St. Patrick’s Day Special: Irish Shepherd’s Pie (the real one, not the stuff they eat in cottages)

I know I may have used a few atypical ingredients in this, but as far as I’m concerned, the only two things that are mandatory to make a “real” Shepherd’s Pie are potatoes and lamb. While the ground beef version is also very delicious, it’s not considered a “Shepherd’s Pie,” since shepherds raise sheep, not cows.

The real mystery is why the beef version is called “Cottage Pie,” and not “Cowboy Pie,” or “Rancher’s Pie.” When I think about cattle, many things come to mind, but cottages aren’t one of them. Okay, now that we have all those search keywords inserted, we can moooo’ve on.

By the way, I know it’s something of a Food Wishes tradition that I do a cheap, culturally insensitive joke about Irish-Americans drinking too much in our St. Patrick’s Day video, but this year I decided not to do any. In fairness, I know hundreds of Irish people, and several of them have no drinking problem whatsoever, so it just didn’t seem inappropriate.

Anyway, as I say in the video, this would make a lovely alternative to the much more common corned beef and cabbage that you may have been planning for dinner. Also, I really hope you find some nice Irish cheddar. I used one called “Dubliner” by Kerrygold, which can be found in most large grocery stores.

If you’re curious about beverage pairings, may I go out on a limb and suggest a nice Guinness, or other Irish beer…just hold the green food coloring, please. Erin go bragh, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients:

For lamb mixture:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 diced onion

2 pounds lean ground lamb

1/3 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp ketchup

2 1/2 cups water or broth (use more or less to adjust thickness as needed)
12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots, thawed, drained well

For the potato topping:

2 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 pound Irish cheddar

1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp milk

Merguez Sausage & Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash – Let’s Go Edible Bowling

I’ve received a few requests lately for a demo on how to do chili in an edible bread bowl. I’m not sure if these people don’t know it’s simply a round loaf with a hole dug out of it, or if they’re just into watching me teach incredibly obvious things, but that’s one food wish that may not come true. What’s next, watch Chef John make ice?

Anyway, unlike the aforementioned bread bowl, this sausage and rice stuffed acorn squash recipe is an example of an edible vessel that begs for a detailed demonstration. The stuffing is very easy, as is the cooking method, but the acorn squash prep does need to be done carefully and with precision.

As far as the ingredients go, this will work with any sausage, but please keep in mind you’ll want to adjust your seasonings depending on what you choose. I used mint because it pairs very well with the spicy lamb sausage, but basil or parsley may work better with a hot Italian sausage, for example.

This really is a recipe that’s greater than the sum of its parts. I love the way the flavors seep deep into the soft, sweet flesh of the squash. What a great cold weather meal. I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions:

2 acorn squash, halved, seeded

8 oz spicy lamb sausage, or any raw sausage

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

3 tbsp buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 egg

1 cup cooked rice

1 tbsp plain breadcrumbs

1 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 tsp olive oil

*Bake at 350 degrees F., loosely covered for 1 hour, then uncover for 30 minutes or until tender.

Pomegranate Braised Lamb Shoulder – “Seasoned” Perfectly

This pomegranate braised lamb shoulder is about as seasonally appropriate as it gets, and one of the best things I’ve tasted in a long time. Actually, that’s not technically true, since I ate this same dish at the neighborhood restaurant I stole the idea from last week.

The place is called, Bar Bambino, and if you’re ever in San Francisco, you should give it a try. Anyway, I was so impressed by the combination of fall flavors, colors and textures that I decided to replicate it here. I think it’s a gorgeous plate of food, and all modesty aside, it tastes even better than it looks.

As I joke about in the video, braised lamb is pretty tough to screw up. Simply cook it until it’s tender, and if it isn’t quite succulent enough, leave it in a bit longer. That’s the reason that shoulder chops work so well, as they have the right amount of fat and connective tissue for the long, slow braise.

By the way, if you don’t have a large skillet with a lid like I used here, simply transfer everything into a Dutch oven before putting it in the oven. In a pinch, you could even do this in a stockpot, on top of the stove, over very low heat.

Anyway, the timing is perfect for this lovely fall meal, especially with the roasted pumpkin I used to dress up the plate. I will show you that simple procedure in a future video soon. In the meantime, I really hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

3 lbs thick-cut lamb shoulder chops (of course this would work with shanks as well)

salt and pepper to taste

vegetable oil as needed

1 sliced onion

4 cloves sliced garlic

2 cups pomegranate juice

1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

8 whole mint leaves, plus more to garnish

1/4 tsp hot chili flakes

1 tbsp honey, or to taste

1 tbsp freshly sliced mint leaves

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp Pomegranate “jewels”

Beautiful Breast of Lamb with Honey Parsley Vinegar Sauce - Hey, My Eyes are Up Here!

You know I love lamb, as evidenced by the various chops, shanks, legs, and shoulders I've featured in the past. These are among the most popular meat recipes on the blog, so it seems many share my love. Here we have a brand new cut to celebrate, the lamb breast.

This is not common in your regular supermarkets. There's an inverse relationship between the size of the parking lot, and the chances you'll find breast of lamb in the meat case. However, a visit to a real butcher (look for lots of tats and facial hair) should be rewarded with some slabs of this bony, fatty, but richly flavored meat.

Since I hadn't cooked this in ages, I decided to play it safe, and use a time-tested Mediterranean-inspired spice rub, and it could not have worked more perfectly. The exotic spices made the rich meat seem even more decadent, all of which was nicely balanced by the vinegar sauce's astringency.

A bright green chimichurri sauce on a well-marbled piece of meat is one of the best things ever, and this dish definitely borrows from that playbook. It's not like you'd want to eat a spoon of the condiment right out of the bowl, but slathered over the glistening meat, it's a thing of beauty.

I hope that if you are a fan of lamb, and you haven't tried lamb breast yet, that you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 pieces lamb breast, about 3 1/2 pounds

For the spice rub:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs seasoning (dried rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano blend)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

For the sauce: (note - this is all "to taste")

1/2 cup packed chopped Italian parsley

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/3 cup white wine vinegar, more as needed

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 or 2 teaspoon honey

juice from 1 lemon

pinch of salt

Some Happy Easter Lamb Ideas

I want to wish everyone who celebrates, a Happy Easter tomorrow! No fresh new holiday-appropriate video to post today, but since lamb is such a classic Easter dish, I wanted to share some of my favorite lamb recipes from posts past.

All of these would make for a lovely Easter dinner tomorrow. For dessert I'd go with hollow chocolate rabbits and marshmallow peeps. Enjoy!

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb

Toasted Sesame and Root Beer Glazed Lamb

Grilled Lamb Chops with Orange and Fresh Mint Sauce

Jinx-Proof Braised Lamb Shanks

Grilled Lamb Steaks with Minted Honey Sherry Vinaigrette

Happy St. Patrick's Day Eve

I can’t believe tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day! Seems like just yesterday I was shoveling snow at my mother's house. Anyway, it's too late to do any new Irish-inspired recipes, so I'll do the next best thing and post links to these three delicious videos (click on the recipe captions, and away you go).

By the way, any Irish drinking jokes you may hear in these clips were only meant to offend my Irish friends and family members, and not the general Irish-American community. Having said that, most of them will be too drunk to care tomorrow, so I guess it really doesn’t matter. Erin go Bragh!

Coconut Milk Red Curry Corned Beef and Cabbage

Hearty Irish Stew

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

Little Lamb Meatballs in a Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce – Please Come Out with Your Hands and Forks Up

There's one thing I learned a long time ago; if you add a little cinnamon to a savory recipe, you are allowed to describe it as "exotic." That's just the way it works. And really, who doesn't need a little more "exotic" in their lives?

As far as the easy part, well, that is a more relative term. There are no difficult techniques here, and after cutting up an eggplant and onion, most of your prep is done. The only step that one would describe as "not easy," would be the shaping of all those little meatballs.

Eating little lamb meatballs is fun, but it does take a while to portion them out. Happily, I've included a top-secret restaurant trick for making lots of small meatballs very quickly, by using your hand as a sort of extruding device. Spoiler alert: it's pretty vulgar (but highly efficient).

By the way, this lamb meatballs recipe video was done as part of a special feature my friends over at The Daily Meal are doing. Once a week they have something called "Recipe SWAT Team," where they tackle a new ingredient with one goal in mind: creating easy and delicious dishes.

This week it was "Recipe SWAT Team: Meatballs," and I was asked to throw on my bullet-proof vest, grow a mustache to look more like a cop, and bust through the door both barrels blazing. You can check out the entire feature here, and see some other great meatball recipes.

I hope you give this delicious lamb and eggplant recipe a try soon. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 eggplant, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup minced onion
red pepper flakes to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup marinara sauce
1½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chiffonade
For meatballs:
1 large egg
1½ tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
4 cloves finely minced garlic
¼ cup finely minced onions
1 pound ground lamb

Lamb Caldero – A Shank that Won't Break the Bank

This lovely Latin lamb shanks recipe is the result of a little experiment I just did with the help of my friends from Imusa. You all know how much I love my Le Creuset Dutch oven, but I realize the high cost puts it over the budgets of most home cooks. So, I was interested to see how this "caldero," which costs under $30 would perform.

The model they sent me looked like a Dutch oven, but was so incredibly light that I really wasn't sure how it would work. I assumed the caldero would be fine for the browning step, and it was. My main concern was would the ultra lightweight lid be heavy enough to keep in enough moisture?

To my surprise it did very well. As you'll see, we only add a cup of broth to braise the lamb, and it didn't even come close to drying out. So, if you are looking for a really light and inexpensive Dutch oven, this one performed well in regards to cooking the food. Of course, I can't give any opinions on the durability, and how this would stand up to normal wear and tear, but you can check online user reviews for those issues.

The recipe itself is very straightforward. You don't often see lamb cooked with these spices, and I'm not sure why, as they really work together wonderfully. The final plate ended up being a sort of North African/Central American fusion thing, with the fragrantly spiced meat and peppers resting on a simple bed of couscous.

Please note: I was using relatively small lamb shanks for this recipe. If you are using larger hind shanks, then you will need a longer braising time, probably 30 minutes more at least. Either way, I hope you give this comforting lamb recipe a try. Enjoy!

Disclosure: Imusa sent the caldero to me free of charge, and also contributed to the production costs of this video recipe. For more information on this product you can contact Imusa directly, or check out the product page here. Thanks!




Ingredients:
4 lamb shanks
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
vegetable oil as needed
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed
3-4 large jalapeños, seeded, cut in strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut in strips
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb – You'll Go Nuts for this Beautiful Rack!

The holidays bring us so many joyous things. Sharing time with family, watching your boss do a drunken karaoke version of "It's Raining Men" at the office party, and of course, those special meals. This super easy rack of lamb recipe has special written all over it – well, actually more like has special all pressed into it.

Sure, rack of lamb is a little pricey, but no more so than other special occasion meats like prime rib, beef tenderloin, or goose – and since they're sold completely trimmed, you'll have virtually no waste. Also, if you haven't had lamb in like the last 20 years, you're in for a nice surprise; the meat is lean, tender, and not at all gamey.

The other great thing about today's rack of lamb is it's consistent size. They will have eight rib bones, and run just under 1 1/2 pounds each. The fact that these are all the same weight makes life a lot easier when cooking more than one. Speaking of which, portioning here is very easy; simply allow one rack per two guests.

As far as the crust goes, we've added rich, sweet pistachios to the traditional Dijon mustard crust. This gives the lamb such an interesting flavor and texture. It may be my imagination, but I think there's something about what makes the pistachios green (chlorophyll?), which makes it pair so perfectly with the meat. It also looks pretty damn cool.

I'm a big turkey-for-Thanksgiving guy, but if you're looking for a unique dinner entrée idea for that Christmas or New Years feast, this pistachio crusted rack of lamb would be an excellent choice. Enjoy!




Ingredients for 4 Portions of Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb
2 fully trimmed racks of lamb (just under 1 1/2 pounds each)
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence, or dried Italian herb blend
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil for searing
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
For the crust:
2/3 cup finely chopped roasted pistachios
2 tablespoon plain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper
*Note: the cooking time given in the video of 25 minutes will work if you are doing one or two, but if you load up the oven for a large group, you'll obviously need to increase the cooking time, as the oven temperature will drop. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. Remove at between 125 and 130 degrees F. for a nice pink center.

On the Lamb

Hello there! Just a very quick update from New York. Last night was the big Burger Bash, which was a lot of fun. We got to go because I received two tickets for winning the American Lamb Board's third annual “Get Your Grill On” video competition. Below I've posted the wining recipe in case you missed it. You can read the full, original post here.

Since this is our anniversary weekend, I've been trying to just enjoy myself without worrying about taking pictures of everything and blogging every detail. I think I needed a little break, and thanks to the American Lamb Board and Food Network, I'm certainly getting a great one!

The Winning Lamb Burger Recipe!

Introducing My All-American Lamb Moussaka Burger!

Can "ewe" believe I did a lamb post title with no baaaaaaaaaad puns? Hey, I was afraid of getting lambasted! Okay, I'm done (he said, sheepishly).

I was recently contacted by the American Lamb Board, who are promoting their third annual “Get Your Grill On” video competition, to see if I would be interested in trying some lamb.

Never one to turn down free meat, I said sure! When the package arrived I was very happy to see I was the proud owner of one pound of all-natural, all-American, ground lamb.

Deciding what to make was easy. I love lamb burgers, and I've been daydreaming recently about a lamb burger based on the famous Greek casserole, Moussaka. For those of you that don't know, Moussaka is a stunning blend of spiced ground lamb, tomato, and eggplant, topped with a creamy, cheesy white sauce.

I decided to integrate the eggplant right into the burger itself, instead of topping the burger with cooked slices. I really liked the result, but I think most of you will enjoy it better if you use less eggplant than I did.

I started with about 3-4 cups of raw diced eggplant, and while the burgers held together nicely, the texture was very soft. I think 2 cups is probably just about perfect. As always, I encourage skepticism and experimentation.

The sauce seemed like a natural to use as a cheesy spread on the toasted buns, and I loved how the minted tomatoes pulled everything together. By the way, I don't always feel the need to put greens on a burger, and here it seemed like it would just get in the way. Besides, there's no lettuce in Moussaka. I really hope you give these great lamb burgers a try. Enjoy!

For more information on finding and using American Lamb, as well as learning more about the “Get Your Grill On” contest, check out the official website here. Thanks for the delicious meat!




For the lamb burgers:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced fine
2 cups diced eggplant (remove skin first)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground lamb

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne
salt to taste

4 soft hamburger rolls, toasted
tomato slices
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon thinly sliced or chopped mint leaves

What If Your Chef Was Your Doctor?

This delicious spiced and smoked leg of lamb with red wine sauce comes compliments of my friend Heidi from the fabulous food blog Savory TV. It features chef Michael Fenster, who, by the way, is also a Board Certified Cardiologist!

Check out Heidi's great post here, and read all about Doctor Fenster, as well as get the written recipe in case you want to give this a try for Easter. Enjoy!

Easy Irish Stew - Luscious Lamb for Lonely Lads Looking for Lovely Lasses

This was originally posted last March, but since I don't have a new video to show today, I decided to rerun this great stew recipe in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy!

Hey guys, if your cooking dinner for that special someone on St. Patrick's Day, I'd go with this sexy stew over the more traditional corned beef and cabbage. I love both dishes, but boiled cabbage is more of a married couples thing.

Irish stew is a much more date-friendy recipe. You can sit and relax while this aromatic stew simmers, and won't have to worry about saying things like, "by the way, that's the cabbage."

Pay attention to the cut of lamb used in this video recipe. I used lamb shoulder chops, which are a fantastic value, when you consider flavor, useable meat, and price.

They will probably be the cheapest lamb at the store, have more flavor and richness than leg meat, and are cheaper than shanks and loins. It takes a while for the meat to braise and fall off the bone, but it's a wait rewarded with tender, succulent chucks of lamb.

I'd like to apologize to all the Irish dark beer fans that will undoubtedly be disappointed that I didn't add the obligatory bottle of Guinness. I kind of prefer my Irish stew without the stout, although I will admit it does add an interesting flavor component that many swear by. Also, since I don't drink dark beer, so I always feel bad breaking up a six-pack to just buy the one bottle. The cashier always gives me that, "what's this guy's deal?" look. Yes, I have issues.

I received an email complaining that my corned beef video could have benefited from some Irish music, so I splurged and purchased a Chieftains medley called, O Murchu' Hornpipe/Sliabh Geal gCua na Feile/The Wandering Minstrel. Whatever Irish folk music lacks in commercial viability, it totally makes up for in song title length. Enjoy!




Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 lbs lamb shoulder
1 onion, chopped
2 rib celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
3 cups chicken stock (or sub 1 bottle dark beer plus 1 1/2 cups stock)
water as needed
1 1/2 lbs potatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Jinx-Proof Braised Lamb Shanks – There's NO Way You Can Mess These Up

I don't want to put too much pressure on you, but you're going to have to try really hard to screw up this great tasting lamb shanks recipe.

Lamb shanks are one of the most foolproof meat choices out there, and when you braise it, you have about as close to a sure thing, as there is.

After a long, slow roast in an aromatic, deeply flavored broth, these shanks are sure to get rave reviews. In fact, you culinarily challenged may want to give this a go for Valentine's dinner. The risk/reward ratio is very good.

The long, slow cooking technique works perfectly with your plans to mesmerize your date with a few hours of witty and romantic conversation before dinner. I'm sure that will be great, but maybe have the Wii out just in case. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
6 lamb shanks, about 5 1/2 pounds
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 tablespoon flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup drinkable red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Richard "Don't Call Me a Molecular Gastronomist" Blais' Toasted Sesame and Root Beer Glazed Lamb

One of the most interesting demos I attended at the Food & Wine Classic, starred Top Chef contestant Richard Blais, who partnered with McCormick for a "Flavor Forecast 2009." The theme was new spice/flavor trends, and our morning started off with one such combo; a smoked paprika and agave nectar margarita.

Note to anyone planning an early morning cooking demo: start with a strong margarita. As we sipped the spicy, yet delicious breakfast-of-tequila-loving champions, Blais went on to describe the dish he was preparing. We were about to taste lamb ribs braised with root beer and toasted sesame.

As he explained his thought process for matching these ingredients, and the cooking methods he uses in his kitchen to achieve the best results, he made it clear he does not like the term "molecular gastronomist." He said it sounds soulless, and too clinical. Fair enough.

He then went on to use the term at least a half-dozen times during the demo. I'm not sure if this was done tongue-in-cheek, or if there just isn’t a decent term that's synonymous, but either way, I was amused.

This video recipe is my version of the spiky-haired chef's dish. I used easy-to-find lamb shoulder chop steaks instead of Colorado lamb ribs, which were quite delicious, but maybe a bit hard to track down.

As far as the root beer and toasted sesame glaze goes, when I first heard it, I have to admit it didn't strike me as a great combination, but at the end of the demo, as I sat eating the tender lamb with the sweet, aromatic, nutty sauce, I was a believer.

As if the lamb, root beer, and toasted sesame combination wasn't different enough, Blais served it with a coleslaw ice cream. That's right, he used the sweet, tangy juices from a traditional coleslaw recipe, and with the help of liquid nitrogen, he created a surprisingly delicious frozen side dish.

I'll try and figure out how to make it without the chemistry set, since I'd love to show you that video recipe also. It was a strange and wonderful combination. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
6 large lamb shoulder blade chops, about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
1 bottle (12 ounces) good quality root beer
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup toasted sesame seed
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chipotle
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 cup water
additional toasted sesame seeds to garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

Grilled Lamb Steaks with Minted Honey Sherry Vinaigrette - Culinary Cross-Dressing

Imagine the disappointment of someone who arrived on this page by googling "Cross-Dressing." Sorry, but the cross-dressing I'm referring to is using salad dressings to sauce meats. By the way, yes, that skirt does make your butt look big.

Using vinaigrette as a sauce for grilled meats is one of my favorite "cheats" of all time. They take minutes to whisk together, there's absolutely no culinary finesse required, and the combinations of oils, vinegars, and flavorings are limitless.

This grilled lamb steaks recipe was filmed over the Memorial Day weekend, but I just got around to editing it together. As I cut up the 15 minutes of raw footage into a somewhat presentable 4 minutes video recipe clip, my mouth was watering as I remembered the smoky, juicy lamb mingling with the minty, sweet, and tangy vinaigrette.

When I post these types of recipes, it's my hope that it serves as an inspiration to experiment with the concept, more so than that just to have you follow the steps. How about balsamic vinaigrette on some grilled skirt steak? Maybe mustard dressing on some pork chops? How could grilled chicken drizzled with Greek dressing and feta not be awesome?

So watch this video, and daydream-up some combinations (instead of concentrating on work today), and then get out to the grill this weekend to see if it works. If it doesn’t, I'll take the blame. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
4 lamb steaks (cut from the leg, about 1 1/2 inch thick)
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh tarragon, torn
1/2 bunch fresh mint, torn
salt as needed
For the vinaigrette:
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Have a Memorable Memorial Day Weekend!

Here's wishing all of you a happy and healthy Memorial Day weekend. I have no way of knowing what you have planned, but I assume it involves food.

Be kind to all those rusty grill chefs, its been months since they've rocked the bbq tool belt (that's a great look).

It's your solemn duty to pretend to like everything no matter how black and dry. It's our ability to spare the cook's feelings that separates us from savages.

The lovely plate you see here was our lunch today, and was every bit as delicious as it looks. The lamb steaks were marinated in yogurt, garlic, and herbs - then charcoal grilled and serve on some homemade whole-wheat flatbread (also grilled), topped with wild arugula and a minted honey sherry vinaigrette. It was heavenly.

Despite a very nice Frick Syrah, I was able to film the lamb steaks and the honey sherry vinaigrette recipes, so stay tuned for those. In the meantime, enjoy!

Beautifully Bouncy Lamb Meatballs

Time is short and the work list is long as we get ready to head up to Sonoma for the Dry Creek Passport event (you can read more about it in last year's post), but I squeezed out enough time to finish this lamb meatball video recipe.

It tasted great, but I put in way too much breadcrumb, and as you'll see the results were extremely bouncy balls. The ingredient amounts below are the new and improved quantities in case you want to try these.

Speaking of being busy, I'll apologize in advance for blowing off your emails and/or comments until this event is over on Monday. I'll try to keep up, but if you are ignored, try again next week when things return to normal. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped mint
3 cups tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
red pepper flakes

Shanks for Everything - Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks with Garlic and Rosemary

There are some recipes that require absolutely zero technique. This video recipe for super-simple, stick-to-your-ribs, slow-roasted lamb shanks is a perfect example. You add like three ingredients, wrap them up, and a couple hours later you are enjoying succulent, fork-tender lamb.

It almost seems too good to be true, and you keep trying to think if you missed something, but you didn't. The shanks do almost everything for you. Lamb shanks, and all shanks for that matter, are loaded with connective tissue that melts during the slow roasting and creates that rich, sticky, satisfying texture and flavor.

When buying lamb shanks, look for ones that are the same size. The foreshanks are smaller than the hindshanks, so be sure the butcher isn’t giving you some of each. These are so delicious that guests will fight over who gets the big shank, and it could get ugly. Enjoy!


PLEASE NOTE: ABOUT.COM NO LONGER SUPPORTS EMBEDED VIDEO...Click here TO SEE VIDEO AND for ingredients and recipe transcript.

Nice Rack of Lamb - A Classic Roast Rack of Lamb with Dijon Gratin

I know times are tough, but if you can somehow scrape together enough money for a couple racks of lamb, you'll have yourselves a very merry holiday roast. Rack of lamb isn't cheap, but when compared with other special occasion items like prime rib, tenderloin, duck, goose, etc., it's about the same price, and you have almost no waste.

If you can swing buying local lamb, more power to you, but for most of us, trimmed rack of lamb will be coming from Australia or New Zealand. The good news is the meat is usually excellent quality, and very consistently sized.

This means you can achieve a nice medium-rare doneness relying mainly on time, and not feel. There is something terrifying to the average home cook when forced to poke meat to tell if it's done or not.

The recipe here is a classic fancy hotel presentation; the rack is roasted, topped with Dijon mustard and breadcrumb crust. Since the lamb is "Frenched," which means the fat between the rib bones is trimmed out, this is a very easy to crave roast, as you just cut between the bones and serve. Enjoy!

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

Click here for ingredients and recipe transcript.