Best Steamed Lamb Recipes

SLOW STEAMED GOAT OR LAMB WITH MILD CHILE SEASONINGBIRRIA DE CHIVO O DE CARNERO

Steps:

• The Meat: Trim most of the fat from the meat.
• If it is a goat hindquarter cut into 2 pieces, severing it through the joint at the top of the leg.
• Place in a large, noncorrosive dish.
• The Chile Marinade: Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat.
• tea the chiles into flat pieces and toast them a few at a time, pressing them against the hot surface until they crackle and blister, then flip them over and repeat.
• Cover with boiling water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged and soak 30 minutes.
• Roast the garlic on the hot griddle until black on the outside, soft in the middle.
• Cool and peel.
• Drain the chiles and place in a blender jar with the garlic and vinegar.
• Add the cumin, pepper and salt and 3/4 cup water.
• Blend until smooth-then strain.
• Remove 1/2 cup, stir in the sugar, cover and set aside for the final glazing.
• spread the rest of the chile paste over the meat, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.
• Slow steaming: Preheat the oven to 325.
• Ser a roasting rack into a deep, wide stockpot.
• Make sure the rack is 1 inch off the bottom.
• Measure in 3 cups of water then lay the marinated meat on the rack and spread any remaining marinade over it.
• Add water to the masa harina to make a soft dough.
• Roll tennis ball-size pieces between your palms to make a 3/4 inch rope, then press them gently all around the top edge of your pot.
• Set the lid in place and press it into the masa to seal.
• Bake for 3 hours.
• Finishing the broth: Break the seal by tapping the hard masa with the back of a cleaver-watch out for the steam-and take off the lid; then carefully remove the tender meat.
• Take out the rack, spoon the fat off the broth and then measure it.
• You need at least 1 quart-if necessary, add water to bring it to that level.
• Pour the broth into a small saucepan.
• Puree the tomato in a blender or food processor, add it to the broth along with the oregano, cover and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes.
• Season with salt.
• Glazing and serving the birria: Shortly before serving, remove the bones, large pieces of gristle and excess fat from the meat, keeping the pieces of meat as large as possible.
• Set the meat on a baking sheet, brush lightly withthe reserved chile paste glaze, then bake for 10 minutes to set the glaze.
• Either present the meat on a large platter and pass the warm broth separately, or slice the meat across the grain and serve it in deep plates, awash in the broth.
• Mix the onion and cilantro, and pass the lime at the table.

DR. JUNGER'S ROASTED LAMB CHOPS WITH ROSEMARY AND STEAMED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Directions Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. You may also peel off about 1 inch of the tough green fibrous sheath from the base of the asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler. Put 1 inch of purified water and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Place asparagus in the pan and steam for about 3 minutes, until tender but not soft (al dente). Drain and set aside. Make a paste of the olive oil, rosemary, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Brush the lamb chops with the paste. Using high heat, grill, sauté, or broil the lamb chops for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest. Place asparagus on a plate and arrange the lamb chops. For a delicious additional flavor note, roast some garlic cloves in a small oven-proof dish at 350˚F for 30 minutes and serve with lamb chops.

MOROCCAN STEAMED LAMB SHOULDER

Steps:

• Season the lamb: Mix the salt with cumin and coriander, then rub mixture over surface of meat. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour (or cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, then bring to room temperature).
• Set up a steamer with abundant boiling water and steamer basket above water level. Put lamb in steamer, cover tightly and steam over medium-high heat until lamb is quite tender and nearly falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Alternatively, steam lamb in a pressure cooker for about 11/2 hours.)
• Make the saffron butter: Put a teaspoon of water in a small bowl and add crumbled saffron threads. When saffron has released its color, add butter, cumin and salt, then mash together with a small spoon. Leave at room temperature.
• Make the red pepper oil: Whirl chopped pepper, garlic, cayenne, cumin and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a serving bowl and season with salt.
• When lamb is almost done, add carrots, turnips and zucchini to steamer and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, cook vegetables in separate steamer or simmer in lightly salted water.)
• Put lamb on a large serving platter, cut into rough chunks and surround with vegetables. Smear surface of lamb with saffron butter. Ladle a bit of lamb broth from bottom of steamer over vegetables (save remaining broth for another purpose). Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve red pepper sauce alongside.

STEAMED LAMB

Steps:

• 1. Trim the lamb of excess fat: the thin fell can be left on. Blend the saffron with 1/4 cup butter, salt, and pepper. Rub into the lamb flesh.
• 2. Bring plenty of water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer, kettle, or couscousière (to borrow a trick from Diana Kennedy, author of The Cuisines of Mexico,* toss in a penny - when the penny stops clicking you need more water). Dampen a piece of cheesecloth and twist into a strip the length of the circumference of the kettle's rim. Use this strip to fasten the perforated top so that it fits snugly on top. Check all sides for effective sealing: steam should rise only through the holes. Make a bed of parsley over the holes and rest the shoulder of lamb on it. Surround with the onions, if used, and cover with a double layer of cheesecloth and then, tightly, with a lid. Do not lift the lid during the first 1 3/4 hours of steaming. Be very careful, and stand back when lifting the lid. If the lamb is tender and falling off the bone it is ready; if not, continue steaming 15 to 30 minutes longer.
• 3. If desired, brown in oil and butter or rub again with butter and brown in a very hot oven (highest setting). Serve with bowls of ground cumin and salt, to be used as a dip.
• New York: Harper & Row, 1972.
• •Traditionally, this dish would be prepared with zebda, a pungent, naturally curdled product that originated with the Moroccan Berbers. American unsalted butter, while not an exact match, can be successfully substituted. •This dish is typically served with couscous, the tiny Moroccan semolina pasta. To produce authentically fluffy Moroccan couscous, steam it for 30 minutes in a couscousière or tight-fitting, lidless steamer. Then dump it into a flat pan, slowly add 1 cup of salted water, and rake out any lumps with a wire whisk. Finally, return the couscous to the couscousière and steam it for an additional 30 minutes.