Dayrecipe Food Community

“While visiting Chicago, I had dinner at The Berghoff,” writes Mary H. Wright of Arlington, Virginia. “I’d like to prepare the excellent lamb chops for my family.”

Makes 2 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2cup olive oil
• 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 11 1/2- to 1 3/4-pound 8-rib rack of lamb, trimmed, cut into 4 double chops1 1/2cups fresh breadcrumbs made from sourdough bread
• 2tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

DIRECTIONS Whisk oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice,garlic, mustard, and rosemary in glass baking dish to blend. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add to marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat broiler. Remove lamb chops from marinade and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Broil lamb chops 2 minutes per side. Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and butter in medium bowl to blend. Press breadcrumb mixture atop each chop, dividing equally. Broil chops without turning until breadcrumbs are golden brown and lamb is cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. Serve immediately.

Shullie Neumark of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, writes: “I like cooking but I’m a little bit impatient, which is why I make dishes that can be done ahead of time — and quickly. I hate being rushed before meals, especially when guests are on their way over. Those guests are usually good friends or members of our large family. My husband and I emigrated from South Africa seven years ago. I am retired from preschool teaching, but I still keep busy by cooking for the family. A typical South African dinner is a barbecue with lots of grilled lamb chops and sausages.”

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1tablespoon all purpose flour
• 3tablespoons olive oil
• 1large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1medium onion, finely chopped
• 33×1/2-inch strips lemon peel
• 2garlic cloves, chopped
• 2small bay leaves
• 2cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1tablespoon tomato paste
• 4medium carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1cup frozen petite peas
• chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS Place lamb in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add flour and toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining lamb. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot. Add bell pepper, onion, lemon peel, garlic, and bay leaves. Sauté until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Return lamb and any accumulated juices to pot. Add broth and tomato paste. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 50 minutes. Add carrots; cover and simmer until lamb and carrots are tender, about 20 minutes longer. Add peas. Simmer uncovered until peas are tender and gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper; ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley.

These Asian-inspired lamb shanks are wrapped and baked in individual foil packets, then placed atop bowls of steamed rice. Serve with stir-fried bok choy or other Chinese greens. What to drink: Asian lager beer or a fruity red Zinfandel.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 12dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 1/2cups boiling water13-inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled, thickly sliced
• 3garlic cloves, peeled
• 3/4cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 1/2tablespoons black bean garlic sauce*
• 6teaspoons peanut oil
• 1 1/2teaspoons chinese five-spice powder**
• 6large lamb shanks (about 1 pound each), excess fat trimmed3/4cup thinly sliced green onions3/4cup dry sherrysteamed white rice

DIRECTIONS Place mushrooms in bowl. Pour boiling water over; let soak until mushrooms soften, at least 45 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain mixture, reserving 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid. Cut stems from mushrooms and discard; thinly slice caps.

With food processor running, add ginger and garlic and finely chop. Add cilantro, black bean sauce, 2 teaspoons peanut oil, and five-spice powder. Process until paste forms, occasionally scraping down sides of work bowl. Using sharp knife, cut 5 small shallow slits into each lamb shank, spacing apart; rub generous 1 tablespoon black bean-cilantro paste into slits and all over surface of each shank. (Mushrooms and lamb shanks can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover mushrooms, soaking liquid and shanks separately and chill.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut six 18-inch squares of aluminum foil; place on work surface. Place green onions and sliced mushroom caps in center of each foil square, dividing equally. Heat remaining 4 teaspoons peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb shanks and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Place 1 lamb shank atop green onions and mushrooms on each foil square.

Pour reserved mushroom soaking liquid and Sherry into same skillet. Boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, about 10 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons reduced liquid over each lamb shank, pulling up foil around shanks to prevent liquid from spilling out. Enclose shanks completely in foil, twisting foil to seal; place on large rimmed baking sheet.

Bake lamb shanks until very tender and meat almost falls off bones, about 2 hours. Open up foil packets; place each atop bowl of steamed rice, allowing diners to remove foil.

* Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of supermarkets.
** A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 8ounces dried chow mein udon noodles (asian-style spaghetti)*
• 3tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2tablespoons dry sherry
• 1teaspoon cornstarch
• 2tablespoons soy sauce
• 1tablespoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
• 2tablespoons canned unsweetened coconut milk*
• 2teaspoons curry powder
• 1teaspoon chili-garlic sauce*3tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2large garlic cloves, minced
• 2green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2jalapeño chiles, seeded, chopped
• 8ounces leg of lamb meat, cut into 1×1/2×1/4-inch strips
• 2cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 3/4cup matchstick-size strips red bell pepper
• 3/4cup matchstick-size strips green bell pepper
• 4tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

DIRECTIONS Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to pot and mix in 1 tablespoon oil. Stir Sherry and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Mix in next 5 ingredients.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, green onions, and chiles. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lamb, cabbage, and all bell peppers. Stir-fry until lamb is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir Sherry seasoning mixture and add; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add lamb sauce to noodles in pot. Toss over medium-high heat until noodles are heated and coated with sauce, about 2 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons cilantro. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cilantro.

*Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets nationwide.

Look for peanut sauce in the Asian foods section of the supermarket. Serve with: Couscous and a cucumber-romaine salad tossed with mint-yogurt dressing. Dessert: Mango sorbet and coconut macaroons.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4cup purchased asian peanut sauce
• 2tablespoons soy sauce
• 1tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 83/4- to 1-inch-thick loin lamb chops

DIRECTIONS Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Whisk together first 4 ingredients in small saucepan. Brush about 5 tablespoons of sauce over both sides of chops. Reserve remaining sauce.
Grill chops to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Place 2 chops on each of 4 plates. Bring remaining sauce to simmer. Drizzle over lamb and serve.