Cooking & Recipes

Cooking Guidelines for Lamb:

Cut		 Best cooking
methods		 Internal temperature
for medium rare
Rack or Rib or Loin Chops Grill, broil or pan sear 140 F
Bone-in Leg Roast 135 F
Boneless Leg Grill or Roast 135 F
Shoulder Chops Braise Until tender
Stew Meat Braise Until tender
Shanks Braise Until tender
Ground Meat Braise, sauté, grill Until cooked through

 

Spicy Lamb Stew w/ Roasted Cauliflower Puree
Our thanks to Laura Wear for developing this recipe
Serves 4

The spiciness of this stew pairs nicely with the earthy, nutty flavor of the puree. For a dramatic presentation, serve them together in a wide, shallow bowl with the white puree on one side and the dark, rich stew on the other.  Of course, if you prefer, you can serve the stew with buttered egg noodles or couscous.

Spicy Lamb Stew Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour seasoned
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon hot paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 dried chipotle chile
Spicy Lamb Stew Directions
  1. In a medium sized bowl, toss the lamb with flour, salt, and pepper.
  2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add half of the lamb and brown on both sides.  Remove, add remaining lamb and brown.
  3. Remove all lamb from pot and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and stir, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until onions begin to wilt, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, celery, sugar, and spices and cook, one minute.
  4. Return lamb to pot. Add wine, broth, and chile pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer, partially covered until lamb is very tender, about 2 ½ hours.
Roasted Cauliflower Puree Ingredients:
  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into medium florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup whole milk
Roasted Cauliflower Puree Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 450°.
  2. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, cumin, and salt and pepper and roast in a baking pan until tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 minutes.
  3. Let roasted cauliflower cool slightly and puree in the bowl of a food processor. When finely chopped, add the milk in a slow, steady, stream.  Continue pureeing until cauliflower mixture is smooth and creamy.  Season to taste and serve.