1.     The first step is to ask your butcher to trim any excess fat if you want to. You can make this cut as lean as you want by trimming any excess fat on the top of the shoulder.

2.     Make small 5-6 slits using a small paring knife and insert the garlic and cardamom into each slit.

3.     A day before you’re planning to serve the American lamb roast is ideal to start marinating.

4.     For the marinade: Mix all the ground spices, the ketchup, tomato paste, yogurt, pomegranate molasses, and olive oil in a bowl.

5.     Now rub your lamb shoulder with this mixture all around, top and bottom.

6.     Cover it and let it marinade overnight.

7.     The next day, uncover the meat and don’t touch it.

8.     Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

9.     In the roasting pan, add in the whole spice around the shoulder.

10.  Around the meat, arrange onions, cut in half. Also add a head of garlic, cut in half and some fresh herbs.

11.  Finally pour in the stock around the meat.

12.  Cover the meat with a layer of parchment paper and then a layer of aluminum foil.

13.  At that point you’re ready to begin roasting.

14.  Place the roasting pan in the oven at high heat for one hour, and then drop the oven to 375 degrees F.

15.  Continue roasting until the lamb shoulder is tender and ready—about 23 minutes per pound. This roast took a little over 3 hours.

16.  The lamb shoulder is ready when the meat falls apart and it has a beautiful golden top.

17.  Uncover the roast and serve right away.

18.  ENJOY 

Remove the phyllo shells from the freezer and place them on the kitchen counter. Allow them to come to room temperature. 

Next, preheat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, American lamb leg roast cubes, kosher salt and pepper. Sear the cubes, about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove the cubes from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to rest for at least 3 minutes. 

In the same skillet as the lamb, add the white wine and deglaze the skillet over medium-high heat. You want to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom! Next, melt the butter and add in the mushrooms and cook until softened, about four to 5 minutes. Next, add in the shallots, garlic, rosemary, kosher salt and pepper. Stir and keep cooking for about 5 more minutes. 

Next, add in the flour and cream.Stir to combine and cook for about a minute. Add in the reserved lamb cubes and heat through. Remove skillet from heat. 

To serve, place mini filo shells on a serving platter. Spoon the lamb wellington mixture into each filo shell and garnish with chives. Serve and enjoy!

Sprinkle the lamb with 2 TBSP salt and black pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, or chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight. 

Preheat your oven to 350-degrees F. Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in a large skillet, Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb, fat side down; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Carefully turn lamb over; cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, 10-12 minutes. 

Remove lamb from skillet, reserving the drippings in the pan. 

Heat the drippings over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, carrot, celery, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, orange juice, maple syrup, vinegar, and orange peel strips. 

Nestle lamb, fat side up, on vegetable mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high. Remove from heat and cover the skillet with foil (or if using a dutch oven, with the lid). Transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 2 ½ hours. 

Potatoes: 

Toss all ingredients together on a baking sheet. After the lamb has cooked for 2 ½ hours, add the potatoes to the oven. 

Continue roasting the lamb and the potatoes for 30 minutes. At this point, the lamb should be fork-tender. Remove the lamb and let it rest on a carving board, covered with foil. Reserve the drippings. 

Increase the oven heat to 450 F. Toss the potatoes and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes while the lamb rests. They are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork. 

Gravy: 

To make the gravy, strain the solids from the liquids in the skillet. Place the liquids into a small saucepan or skillet and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk 2 TBSP cornstarch with 2 TBSP water to form a slurry. Add the slurry to the simmering liquid and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

To Serve: 

Shred the lamb into pieces and serve with roasted potatoes and gravy. Enjoy!

Rack of American Lamb:

1.Heat oven to 375

2.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

3.Cut up your rosemary finely Cut cross hatch marks on the fat cap of your rack of lamb and set aside

4. In a mixing bowl combine panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper- this will be the panko topping on your rack of American lamb

5. In a skillet on medium heat with olive oil in the pan, sear all sides of rack of lamb until they are all brown

6. Add in some butter + rosemary to the pan and spoon that mixture onto your lamb to base it for about 60 seconds

7. Remove lamb from heat and transfer to the baking sheet Coat the top (fat cap) of the rack of lamb in dijon mustard, this will act as a binding to hold on the panko crust

8. Add you panko crust on top of the dijon and pat down so it sticks while it bakes

9. Bake lamb for 20 minutes - medium/rare or 30 minutes for medium well

10.Take out of oven and let rest for 10 minutes

11.Cut and serve right away! 

Baked Brie:

1.Heat oven to 375 Score the top of your brie cheese (this helps it to bake evenly inside) and place brie in a baking dish

2.Mix together your melted butter and minced garlic

3.Add mixture on top of your brie cheese and some salt & pepper

4.Bake for 10- 15 minutes with baking dish lid OFF

5.Out of the oven add on fresh herbs Enjoy right away with a baguette, crackers & dip your lamb inside! 

1. Marinate the American Lamb

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, chopped rosemary, thyme, minced garlic, a hefty pinch of salt and pepper..

Rub this mixture all over the lamb. Let the American lamb marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the fridge for more flavor.

2. Prepare the Blue Cheese Aioli:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, crumbled blue cheese, minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with more pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Make the Crostini:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. Set aside.

4. Cook the Lamb:

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Sear the lamb chops or steaks for about 4-5 minutes per side (for medium-rare), or until they reach your desired level of doneness.

Remove from the heat and let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing them thinly against the grain.

5. Assemble the Crostini:

Spread a generous layer of blue cheese aioli on each crostini. Top with a few slices of the seared lamb sirloin. Add a small bunch of arugula or herbs on top of the lamb.  Sprinkle with flakey salt to finish

1. Prepare the Lamb Marinade:

In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.

Rub the mixture all over the leg of American lamb, ensuring it’s well coated on both sides. Cover and let it marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours (bring to room temperature before roasting if refrigerated).

2. Make the Pistachio Pesto:

While the lamb is marinating, prepare the pistachio pesto.

In a food processor, combine the pistachios, basil, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice.

Pulse until finely chopped.

With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency with more olive oil if needed.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. Prepare the Cranberry Ciabatta Stuffing:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread the ciabatta cubes on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.

Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.

Stir in the fresh sage and thyme, cooking for another minute.

Add the dried cranberries and toasted ciabatta cubes to the skillet.

Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring to combine. The bread should absorb the liquid but not be overly soggy.

Fold in ½ of the pistachio pesto.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stuff the Lamb

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Cut 5 long pieces of kitchen twine and lay on cutting board at 1 inch intervals.  

Set the trimmed, marinated, butterflied leg of lamb on top of the twine.

Spread the prepared stuffing evenly over one 1/2 the surface of the lamb. Carefully fold the lamb back up, securing it with kitchen twine in 4-5 places.  Tuck any stuffing that spills out back into the meat.  

Any leftover stuffing you can bake alongside the lamb in a baking dish.

5. Roast the Lamb:

Place the stuffed leg of lamb in a roasting pan.

Roast in the preheated oven for about 80-90 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) for medium rare, 160°F (71°C) for medium, or 170°F (77°C) for well done.

Roast the additional stuffing in the oven for the last 30 minutes of the lamb roasting.

Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

6. Serve:

Thin the pistachio pesto out with water to desired consistency.  Spread on the base of a large platter.  

Slice the rested leg of lamb and arrange it on top of the sauce.  Garnish with fresh herbs.

1. Prepare the Lamb Marinade:

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper

Rub the marinade generously over the rack of American lamb, ensuring the meat is well coated. 

Cover and let the lamb marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours (bring to room temperature before roasting if refrigerated).

2. Roast the Lamb

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Place an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat.  Once hot, sear the lamb 

fat side down for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned.  Turn the lamb over in the skillet.

Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes for medium-rare (or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F/54°C), or longer if you prefer the lamb more well done.

Remove from the oven and let the lamb rest, for about 15 minutes before slicing.

5. Prepare the Leek and Mushroom Sauté:

While the lamb is roasting, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.

Reduce heat to medium and stir in the leeks, minced garlic and thyme, cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, let it cook till it evaporates.  

Stir in the dijon mustard and heavy cream, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 2 more minutes until everything is well combined and glossy.

6. Serve:

Slice the rested rack of lamb into individual chops.

Serve the lamb chops alongside the leek and mushroom sauté, garnishing with fresh parsley if desired.

Tips:

For perfectly tender lamb, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature: 125°F (52°C) for rare, 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, and 140°F (60°C) for medium.

Toast the coriander, fennel, and cumin in a pan over medium heat, being careful not to burn - toasting for a few minutes to bring the aroma out of the spices. Grind the coriander, fennel, cumin, and black peppercorns in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle until finely ground. Next, add the smoked paprika and kosher salt and combine all the spices to form a rub. Next, slice the meat into 1” size chunks. Place all the American lamb chunks into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil (to help the rub adhere) and then add the rub mixture. Stir to combine making sure all parts of the meat are coated with the rub. Place the meat chunks on the skewers leaving about one inch on each end of the skewer.

Prepare a grill for medium direct heat, about 400 degrees. Alternatively, they can be cooked in an oven at 400 and finished under a broiler to get caramelization on the lamb kebabs.

Grill the lamb skewers until they’ve hit an internal temperature of 145 internal degrees as measured by a meat thermometer.

Drizzle with pomegranate glaze, garnish with additional pomegranate seeds as garnish. Serve with your favorite sides! 

1. Prepare the bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Toss bread cubes with olive oil and ½ of the minced garlic.  

Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. 

Set aside.

2. Cook the merguez and vegetables

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, cook the American lamb merguez sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.  

Add the butter and the chopped onion and celery, cooking until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Add the garlic, sage and thyme and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

4. Combine ingredients

Add the toasted bread cubes to the cooked sausage and vegetables.  Fold in the dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts.

5. Add liquids

Pour the lamb or chicken stock over the mixture as well as the beaten eggs and fresh parsley.  

Mix well until all ingredients are evenly combined and the bread is moistened.

6. Bake the stuffing

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crisp.

7. Garnish and serve

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Garnish with fresh parsley and extra toasted walnuts.

1. Prepare the rack of lamb

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. 

Brush this mixture all over the rack of American lamb, both sides.

Place the onion slices on a sheet pan.  Place the  lamb rack on top, fat side up.

2. Roast the lamb

Roast the lamb in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.  Remove and brush the top with the pomegranate glaze.  Return to the oven for 10-15 more minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium rare. Adjust cooking time for your preferred level of doneness.

Once cooked, remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

3. Prepare the pomegranate glaze

While the lamb is roasting, prepare the glaze.  

In a small saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes

Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for another 2  minutes until the glaze is thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Serve

Slice the rested lamb racks into individual chops.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and drizzle with the extra pomegranate glaze.

1. Prepare the stuffing

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook for an additional minute.   Remove from heat.

Fold in the cooked wild rice, dried cherries and chopped hazelnuts.

Pour the chicken broth over the mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the egg and fresh parsley.  Set aside.

2. Prepare the leg of lamb

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Open the trimmed, butterflied leg of American lamb so it is flat on a work surface..  Sprinkle the inside surface with 1/2 the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.  

Spread the prepared stuffing evenly over one 1/2 the surface of the lamb. Carefully fold the lamb back up, securing it with kitchen twine in four places.  Tuck any stuffing that spills out back into the meat.  

Sprinkle the rest of the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper on the top of the lamb roast.

3. Roast the lamb

Place the stuffed leg of lamb in a roasting pan.

Roast in the preheated oven for about 90 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) for medium rare, 160°F (71°C) for medium, or 170°F (77°C) for welldone.

4. Rest and serve

Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes for easier carving.

5. Garnish and enjoy

Slice the roasted lamb into thick slices and serve with the stuffing. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.

1. Add the olive oil, ground lamb, garlic and thyme to a small pan over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Break apart and brown until cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 10 inch square. Trim excess dough.

3. Cut 4 16” long pieces of kitchen twine. Lay them out on the floured surface creating a cross then an X over the top. Place the puff pastry directly into the center.

4. Place the brie directly into the center of the puff pastry. Spread with apricot jam and heap with seasoned lamb.

5. Bring one corner of the pastry up and over the brie. Fold up the next corner of the puff pastry creating a pleated design. Continue until all corners are folded around the brie, pressing in the sides to create a tight package around the brie and American lamb.

6. One at a time, grab the ends of each strand of twine, tie the twine around the puff pastry, pulling it a bit tight so it indents the puff pastry just a little. Double knot the twine then cut off the extra length. Continue until all the twine has been tied.

7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

8. Flip the twine wrapped puff pastry over onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

9. Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush all over the puff pastry.

10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

12. Let cool for 10 minutes, then cut away the twine. Push a cinnamon stick through the center of the puff pastry to make a “stem” and garnish with sage leaves next to it.

13. Serve with apples, crackers or toasted baguette.