This upcoming weekend is one of the biggest lamb-eating holidays on the calendar: Easter Weekend.
This recipe set Iām dropping today should encourage you to be eating lamb year-round, not just on the odd-occasion.
Iāll spare you all the reasons that you should be eating lamb and just suffice it to say, in my experience 99% of people who donāt like lamb have had really bad versions.
Lamb has a distinct flavor. When paired with complimentary seasonings, marinades, sauces etcā¦ it tastes heavenly, literally š
The other issue Iāve seen is people either undercook or overcook and this varies greatly on the cut.
-Undercook a shoulder? Itās like chewing rubber bands, the fat hasnāt rendered and the flavors havenāt had a chance to mellow.
-Over cook a leg? Itās like chewing on sandpaper, dry and mealy with all the wonderful flavor of the lamb just shot to hell from overcooking.
*Remember: Last year I gave a full tutorial on boning out a leg of lamb at home, with herb marinade, tying and roasting for 3 separate meals. š
Loins and chops are another matter, for another dayā¦ because today Iām going to show you a simple trick to make the most meltingly tender, delicious lamb shoulder.
This could feed 6-8 people or you can get a larger shoulder than what I used.
Thereās also 2 different lamb shoulder cuts so Iāll explain those in the notes so you arenāt confused when you go to the store or your butcher.
Remember, Middle Eastern markets are a great resource for lamb and the larger ones get the whole lambs in and butcher in house.
Lastly, itās been a while since I did an original riff on a dish so I took flavors of curry, apricot, pistachio and chicory which had the entire table āoooing and ahhhhingā.
One of the joys of cooking is when you can surprise your friends and family with tastes and textures theyāve never had beforeā¦ and thatās exactly what happened here. Pure happiness.
You can plate this individually (as shown) or serve family style.
Iāve got this recipe dialed in, full of details, to ensure your success.
I invite you into the mind of a real chef that will take you to Culinary Valhalla
Ok, lets cook!
Curry Scented Lamb Shoulder w/ Apricots, Braised Pistachio & Frisee