We have all had a nostalgic meal that felt special. For me it was lamb. It was my go-to order at a Chicago Iranian restaurant that was our special meal spot — the meat, either a hefty shank or nice chunk of leg, cooked slowly in a heavy dose of garlic and served over a bed of dill rice with charred vegetables and lemon wedges. It’s likely why the leg of a sheep — lamb, hogget, mutton — has become a go-to show piece as long as I can remember: Easter, Eid, Christmas and New Years and birthdays here and there.
Practically medieval, shanks are best served whole as a majestic centerpiece, braised until the caramelized meat falls off the bone. One of the most underrated cuts in the butcher’s case, these enormous shanks feed a crowd. Simply season with salt, pepper, and herbs, and roast until fork-tender. They work well served as tacos and sandwiches.
With any great showpiece, if the meat is good, what you add should complement or enhance the flavor, not overpower it. I find garlic is classic, and I always have fennel and coriander seeds lying around because they are so versatile, while black pepper adds just enough heat. The time it takes the lamb to roast is perfect for roasted and melty potatoes, but those potatoes are even better when married with onions and fennel. And, yes, mint may seem cliched, but its freshness complements lamb so well. Transformed with acid, more herbs and some olive oil, to me, the only limit is the limitations you set on yourself.
Showstopper lamb legs span the globe. They are prized across several religions for a celebration-worthy roast. In the meat-eating communities of South Asia, that means Raan, the special meal lamb or mutton leg found at Muslim celebrations is the kind of centerpiece that graces tables at holiday such as Eid or a good wholesome dawaat.
One of our favorite things to stuff is a beautiful, juicy, large bell pepper. The pepper is moist and adds amazing flavor to so many of our ground meats from lamb, hogget and mutton, to ground pork, beef and goat! We like to do it the way they do in Greece, stuffed with rice and your favorite herbs and spices, and baked. The best part about the stuffed pepper is that your get your vegetable and protein in each and every bite!
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