Best Spiced Lamb With Lemon Herb Quinoa Recipes

QUINOA AND HERB CRUSTED LAMB

Steps:

• For the coating: In a medium bowl, mix together the quinoa, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Beat the eggs in another medium bowl.
• For the lamb: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Dip the lamb chops in the egg and then coat with the quinoa mixture, pressing lightly to help the coating stick. Add half the lamb chops to the pan and cook until light golden, about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and cook the remaining chops. Allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes.
• For the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the creme fraiche, maple syrup, and thyme until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve, arrange the lamb chops on a platter and serve the sauce alongside.

HERBED QUINOA

Steps:

• For the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, add the chicken stock, lemon juice and quinoa. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• For the dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, parsley, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Pour the dressing over the quinoa and toss until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

SPICED LAMB SKEWERS WITH LEMONY ONIONS

Steps:

• Season lamb with salt and pepper. Add cumin and turmeric and toss to coat. (This can be done up to 24 hours ahead, if you like.)
• If you're using a charcoal grill, build the fire so it's screaming hot. This lamb is to be cooked hot and fast so it can stay nicely medium-rare, so the hotter the better. If you're using a gas grill, set it on high. Bring a clean platter, cutting board or baking dish out to the grill for the skewers to rest in after cooking.
• Combine onion, sumac (if using) and 3 tablespoons lemon juice; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Combine yogurt and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Skewer the lamb onto wooden or metal skewers, 2 to 4 pieces per skewer.
• Once the grill is hot, cook the skewers on all sides until deeply browned and lightly charred all over, 2 to 3 minutes per side (less time for smaller pieces), moving the skewers around as needed to prevent excessive flare-ups. (If you've trimmed most of the fat away from the lamb, the flare-ups shouldn't be too bad.)
• Transfer the skewers to the platter, cutting board or baking dish to rest for a few minutes and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the dressed onions, lemony yogurt, cilantro, olives, lavash and any pickled vegetables or peppers you like.

LEMON HERB QUINOA

Steps:

• Stir water, quinoa, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, basil, garlic, and seasoning blend together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.

SPICED MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB PATTIES WITH PITA AND YOGURT

Steps:

• For the sauce:
• In a small bow, whisk the yogurt with the lemon juice. Stir in the chopped herbs, season with salt and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the patties and pita:
• In a bowl, use your hands to mix together all of the ingredients, except for the pita. Form the mixture into twelve 3-inch oval patties (about 1 inch thick). Arrange the patties on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm
• Preheat a grill for at least 10 minutes and prepare it for grilling over moderately high heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, leave one area where you can grill the pita indirectly.
• Oil the grill grates and grill the patties until dark brown grill marks form on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the patties and grill for 4 to 6 minutes longer, until just cooked through.
• Meanwhile, wrap the pita in foil and set the package on the top shelf of a gas grill or in the cooler spot of a charcoal grill and allow them to warm through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Wrap 2 or 3 patties in each pita, spoon some of the yogurt sauce alongside and serve with herb sprigs, passing the remaining yogurt sauce at the table.

ROASTED LEG OF LAMB WITH NORTH AFRICAN SPICES, LEMON, AND ONIONS

Steps:

• In a spice grinder, a clean coffee grinder, or a mortar, grind the salt, oregano, rosemary, caraway, cumin, and turmeric to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and add the harissa and chopped garlic. Add the olive oil to make a thick paste. Make 8 or 9 deep slits all over the lamb and insert some of the spice paste, rubbing the paste all over the surface of the meat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature or, preferably, refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before roasting.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the leg of lamb fat side down in a roasting pan that will hold the onions in one layer. Roast for 20 minutes. Mix the lemon juice and wine in a small bowl. Turn the meat and pour the lemon-wine mixture over it. (If you are roasting the lamb in a clay dish, warm the mixture first, because cold liquid can cause the clay to crack.) Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and roast for 35 minutes, basting every 10 to 15 minutes with the pan juices. If the pan dries out, add a little more wine.
• Transfer the lamb to a plate and add the onions to the pan, tossing them well to coat them with the pan juices. Add the rosemary sprigs or sprinkle with dried rosemary, toss, place the lamb on the onions, and continue roasting, basting often, for another 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 135°F. Transfer the meat to a heated platter, cover with a double layer of aluminum foil, and set aside. (Leave the oven on.) If the pan juices are watery, transfer most of them to a saucepan and cook briefly to reduce.
• Meanwhile, return the pan to the oven and continue baking the onions until tender, with browned edges. Turn the oven to broil. Place the lamb on the onions again and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the surface is deep brown and crackling. Carve the lamb and serve, passing the pan juices in a bowl or sauceboat at the table.