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For The Love of Lamb

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Lamb is an exotic in America. Like squab or oysters, it is something people might eat in a restaurant but rarely at home. Even with lamb’s ancient ties to spring holidays and to the season in general, lamb has not been able to overcome the prejudices of the American public at large.

In some countries, of course, lamb is so basic that the word “meat” implies lamb (much as it usually means beef in America today and meant pork in the 19th century).

In the Mediterranean, the love for lamb is profound. For one thing, sheep are perfectly suited to life on the scrubby pasturage found in most parts of the Mediterranean. They can make do with little food while cattle cannot. They are adaptable to extreme temperatures while pigs are not. They are delicious almost from birth and remain so throughout their lives.

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As a result, lamb has taken on an importance that transcends the dinner table. It is not overstating matters to say that around the Mediterranean, lamb is holy.

In the Christian tradition, of course, Jesus is the lamb of God, Agnus Dei, after John’s comment on first seeing him: “Behold, the lamb of God.” In religious illustrations, Christ is frequently depicted holding a lamb.

Muslims celebrate the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca with a lamb slaughter.

For Jews, lamb is especially connected with Passover; it was lamb’s blood that the faithful used to mark their doorposts, signaling the angel of death to pass them by.

In some places, that tradition still exists, reports Joan Nathan, author of several books on Jewish cooking, including “The Jewish Holiday Kitchen” (Schocken Books, 1998). “I visited a Bedouin village in the Negev Desert where they had the same custom, daubing the tent posts every time they slaughtered a lamb.”

Until the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70, she says, “a 1-year-old lamb was always sacrificed on the eve of Passover and eaten that same night, inaugurating the festival.” This tradition, which is mentioned in one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, continues. “To this day, the small group of Samaritans [about 600 remaining] roast lamb until dawn on Mt. Herizim, next to Nablus.”

Today, however, Conservative and Orthodox Jews will not eat roast lamb on Passover, Nathan says, “because of the bitter memory that the Temple sacrifices are no longer possible” since the destruction of the Temple. But for Reform Jews, she adds, exactly the reverse is true. Roasted lamb or other roasted food is served to commemorate the ancient sacrifices.

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For Muslims, lamb is the traditional meat not only for the Festival of the Sacrifice, when sheep are ritually sacrificed by the Mecca pilgrims, but for festive occasions of any sort. “In times of abundance, a lamb will be sacrificed to feed a family or a village or a tribe,” says Clifford Wright, author of the upcoming “A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean” (William Morrow).

“Hospitality is extremely important in the Arab world,” adds Paula Wolfert, America’s queen of Mediterranean cooking. “And slaughtering a lamb is a typical sign of great hospitality. If you or I were to visit a family, they would roast a lamb. The sacrifice is almost religious in importance.”

As might be expected for a meat of such significance, cooking methods are many and varied, though several things are held in common.

First, and probably most surprising to most lamb-loving Americans, lamb is always served well-done. In the Mediterranean, rare lamb is regarded as an invention of Parisian restaurants and is viewed as nearly blasphemous.

“It is important to know that lamb in Italy is never cooked rare,” says Faith Willinger, author of “Eating in Italy” (William Morrow, 1998). “It is always well-done, without even a trace of pink. Only fancy, new wave restaurants serve it even pink.”

Janet Mendel, the Spain-based author of “Traditional Spanish Cooking” (Garnet Publishing, 1997), says the same is true there. “Whether roasted or braised, lamb is always well-cooked. Pink, medium-rare meat would be viewed with horror! Baby lamb when cooked is nearly white.”

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Baby lamb seems to have universal significance as well. Almost unavailable in America, where a leg of lamb will commonly weigh 5 or 6 pounds, whole baby lambs weighing less than 15 pounds are a special springtime delicacy in the Mediterranean.

In Lazio, the region around Rome, there is even a special word for it. Baby lamb--always milk-fed, never weaned--is called abbacchio, and a leg will weigh about 2 pounds.

“It is very tiny, very delicate, very tender, and there is very little fat,” says Carol Field, author of “Celebrating Italy,” (HarperCollins, 1997), a book about the role of food in Italian holidays. “Lamb like that does not need very much moisture when it is cooked. They use a lot of herbs and finish it with a spritz of vinegar. That’s a traditional and wonderful combination.”

In Andalusia, where lambs are born earlier in the season, milk-fed lamb is a Christmas delicacy.

“In butcher shops, baby lamb is sold whole or in quarters,” says Mendel. “One or more whole lambs would be purchased for a holiday meal. A typical restaurant portion would be a whole leg or six to eight tiny chops per person.”

By far the most common way of cooking lamb is roasting. This is a method so simple that recipes are practically superfluous, though an exception might be made for Nathan’s favorite, which might actually provide the prescription for changing Americans’ perception of lamb.

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After seasoning the leg or shoulder with salt and pepper and inserting studs of garlic, Nathan’s mother roasts the lamb at 325 degrees, allowing about 20 minutes per pound. Then, an hour before it is done, she smears ketchup over the top of the lamb.

“Yes, ketchup,” she says. “This makes a crusty skin and adds flavor to the gravy.”

Braising is almost equally common. Throughout the Mediterranean, the emotionally laden dish of milk-fed lamb stewed in sheep’s milk is a common springtime theme.

And in most places, all of the lamb is used.

“When the lambs are slaughtered for Easter, nothing is wasted,” says Aglaia Kremezi, a Greek food writer and author of “The Foods of Greece” (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 1993). “The innards are used to make kokoretsi in southern Greece--pieces of liver, lung, etc., are passed through a skewer and wrapped with the intestines that keep them moist during grilling over a charcoal fire.

“Chopped lamb innards and some intestines are also made into mayeritsa, the Easter egg-and-lemon soup that is served at the late Saturday supper, right after the midnight Resurrection Mass. In other parts of Greece, the innards are cooked into a kind of stew with greens and herbs--mainly wild fennel--and flavored with an egg-and-lemon sauce.”

In Rome, says Willinger, Easter breakfast is a stew of lamb lungs and artichokes.

“I’d go for a taste of it in the evening,” she says, “but for breakfast I think I’ll stick to cappuccino.”

*

Joan Nathan’s favorite method for preparing lamb might actually provide the prescription for changing Americans’ perception of lamb. After seasoning the leg or shoulder with salt and pepper and inserting studs of garlic, Nathan’s mother roasts the lamb at 325 degrees, allowing about 20 minutes per pound. Then, an hour before it is done, she smears ketchup over the top of the lamb.

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“Yes, ketchup,” Nathan says. “This makes a crusty skin and adds flavor to the gravy.”

Easter Bread Stuffed With Lamb and Fresh Cheese (Chaniotiki Tourta)

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours

This recipe comes from Aglaia Kremezi’s upcoming book, “Molyvos and the Cooking of the Greek Islands” (Houghton-Mifflin). Chaniotiki Tourta is eaten lukewarm or cold and tastes equally good the next day. Manouri cheese can be found at Greek markets such as C&K; Importing Co. in Los Angeles and at La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles.

DOUGH

1 (1/4-ounce) package dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water

4 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons anise seeds

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup milk, or more as needed

* Combine yeast and water and let stand 2 minutes.

* Mix flour, anise seeds and salt in bowl of food processor or electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Reserve 1 tablespoon egg for brushing bread during Assembly. With motor running, pour in yeast-water mixture and remaining eggs. Add olive oil and enough milk to make smooth dough. Mix until dough forms ball and no longer sticks to sides of bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.

* Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead until silky, about 5 minutes. Shape into ball. Place dough in large, oiled mixing bowl and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

*

STUFFING

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 bulb fennel, finely chopped, plus 1 cup fennel tops,coarsely chopped

1 pound boned lamb, most fat removed, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

5 or 6 green onions, white plus most of green part, sliced thin

1/3 cup mint, chopped

3 ounces Manouri or other firm goat cheese, mashed with fork

1/2 cup yogurt, preferably sheep’s milk

* Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chopped fennel bulb and cook 5 more minutes. Add meat and cook, stirring, until no longer pink on outside, about 10 minutes. Add pepper, salt and water and cook over medium heat 20 minutes. Add parsley and cook until meat is almost done, about 10 minutes. Stir in green onions and fennel tops and remove from heat. Stir in mint and cool. (Dish can be prepared to this point 1 day before and refrigerated, covered. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before proceeding.)

* Add cheese and yogurt to meat. Stir and adjust seasoning.

*

ASSEMBLY

Oil

Few drops water or milk

2 to 3 teaspoons sesame or nigella seeds for decoration

* Turn Dough onto lightly floured surface. Cut off piece about size of tennis ball and set aside. Divide rest of Dough into 2 pieces, making 1 piece slightly larger. Lightly oil 10x8-inch roasting pan and lay larger piece of Dough on bottom, flattening with palms and pressing up on sides of pan. Spoon Stuffing over Dough, distributing evenly.

* Flatten second piece of Dough on lightly floured surface to shape of pan. Place over Stuffing. Fold Dough on sides of pan down over top piece of dough, rolling to make cord all around. Press folded edge with tines of fork, making sure seam is securely sealed.

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* Make snake-like cord, thick as little finger, with reserved piece of Dough. Place on surface of tourta in shape of square to decorate. Dilute reserved 1 tablespoon egg with few drops of water or milk and brush bread. Sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds.

* Bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until golden brown on top and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottom, about 45 minutes. Cool before cutting.

8 servings. Each serving: 492 calories; 934 mg sodium; 94 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 0.49 gram fiber.

Moroccan Spiced Preserved Lamb (Khlea)

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 12 to 16 hours

1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder

3 tablespoons coarse salt

1 small head garlic, peeled and crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes

1/2 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped hard meat fat, preferably trimmed from lamb kidneys (optional but necessary if you intend to store khlea more than few weeks)

* Cut meat into 20 strips, each about 3x1x1/2-inch. Combine salt and garlic and rub into meat. Stack meat in bowl, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

* Dry meat with paper towel when ready to cook. Combine red pepper flakes, coriander and cumin with vinegar and rub into meat. Set meat on wire rack over jelly roll pan to catch drips. Bake at 175 degrees until dry but still supple, 4 to 8 hours, depending on density of meat.

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* Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil in 9-inch skillet and melt meat fat, if using. When hot, add meat and fry until all slices are crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and allow fat and meat to cool to room temperature. Place meat in clean dry jar and strain fat over top. Top with about 3/4 cup oil and store in refrigerator.

20 pieces. Each piece: 63 calories; 1081 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

Moroccan Mixed Spices

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 5 minutes

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* Combine sweet paprika, cumin, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne in small jar and mix well.

3 tablespoons. Each tablespoon: 13 calories; 3 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.51 gram fiber.

Israeli Lamb Stew With Dill and Olives

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours

This pan-Sephardic recipe for lamb stew is adapted from a dish by Daniel Rogoov, restaurant and wine critic for the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, by way of cookbook author Joan Nathan.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 pounds lamb shoulder or stew meat, cut in 2-inch chunks

2 onions, chopped fine

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup beef stock

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 pounds spinach, chopped

Leaves from 2 bunches celery, finely chopped

8 green onions, white parts only, finely chopped

1 cup green olives, pitted and halved

2 cups peeled and diced boiling potatoes

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

* Heat 2 tablespoons oil in flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add lamb and onions and brown, about 10 minutes. Season with turmeric, salt to taste and pepper. Add beef stock and lemon juice, cover and simmer, stirring several times, 15 minutes.

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* Cook spinach, celery leaves and green onions in batches in heavy skillet over very low heat until vegetables begin to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 6 tablespoons oil to skillet and fry 5 minutes.

* Add spinach mixture to meat in casserole, then add olives, potatoes and dill. Simmer gently, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.

6 servings. Each serving: 495 calories; 432 mg sodium; 111 mg cholesterol; 29 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 39 grams protein; 1.34 grams fiber.

Swiss Chard With Lentils and Khlea

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour (plus 12 to 16 hours for separate Khlea recipe)

This recipe comes from Paula Wolfert, who describes it as a kind of lamb confit. Because khlea (also spelled khli’) is much too salty to be used on its own, it is always soaked before cooking and is mostly used in very small portions as a condiment.

10 pieces Moroccan Spiced Preserved Lamb (Khlea) (see separate recipe)

1 1/2 cups small brown lentils, such as Spanish pardina, Ethiopian, Egyptian or masoor dal

3/4 pound Swiss chard leaves

3 cups diced red onions

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

Salt

1 tablespoon Moroccan Mixed Spices (see separate recipe)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Lemon juice

* Remove Khlea from refrigerator. Scrape off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Rinse Khlea under running water to remove excess salt. Shred coarsely and soak in fresh water until ready to use.

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* Pick over and wash lentils. Place in 3- or 4-quart saucepan, cover with water and bring slowly to full boil. Drain. Cover lentils with 4 cups water and bring back to boil and skim any foam from top.

* Pare ribs from Swiss chard leaves and split leaves lengthwise into thirds. Shred leaves and dice ribs and add to lentils. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

* Meanwhile, heat reserved 2 tablespoons fat in large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, pinch salt and Moroccan Mixed Spices and cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in drained Khlea, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons parsley and 1/4 cup cilantro. Cover and continue cooking while lentils are simmering 20 minutes, adding water to Khlea by the tablespoon if necessary to keep moist.

* Add Khlea mixture to lentils. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and cook until lentils are tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on freshness of lentils.

* Remove from heat and set aside, covered, 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and 1/4 cup cilantro and lemon juice to taste.

6 servings. Each serving: 378 calories; 569 mg sodium; 66 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 3.72 grams fiber.

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Wedding Stew (Cazuela de Boda)

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 1/2 hours

This recipe is from Janet Mendel’s “Traditional Spanish Cooking” (Garnet Publishing, 1997).

1 head garlic, plus 2 cloves

1/2 cup olive oil

8 boiling potatoes, peeled and sliced

6 tomatoes, sliced

2 large onions, sliced

4 1/2 pounds baby lamb or chops, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 green bell peppers, cut in strips

4 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons salt

10 black peppercorns

4 cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon saffron

2 cups dry white wine

* Spear head of garlic with fork or grasp with tongs and turn over gas flame or broil, turning, until black and charred on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Rub off skin and peel cloves.

* Pour 1/4 cup oil into bottom of large casserole or roasting pan. Place half of potatoes in layer in bottom of casserole. Layer half of tomatoes, then half of onions over potatoes. Cover with meat in single layer. Distribute bell pepper strips, roasted garlic cloves, bay leaves and parsley over meat. Cover with layer of remaining potatoes, then layer of remaining tomatoes and layer of remaining onions.

* Crush salt, raw garlic cloves, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and saffron in mortar with pestle. Stir in 1/4 cup white wine and add to casserole. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups wine and remaining 1/4 cup oil to casserole.

* Bake uncovered at 450 degrees 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook, without stirring, until the meat and potatoes are very tender, about 2 hours. Casserole can also be simmered on top of stove, adding water occasionally so bottom layer doesn’t scorch.

8 servings. Each serving: 459 calories; 713 mg sodium; 111 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams protein; 0.72 gram fiber.

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Lamb With Green Wheat (Frika Lahma)

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 4 1/2 hours

Farik (see box at right) is available at Middle Eastern markets, such as Tehran Market on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. This recipe comes from Clifford Wright’s upcoming book, “A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean” (William Morrow).

2 pounds bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed of fat

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground allspice

Extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons clarified butter

1 small onion, chopped very fine

3 1/2 cups boiling beef broth or boiling water

2 cups green wheat (farik), picked over for stones and chaff and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon Baharat (see separate recipe)

3 tablespoons pine nuts

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 green tomato, sliced, optional

* Rub lamb all over with salt, pepper and allspice. Coat with film of olive oil and roast at 325 degrees until very tender and falling off bone, about 4 hours.

* About 1 hour 15 minutes before lamb is done, heat 4 tablespoons clarified butter in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, then add onion and cook until golden, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.

* Carefully add boiling broth or water (both may splatter) and return to boil. Add green wheat, 1 teaspoon salt, coriander and Baharat, cover and cook 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes, covered. Reduce heat to very low and cook until liquid is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes more. Place heat diffuser under pot or turn heat to very, very low and leave farik for 30 minutes, covered. Turn off heat, place paper towel over top of pan under lid, and leave until lamb has finished roasting in oven, about 15 minutes more.

* Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon clarified butter in small pan over medium-high heat and cook pine nuts, shaking pan almost constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

* Bring small pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook peas until tender, 10 to 12 minutes for fresh and 3 to 4 minutes for frozen. Set aside and keep warm until farik and lamb are done. Season farik with black pepper to taste and stir.

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* Remove lamb from oven. Remove meat from bone and pull into serving-size chunks with fork. Mound farik attractively on serving platter. Using slotted ladle, arrange peas on top of farik. Place meat on top and sprinkle pine nuts over. Serve with green tomato slices as garnish, if desired.

4 servings. Each serving: 751 calories; 348 mg sodium; 126 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 47 grams protein; 3.12 grams fiber.

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