Here we are: it’s Easter again. In the past I’ve done various posts for Easter, all featuring the traditional Easter Lamb. I’ve done a post on lamb Nuyorican Style (03/29/10); a lamb shanks version (03/28/13); and Easter Lamb with Pineapple (04/13/17).

This time we’re doing Easter Lamb Greek Style. Just like back on the block, lamb is the traditional dish among Greeks and Italians. This recipe I got years ago from a Greek friend. Just another way of preparing a very popular dish, and a very delicious one.

EASTED LAMB (Greek Style)

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb, 6-7 pounds
2½ tablespoons lemon juice
1½ tablespoons salt or more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ tablespoons oregano
1 large garlic clove, peeled and slivered
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 large potatoes, cut in quarters, or 18 small ones
1 cup hot water
4 large carrots cut into chunks about ½-inch thick
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

Instructions:

1. Night before, wash lamb and place on a large sheet of aluminum foil to cover lamb (may have to use 2 sheets). In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon oregano. Rub this mixture well  over meat. With a  knife, cut small deep slits on top and bottom of lamb. Insert garlic slivers in each slit. Then brush with a mix of the turmeric and olive oil. Place lamb in the fridge and let it marinate overnight.
2.  Next day, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash potatoes and drain (do not peel).  Set aside. Place lamb in a roasting pan, fat side up and bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add water, carrots and onion. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue roasting 3 hours. Turn meat.
3.  Sprinkle potatoes with remaining lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano. Arrange potatoes around lamb and continue roasting until potatoes are browned on all sides and meat is tender. Arrange lamb on a large serving platter and surround with potatoes and carrots. I’m told that in Greek cuisine this dish is served with plenty of green salad.
   Yield: 6 servings.

This is a dish that was provided by some Greek-American friends. What fascinates is that it combines fruit with lamb and rice. In this case, green grapes. I’ve noticed also that, in Middle Eastern cuisine, they sometimes add fruit to the entrée; and it brings a whole new dimension to a dish.

With a good Greek red wine, like an Agiorgitiko, Mavrodaphne, or Moschomavro, it makes for a fine meal. Besides Greek reds, you can utilize a good Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or Bordeaux.  This is a recipe that will please even your most jaded friends.

LAMB SHANKS WITH RICE AND GREEN GRAPES
(Arni Me Rizi Ke Stafeli)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely mince
3 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups green seedless grapes

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse lamb shanks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet or fry pan and brown the lamb shanks. Place them in a large pot or Dutch oven..
4. In the same skillet as before, brown the onion and garlic. Add to the lamb shanks. Pour the chicken broth into the pot or Dutch oven, and add salt, oregano and bay leaf. Bring the broth to a boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes or until the meat is fork-tender. Pour off the liquid and keep the lamb warm.
5. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 1½ to 2-quart saucepan and brown the rice lightly over medium-high heat. Add 2½ cups of lamb broth. Cover tightly. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed.
6. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet. Just before serving, cook the grapes in the butter over medium-high heat until bright green. Arrange the rice in a large serving dish, top with the lamb shanks, spoon the grapes and butter over the lamb, and serve.
   Yield: 4 servings.

This is a Rivera family favorite, Chuletas de Cordero Empananda. Simply, Breaded Lamb Chops. The lamb chops can be coated with flour or breadcrumbs. In the Rivera clan, we prefer the bread crumbs.  The seasoning used you can probably find in your cupboard right now. Note that back in the old days you would have fried the breaded lamb chops in shortening. I still prefer shortening, though today you would most likely use canola or vegetable oil, or a mix of olive oil and butter. We usually serve this dish with a side of parsley potatoes and carrots. But you can complement it with whatever side dish you prefer, or rice, as we did back in Spanish Harlem.

CHULETAS DE CORDERO EMPANANDA
(Breaded Lamb Chops)

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup bread crumbs
½ teaspoon each, garlic powder, dried oregano and marjoram
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
8-10 lamb rib chops, ¾ to 1-inch thick
1 cup shortening or vegetable oil to cover the pan by ½-inch

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs with Worcestershire in a shallow pan.
2.  Mix together bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano, marjoram, salt and pepper. Coat chops with egg then bread crumbs.
3.  Melt shortening or heat oil in  a large skillet. Fry lamb chops a few at a time over medium heat until well-browned, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Chops may be kept warm in oven until all are fried.
   Yield: 4-6 servings.

This recipe came about because of the leftover gravy we had from the Thanksgiving turkey. We had some loin chops on hand and decided to cook them in the gravy. Now, this recipe can work as we did it, with leftover gravy. But in a pinch, you can make your own gravy. Its not that hard, and it’s much better than the watery canned gravy you get in a  supermarket.

This dish is great with mashed potatoes. A combination made in heaven.

LAMB CHOPS WITH GRAVY

8 lamb loin chops or rib chops, about 1-inch thick
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon dried thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups leftover gravy—or you can make your own gravy in recipe given which includes:
¼ flour
2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Instructions:

1. Wash lamb chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2.  Season with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme
3.  Heat olive oil combined with butter pan a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add lamb chops and sear about 2 minutes on each side.
4.  Remove chop from skillet, set aside. To the oil in the skillet, add the flour, and blend thoroughly. Add stock, and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens.
5.  Add lamb chops to gravy in pan, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until lamb chops are tender.
   Yield : 4-6 servings.

On my mother’s side, the heritage is Italian. In fact, my crazy Uncle Phillip once made it his mission to track down the Italian connection and he discovered that the Bizardi’s, my mother’s maiden name, hailed from Brindisi in Southern Italy. This comes to mind with the dish featured today. It’s one of our family favorites. We love lamb chops with garlic and tomatoes. Sometimes my Mom would use ripe tomatoes. In the winter,  it would be canned Italian tomatoes and, when times were lean, marinara sauce. The dish never disappointed.

Through experimentation, the only changed I’ve made to the recipe is to add ground cumin. It improves and hightens the taste. Here it is, the Rivera family Lamb Chops Italian Style.  Any grain accompaniment or even pasta will go with the dish. True to our Boricua lineage, this time around I served it with tostones, friend green plantains. Want a good and  quick recipe for tostones? Check my post from 10/16/16.

Also, if you want to make this dish Tex-Mex, substitute 1 cup prepared salsa for the tomatoes.  Thus, the recipe gives you two dining options.

LAMB CHOPS ITALIAN STYLE

Ingredients:

6-8 lamb chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground cumin to taste
4 large tomatoes, chopped, or 1 medium-sized can  Italian tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Brush chops with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin. Heat a pan or skillet over medium-high heat and brown chops on both sides (2-3 minutes).
2.  Add tomatoes and garlic. Lower heat, cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes.
3. Top with grated cheese. Cover briefly to melt cheese. Serve immediately.
   Yield: 4-6  servings.

This was a last minute dish that we made yesterday for Easter. Usually I prepared a leg of lamb and have my usual group over for the traditional Easter Dinner. In the age of Covid-19, that was a no-go.  All my friends and acquaintances, as well as Holly and I, are self distancing and hunkering down until this pandemic is over. Honestly, what with the coronavirus and alI I hadn’t planned a holiday dinner. Then, at the last minute, Holy reminded me of the holiday tradition. Problem was, we had no leg of lamb available. We looked in the freezer, and we did have some lamb shanks. I got to thinking, maybe this time I can still do something special with lamb shanks.

One of my favorite entrées is a Middle Easter dish known as Mozaat. Actually, it’s a veal dish, But, not what you think: it’s a shin of veal preparation where the veal shin is steamed along with herbs and spices. I figured, Why not try the same thing with lamb shanks?  The result is what some people would call a stew. It is rich and flavorful; and is usually served with couscous. We had rice on hand, and we use that grain as an accompaniment.  The results were magnificent.

Be aware that this dish includes potatoes. I usually do NOT peel the potatoes. The potatoes skin is what gives it its nutrients. Problem is, that most potatoes these days are sprayed with every kind  chemical. Thus, we always purchase organic potatoes as sold in a health food store, a local farm, or food coop. If you can’t find fresh organic potatoes, then you’d be advised to peel the things. But, if you are fortunate enough to get organic or farm-grown ones, cooked unpeeled.

Ingredients:

4 lamb shanks
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 potatoes, sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon turmeric
Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions:

1. In a large pan or pot, heat the oil over medium flame and sauté the lamb shanks, turning them to brown all over.
2. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and turmeric. Half-cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours or until the meat is soft and the sauce reduced. Add a little water during this time if necessary, and turning the shanks occasionally.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice over the pan just before serving.
Yield: 4 servings.

I like lamb, and I like olives. So, why not mix ’em together? This recipe, by the way, is from an old cookbook I acquired years ago: Ismail Merchant’s Florence. The rosemary sprigs and black olives impart a tantalizing flavor to the lamb.  I do not know if this will work with green olives, or even stuffed Spanish olives. But you are welcomed to try.  Also, you can serve the recipe with any preferred grain or pasta. I served it with  spaetzle (Swiss dumplings) and it was perfect. Note that the ingredients call for a cup of dry white wine. Whether that means you have to serve the dish with white wine, I don’t know. I served it with an Australian Shiraz, and it hit the spot. Enjoy

LAMB WITH BLACK OLIVES

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
2½ pounds stewing lamb, cut in chunks
1 cup dry white wine
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
30 black olives

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium, add the garlic and rosemary. When garlic is golden, add lamb chunks and brown on all sides.
2. Pour in the wine. When it evaporates, add tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat about 15 minutes.
3. Add olives to the lamb. Cover and cook very slowly 1½ hours or until the lamb is tender. Add water or beef stock if meat seems to be drying out.
   Yield: 4-6 servings.