Lamb with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary; Stuffed Artichokes and Tabbouleh

Since the weather has been warming up, I thought I would try Lucinda Scala Quinn's (Mad Hungry Fame) Lamb.  I've only made lamb once, and it was not good.  I'm not sure if it was the recipe, the cut or the cook that made it not good since I had never had it before and had nothing to compare it too.  I have to credit my friend Lisa's husband, George Wainscott, with reintroducing me to lamb the proper way.  He makes great lamb which he usually brings us on Easter Sunday!  On to the recipes:

This recipe is so easy to make.  Probably the most difficult is if you have to butterfly the leg of lamb.  Lucinda recommends asking your butcher to do this, but in Las Vegas full-service butchers are hard to find.  I ended up finding the leg of lamb at Sam's Club as my usual locations for buying meat were unsuccessful.  I would recommend watching Lucinda's video of making Chicken Milanese on Martha Stewart's web site.  She shows you a real easy way to butterfly thicker cuts of meat.  You do need one special piece of equipment which I would highly recommend because of the pureeing of the whole lemons-a good quality food processor.  But, I would recommend one for any kitchen!

Slathered with the marinade

Fresh out of the oven

Sliced and ready to eat!

Lamb with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary

Ingredients:

·       2 whole lemons, washed, seeded, and chopped

·       2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves removed

·       5 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled

·       1 tbsp. coarse salt

·       1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·       2 to 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

·       1 boneless leg of lamb, butterflied, boned, and cut to lay flat (about 5 lb.)

·       Tabbouleh (see recipe), for serving

·       Stuffed Artichokes (see recipe), for serving

Directions:

    Place the chopped lemon, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor. A blender can also be used, if done in batches. If you have neither, finely chop all ingredients together.

    Open up the lamb and lay it flat. Spread and massage the lemon paste evenly over the inside and outside of the lamb. Place in a baking dish and cover, or in a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight to marinate, turning occasionally.

    Preheat the oven to 450º. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking. Place the lamb on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Place the meat in the oven and after 5 minutes, reduce the temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast for 45 minutes, or until medium rare, 140º on an instant read thermometer. Allow the meat to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Servings:  6-8

 Again, here I am making something I've never made before, but this was pretty simple.  The hardest part is prepping the artichokes.  Again, I recommend checking out Lucinda's video for this recipe if you've never made artichokes before.  Sometimes a visual clicks better.  This recipe calls for 6 artichokes, but I just got 4 since there were only four of us.  You are suppose to put them single layer close to each other in a pan with a lid. I could only fit 3 in the pan which was fine since my son, Sean, wouldn't touch them.  I would recommend going easy on stuffing them since the way you eat artichokes, you don't need a lot of stuffing.  I found that out afterward.  They were pretty good, but I'm not a major fan of steamed artichokes due to the fact that you just don't get a lot compared to the effort it takes to make them.  I do love marinated artichoke hearts.  If you are a steamed artichoke lover, you will probably love this recipe.  As for me, I'll probably try something else next time I make the lamb.

Lucinda Scala Quinn’s Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:

·       1 lemon, halved

·       6 whole artichokes

·       3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

·       1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

·       1 small garlic clove, minced

·       2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

·       freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

    Squeeze the lemon halves into a large bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Trim the bottom off each artichoke. Trim off the tough outer leaves. Snip the thorny tips off the top leaves. As each one is completed, place it in the lemon water to prevent it from discoloring.

    In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, and parsley and season with pepper. Pull each leaf open slightly from each artichoke and stuff a little filling into the opening. Place the artichokes snugly side by side in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1 inch of water to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and steam until the bottoms of the artichokes are tender, 35 to 45 minutes; a knife should insert easily. Make sure the water doesn't boil dry. Add more water if necessary.

    Serve each artichoke hot, on an individual plate.

Servings:  6

This recipe was also a newby for me, but very good.  I did run into a little trouble.  I soaked the bulgur wheat for the 20 minutes, but it didn't seem to bloom the way it did on Lucinda's show.  The only thing I could figure out was the fact that I took the bulgur out of the freezer just before soaking.  I always store all my wheat products in the freezer as whole wheat tends to go rancid pretty fast.  I was worried about the fact that the bulgur was still pretty crunchy, but I still had some time before everything was ready so I quickly assembled the salad and stored it in the fridge.  I believe that extra time marinating made a difference but it seemed it was still a little too crunchy.  I have never tried Tabbouleh before so didn't have anything to compare it to.  Anyone have input on this, I would love to hear it!  If you are having trouble finding Bulgur wheat, it is probably on your baking aisle in the specialty flour section or on the healthy/organic foods aisle.  I highly recommend using vine-ripened tomatoes for this also.  Not only was this dish loaded with flavor, it is so good for you!  I will definitely try this one again.

Lucinda Scala Quinn’s Tabbouleh Salad

Ingredients:

·       1/2 cup bulgur wheat

·       2 tomatoes, diced (1 1/2 cups)

·       3 scallions (both white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced (1 cup)

·       2 to 3 cups chopped fresh curly parsley, stems removed

·       1 cucumber, peeled and diced (1 cup)

·       1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

·       1/4 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

·       2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

·       1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

·       1/4 tsp. coarse salt, or more to taste

Directions:

    Rinse the bulgur wheat in cold running water and soak in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl.

    Add the tomatoes, scallions, parsley, cucumber, and mint. Toss together.

    Whisk together the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir the dressing into the salad to fully combine. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Servings:  6