lamb and goat – Page 4 – Oswald Rivera

Category: lamb and goat (page 4 of 4)

Lamb Shanks with Apricots

This recipe is probably Arabic in nature. Which means its original providence is Persia, or modern day Iraq. In the seventh century, Muslim armies conquered Persia, and the Arabs moved their capital from Damascus in Syria to Baghdad, the heart of the former Persian empire. And thus began the great change in Arabic cooking. The desert Arabs had subsisted on sheep’s milk, barley, mutton and dates. In contrast, the caliphs of Baghdad enjoyed truffles from the Arabian Desert, cakes from Egypt and couscous from North Africa. Arab cooking underwent a transformation. Now they were dining on spices from India and China, apples from Syria, raisins from Jerusalem. and exotic fruits, such as apricots, from Central Asia. And this all went into their dishes. This, in turn, was transferred to Spain with their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Eventually, this was co-opted by the Crusaders, who took it back to Europe, and introduced strange and fascinating new recipes from the Holy Land.

Which leads to the current recipe listed. A round-about historical perspective, I admit, but a damn good meal for any occasion. And one which I know you will enjoy.

LAMB SHANKS WITH APRICOTS

4 lamb shanks
1/2 cup flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup sliced dried apricots
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Rinse lamb shanks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a plate, combine the flour with the salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Dredge the shanks in the flour.
3. Heat olive oil over moderate heat in a large pan or skillet. Add shanks and brown on all sides.
4. Add chicken broth, cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
5. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Lower heat, cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. or until shanks are tender.
Yield: 4 servings.

Lamb Curry

November 7, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I’m a fan of curries; mainly because I like fragrant and spicy dishes. Coming from a Latino culture, this is a given. The origin of curry dishes is India. It is the Tamil word for “sauce.” Today we think of it more as a seasoned gravy. This is thanks to our British brethren who, during the 18th century, adopted the ides of curry, modified it, and made it an international dish.

Curry also has a history in Pakistan and Thailand. Indian curry is made with a mixture known as masala. This comes from the Hindi word for “spice.” It’s a combination of spices such as garlic, ginger, onions, and chili paste. While Thai curry is made from a paste of chilies, herbs and vegetables. Today, curries are popular world-wide.

Below is my recipe for lamb curry. Let me note that curry is usually served with plain boiled rice. This time around I served it on a bed of tubettini noodles.

LAMB CURRY

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rings
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2/3 cup chicken bouillon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups unflavored yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute (do not let garlic brown).
2. Add ginger, lamb, garam masala and chili powder. Cook, stirring, until the lamb is browned.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon, salt and pepper, and half the yogurt. Cover and simmer over low heat until meat is tender (about 30 minutes). Stir in the remaining yogurt and serve on a bed of pasta or rice.
Yield: 4 servings.

Lamb Shanks Caribbean Style

October 14, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Hachete Books). It could be considered the Puerto Rican version of Osso Buco. Only difference is that Osso Buco is braised lamb shanks. We use regular lamb shanks; then the shanks are browned and simmered. The usual first step in Osso Buco is to dust the shanks with flour and then brown. The final step is the same: slow cooking until done. Now, no one says you can’t braise the lamb in flour, as in the Italian version. My mother would cook them both ways. Just that it’s easier in the Caribbean version.

The dish is normally served with yellow rice and pigeon peas (arroz con gandules – see post of 12/01/14 for a pretty good recipe). This time around I served it with the old standby, mashed potatoes.

MUSLO CORNERO A LA CARIBE
(Lamb Shanks Caribbean Style)

4 lamb shanks (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Juice of 1 whole lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 bay leaves

1, Rinse lamb shanks and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper
3. Heat olive oil in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Add lamb shanks and brown evenly over moderate-low heat.
4. Add tomatoes sauce, onion, garlic, oregano, cilantro, and bay leaves.
5. Cover and simmer on low heat until tender (1 hour). Remove bay leaves and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Rack of Lamb with Cilantro

October 16, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

On May 15th of this year I did a post on rack of lamb, specifically Nuyorican Rack of Lamb. It was my version of this classic dish with a Caribbean slant. But there are other ways to prepare this type of lamb, obviously. And I was fortunate to acquire another rack. I also had some cilantro in the fridge, and I decided to try another variation. Thus now we have Rack of lamb with Cilantro. It is an elegant and sophisticated dish, but also a quick dinner with style. You dinner mates will not be disappointed.

With this dish, it goes without saying that it’s convenient to buy a rack of lamb that has been specifically prepared by the butcher. And today they can be found in almost any good food market. As always, quick cooking is the trick. The center of the meat should range from pink to red. Overcooking will render grayish, dry meat.

RACK OF LAM WITH CILANTRO

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
2 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Sprinkle the lamb all over with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.
3. Rub the cilantro all over the lamb, pressing evenly on the meat.
4. Drizzle the lamb with olive oil.
5. Place lamb fat side up in a baking dish large enough to hold in one layer (I prefer cast-iron). Roast for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Turn lamb fat side up and roast 15-20 minutes more. Check for doneness (around 135 degrees for medium rare). Let lamb stand 10 minutes before serving. Before serving, rub the lamb with the butter.
Yield: 3-4 servings.

Nuyorican Rack of Lamb

May 15, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This is what my father, of late memory, would call a “highfalutin dish.” And I can understand that view. It seems, mention rack of lamb and you get immediate pictures of people in some fancy-dan restaurant with waiters fluttering about with a maītre d’ snapping his fingers and pointing at tables. Fact is, rack of lamb is very easy to cook. Granted, it’s a mite more expensive cut but, for that special occasion, it’s well worth it. And my version is, naturally, Nuyorican style. Yes, we do have rack of lamb, with the usual seasonings native to our cuisine (plus a dash or rum). Think of it as an island treat.

In the old days, cooking rack of lamb was a pain because you had to prepare the rack of lamb by getting a whole rack, cutting all of the surface fat from the meat and bone, removing the long chine bone, hacking off the ends of the ribs, and leaving about one and one-half inches of the ribs intact while separating the rest from the loin of meat. This was difficult and time consuming. Today you can buy a rack of lamb with bones “frenched” (as they say) with blade and chine bone removed. All you have to do is wash the lamb under cold running water, dry with paper towel, season and cook.

Rack of lamb can be prepared in one of two ways: you can cook atop the oven by searing the meat on each side, and then simmering in some liquid on low heat, or roasted in the oven. Some chefs sear and then roast. I go for the traditional roasting method: just coat with bread crumbs and seasonings, and roast to desired doneness. Nothing could be simpler. Given my Puerto Rican background, I serve the dish with pilaf or saffron rice; but you can also serve it with baked or puréed potatoes and/or broiled tomatoes. Hell, you can serve it with french fries, if you want. In my culture we don’t stand on ritual, just taste and satisfaction.

RACK OF LAMB – NUYORICAN STYLE

1 well-trimmed rack of lamb (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), bones frenched (blade and chine bones removed)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
3 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon dark or white rum (dark rum gives more pronounced flavor)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, oregano and pepper.
3. Rub the rack of lamb with butter.
4. Coat the rack of lamb with bread crumb mixture, pressing evenly over the meat on both sides.
5. Place in a baking dish large enough to hold the rack in one layer, sprinkle with the rum; and roast, meat side up, for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Roast for 15-20 minutes more. Check for doneness (around 135 degrees for medium rare). Let lamb stand 10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 3-4 servings.

Broiled Lamb Chops – Puerto Rican Style

May 28, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In my family we love lamb, especially lamb chops. And we have the Nuyorican way of cooking it, quick, easy, and no fuss. The only suggestion I have is that, when buying lamb chops, get the best quality, preferably from the leg of the lamb. In terms of seasoning, we use the normal Boricua staples (peppercorns, oregano, etc.) My kitchen colleagues are divided on this. Some claim that lamb chops should be broiled with nothing more than salt, pepper and a little oil. On the other hand I have friends from the Mediterranean basin who sprinkle cumin and coriander on them, rather than strong seasonings. Another acquaintance sprinkles lemon juice on the chops after broiling. They all agree on the time element: 3-4 minutes per side for rare chops; 7-8 minutes for well done.

The recipe below is from my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, soon to be re-issued by Avalon Press, Running Books, in a new, revised and improved format.

CHULETAS DE CORNERO A LA PARRILLA
(Broiled Lamb Chops)

4 lamb chops, about 1-inch thick
8-10 whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Wash chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place peppercorns, garlic, oregano and salt in a mortar, and pound until crushed.
4. Rub chops with the seasoning, pressing into the meat with fingers and palm of hand.
5. Arrange chops on a shallow baking pan or, preferably, on a rack with a pan under it. Broil 3 inches from heat source, turning after 3 or 7 minutes depending on preference. Broil second side (3-4 minutes for medium, 5 minutes or more for well done). Serve with potatoes, a tossed salad, or tostones (fried green plantains—for a recipe: see the blog and video from September 9th 2010).
Yield: 4 servings.

Braised Lamb Shanks

April 1, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the Rivera clan we love lamb, especially lamb shanks. Usually we cook them Caribbean style (Muslo Cornero a la Caribe)—as noted in my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America. The shanks are dusted with flour, then browned, and finally slow cooked in a tomato-based sauce with lots of herbs. But we also love Braised Lamb Shanks, which are baked in a casserole or Dutch oven. It has a different flavor than the tomato-based kind since the sauce includes red wine along with the usual herbs.

This recipe is easy to prepare. All you need is patience. It’s great for that special dinner for that special someone. Or just, just for the hell of it, giving the family a treat from the usual weekday supper. In my family we serve this dish with yellow rice with pigeon peas (Arroz con Gandules—this recipe is also in my cookbook). Add a loaf of crusty bread, and a good red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, etc., or whatever you desire, even beer if you don’t want wine. There are no set rules when it comes to one’s palette).

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

6 lamb shanks (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme (or a pinch dried)
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or a pinch dried)
3/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup beef bouillon
Fresh parsley for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash lamb shanks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. On a plate, combine flour, salt, pepper, oregano and paprika. Dredge lamb shanks with the seasoned flour.
4. Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in an oven-proof casserole or Dutch oven (I prefer a large cast-iron pot or pan). Sauté the meat until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
5. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and rosemary to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Return the lamb shanks to the pot, and add the wine and beef bouillon. Cover, place in the oven and bake 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
6. Remove the meat from the pot. Whisk together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/3 cup water and add to the juices in the pot. Cook, stirring constantly over medium-high heat until the gravy thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes more.
7. Serve the shanks with the gravy poured over the meat and garnish with fresh parsley.
Yield: 6 servings.

Hunan Cooking: Lamb

November 21, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the last few years, Szechuan-style Chinese cooking has caught on on both coasts. To many of us, after years of eating bland Cantonese-style food, Szechuan cooking was a revelation. It has a spicy, hot component because of its use of chili peppers. It should be noted that, initially, chili peppers were not used in Chinese cooking. They had their own milder variety, farago, also called Chinese pepper or Szechuan pepper. Then, when Portuguese and Spanish traders introduced chilies to the region in the 16th century, the cooking became even more peppery. Hunan cooking is part of this culinary tradition; but it is less well known than its Szechuan cousin. It is often lumped with Yunnan in the south as representative of China’s western regional style of cooking. But there are differences. Not only does it feature the subtle uses of hot spices within the food, it also engages hot and sour and sweet and sour flavor combinations.

Like its neighbors, Hunan does employ stewing and stir-frying techniques along with simmering and steaming. But Hunan cooks are fortunate that they have more ingredients and materials to work with and thus can do more and be more innovative with the ingredients prior to cooking. For example, a classic dish such as orange beef not only contains dried orange peel, but the beef is marinated overnight, washed, and marinated again in egg white, wine, and pepper, then cooked twice in a wok with fresh chili, ginger and orange peel. Another classic dish, General Tso’s chicken, has the chicken marinated in a mix of egg, salt, and pepper, and uses a sauce prior to cooking that has garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, rice wine, chili peppers, and scallions. Hunam lamb is not so outlandish or complicated, but it does have that exquisite Hunan taste. Serve with boiled rice.

HUNAN LAMB

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
4 small dried hot chili peppers, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh shredded ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 stalks scallion, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 pound boneless lamb meat, sliced into thin strips (can use boneless lamb leg, lamb shoulder, or stew
meat)
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the soy sauce, wine, cornstarch, vinegar, sugar, and water. Reserve
2. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and scallion, and stir-fry for about half a minute.
3. Add the lamb and stir-fry until the lamb is no longer pink. Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in the sesame oil, remove from heat, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: courtesy of JING JING – Szechuan & Hunan Gourmet

Easter Lamb

March 28, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the Rivera family, we always had lamb for Easter. And this was enshrine in a post I did back in April 2011, where I posted the recipe for my mother’s famous roasted leg of lamb (Pata de Cornero al Horno). I could reprise that recipe again for this coming Easter but then I thought, why not try something new with lamb? Delicious as it is, does it always have to be a whole leg of lamb? Also, if you haven’t noticed, a leg of lamb is an expensive proposition these days. Here, on the East Coast, it can run you up to $75-80. I know, it’s for a special occasion, but still? That doesn’t mean you still can’t have lamb for Easter. In fact, you can do very well with say, for instance, lamb shanks.

I love lamb shanks. That’s what I’m cooking for my beloved group of pagans and Christians this Easter Sunday. (For the record, I include myself in the former group). Back in the old days, one recipe we revered in our family was Caribbean style lamb shanks. Where Italian cuisine would tout its Osso Buco, or braised veal shanks, we celebrated our Muslo Cornero a la Caribe. It wasn’t veal, but the taste and flavor transported us to heaven.

The recipe given is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group). Unlike the traditional method of cooking shanks, we do not dust them with flour and then brown them in oil. We differ in that we trim the shanks of fat, then brown them, and finally simmer in slow cooking until done.

MUSLO CORNERO A LA CARIBE
(Lamb Shanks Caribbean Style)

4 lamb Shanks (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Juice of 1 whole lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 packet Sason Goya (with coriander and annatto—found in most stores or Caribbean markets)
2 bay leaves

1. Rinse lamb shanks and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Trim excess fat from shanks.
3. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat olive oil in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Add lamb shanks and brown evenly on low-moderate heat.
5. Add tomatoes with their liquid, onion, garlic, oregano, cilantro, sason, and bay leaves.
6. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Serve with rice pilaf, or yellow rice and pigeon peas.
Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: courtesy of etsy.com

Buran – Eggplant/Lamb Recipe from the 13th century Arab World

March 7, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In these perilous times, in this part of the world, what we hear about Islam and Muslims in general is rather negative. And yes, it’s understandable, given the wars we are in. But does anyone realize that, at one time, the tables were turned and while Europe was in the throes of its dark ages, the Islamic world was at the height in terms of science, culture, and government? Not only that, while Medieval western man was dining on rancid meat, in the Arab world, they were dining on savories cooked with spices from China and India and exotic fruit from Central Asia. In the West they subsisted on salted pork, roots plants and fermented ale, if they were lucky. In the Arab world they were using rosewater in their cooking and enjoying truffles from the Arabian Desert.

One of the earliest cookbooks comes from this period. It dates from the 13th century, and its author is a famed gourmet of the time, al-Baghdadi (his whole name is Muhammad ibn al-Hassan Ibn Muhahad ibn al-Karim al-Katib al-Baghdadi). His recipes reflect the times: they are full of spices from the East and are replete with frying, mincing, boiling, staining and stewing, usually all in one pot. Al-Baghdadi’s masterworks are lamb recipes. He cooks lamb with rice, with chickpeas, even with noodles. But the recipe given, Buran (my favorite) is simply lamb kabobs served with friend and mashed eggplant.

So, tonight, imagine you’re in the court of the Caliphs, you’re the prince or princess of Persia and you’re dining on Buran, a gastronomic Arab delight.

BURAN

1 medium eggplant, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1 pound ground lamb
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Cook the eggplant in boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and let stand at least 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, use wet and oily hands to shape the lamb into small meatballs (about 20 to 30 kabobs). Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs over medium-high heat until well browned (about 10 minutes). Cover with water, bring heat to low and simmer until most of the water has evaporated and only some of the oil is left. Set aside and reserve.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet (or use the same skillet from before), and fry the eggplant over medium heat until golden on both sides. The frying may be done in several batches with more oil being added as needed. Place the eggplant in a bowl and mash with a ladle or large spoon. Add salt, coriander, yogurt, garlic, and mix well.
4. Transfer the eggplant to a serving dish, arrange the meatballs on top, sprinkle with cumin and cinnamon, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher