ teaspoon cilantro
* ¼ teaspoon allspice
* 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
* 2 Tablespoons water
* 1 large egg (well beaten)

Dough

In a medium bowl, stir the Jamaican spice blend or Colombo powder, flour, salt and cayenne together. Using a pastry blender (or just two knives, which is a lot more work), cut in the shortening until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Tossing with a fork, gradually sprinkle in the ice water, mixing just until the mixture is moist enough to hold together when pinched between you thumb and forefinger. You amy need to add a little more water.

Gather the dough and form it into a flat disc, wrap it in waxed paper, and refrigerate over night.
Filling

Heat the butter in a larger skillet. Add the lamb, onion, chile pepper, garlic, and brown well over medium-high heat, stirring often, for about 5-8 minutes. Drain and discard all the fat.

Now add the flour, Jamaican spices (Colombo powder), salt, thyme, cilantro, allspice, and stir for a minute. Stir in the tomato paste and water, and cook until thickened. (These are all one minute steps.) Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool completely.


The Pies

Position the rack in the top third of the oven, and pre-heat to 400°. Lightly grease the baking sheet.

On a lightly floured work surface (like the counter top), roll out the dough to form a 12 × 14 inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Cut this into eight, 6 × 3 inch rectangles. Place about ¼ cup of the filling in the center of each rectangle, fold it over to enclose the filling, and press the edges with a fork to seal them in.

Transfer to the prepared, baking sheet, and brush them lightly with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown. (about 25 to 30 minutes). Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.





Lamb Stew in 30 Minutes or Less


* 12 ounces whole onion or 11 ounces chopped, ready-cut onion (2¼ to 2¾ cups)
* 1 Tbs olive oil
* 4 ounces peeled whole carrots or sliced ready-cut carrots (1 cup)
* 8 ounces lean lamb
* ½ cup dry red wine
* 1 Tbs fresh dill
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* 1 cup no-salt-added beef stock
* 1 cup frozen lima beans or canned garbanzo beans
* 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
* 1 Tbs cornstarch
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/8 tsp salt

1. Chop whole onions, and sauté in very hot oil in nonstick pan large enough to hold all the ingredients.

2. Slice the whole carrots, and add to the onions, continuing to sauté.

3. If the lamb is not already ground, trim and grind in the food processor. When the onions have begun to soften and take on color, add the lamb and brown it, breaking it up so it doesn't clump together.

4. Add the wine, and cook over high heat to reduce slightly.

5. Wash, dry and chop the dill. When the wine is reduced, add the dill, thyme, stock and beans; continue to cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

6. Mix a little of the buttermilk with the cornstarch to make a paste. Stir the paste into the remaining buttermilk, and add to the stew, stirring to mix well. Cook until mixture thickens slightly; season with salt and pepper. Serve over tiny boiled new potatoes.

Yield: 2

[Kitchen Witch]

Stuffed Green Peppers


* 1½ lb. ground Lamb (lean)
* 8 sweet green peppers
* 3 Tablespoons butter/margerine
* 1 large onion (minced)
* 1 garlic clove (crushed)
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* ½ teaspoon ginger (ground)
* ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
* ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
* ¼ teaspoon cilantro/coriander (ground)
* ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
* curry sauce(s)
* yogurt

Wash the peppers and cut off the tops. Save the tops for hats. Scoop out and discard the seeds and membranes.

Heat the butter and brown the oinion and garlic lightly in a skillet. Add the lamb, curry powder, and the rest of the spices mixed together. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, then add the salt (to taste).

Fill the peppers with this mixture and fasten the tops with toothpicks or cocktail sticks. Stand the peppers upright in a baking dish and surround with your favorite curry sauce. (Or as a variation, use Colombo powder.)

Cover and bake in a preheated 350° oven for about an hour, until the meat-mixture and peppers are done. If the peppers become too dry while coooking, add a little yogurt to the sauce in the bottom of the dish.

Serve your favorite rice dish on the side, and veggies. Fried plantains would be a good accompaniment.



Cuban Sloppy Joes


* 2 pounds ground lean lamb
* ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
* 6 Tablespoons red wine
* 4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
* 2 cups (minced) yellow onions
* 2 small green peppers (seeded, de-ribbed, and finely chopped)
* 6 cloves garlic (minced)
* 1 can (16 oz.) tomato sauce
* 1 cup pimiento stuffed olives (drained and cut in half length-wise)
* 2 Tablespoons capers, drained
* 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* ¼ teaspoon cumin
* ¼ teaspoon cayenne
* ½ teasoon crushed cilantro
* salt to taste
* 1 cup seedless golden raisins, loosely packed (optional)

Mix lamb with lemon juice and wine in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

In a Dutch Pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, green peppers and garlic, cook about 3-4 minutes. Add the lamb and the marinade. Cook uncovered, stirring contantly to break up the meat, until lightly browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, green olives, optional raisins, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, capers, and salt.

Reduce the heat and simmer 30-40 minutes (covered), stirring occasionally. Serve immediately over steamed white rice.

Serves: 6-8

[pmuhlhan]

Wow...thanks KW. They all look good. I'll let you know how it (whichever one I make) turns out. I personally am not a fan of lamb. I like gyros but that really isn't lamb, at least that's what I'm told.

Thanks, again.

[Kitchen Witch]

You're very welcomed! Would you like a gyros recipe using lamb???

[Kitchen Witch]

Ground Meat Gyros


* 2 pounds lean ground lamb
* 2 slices homemade bread, toasted and crushed
* 1 teaspoon allspice, pounded (ground)
* 1 teaspoon coriander, crushed
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 1 onion, grated
* 1 teaspoon fresh savory, chopped
* Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
* 3 slices bacon
* 6-8 pitas, or any substitute bread or roll
* 2 tomatoes, chopped or sliced thin and seasoned with vinegar and olive oil
* 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 cup plain yogurt

In a large bowl, combine the above ingredients up to and including the salt and pepper, and knead thoroughly. Mixture should be spicy but not too herby, and hold its shape. Break into 5 sections, each the size of a navel orange, then break each section into 6 balls. Knead and flatten slightly to a thickness of about ¾ inch. Cut the bacon slices into widths equal to the meatballs and place a slice on each one. Continue shaping the balls, keeping the slices of bacon between them. Slip a cane skewer through the centers and roll gently with the palms to smooth the edges (you will need 5 or 6 skewers total, depending on their size).

--O)O)O)O)O)--

O = meatball, ) = bacon slice

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To cook, set on a broiler tray or grill and cook over/under moderate heat, turning every 5 minutes. The surface will be crusty and the inside cooked within 25 minutes.

To serve, put out the pita, meat, tomatoes, parsley and yogurt in separate dishes. Let guests open the bread or rolls and stuff them with meat and garnishings to their taste. You may want to strain the yogurt by putting it in cheesecloth in a colander or hanging over the sink; it will give off a lot of liquid in an hour or even less. Serves: 6 or 7.