Australian lamb is known for its excellent taste and nutritional value. It’s a great source of protein and offers two essential nutrients – zinc and iron – which our bodies need every day to function correctly. According to reports, Australia produces three times more lamb in the sheepmeat industry than mutton. Lamb meat is liked widely by Australians, and you can check websites like www.australianlamb.com.au to know about the cooking methods.
The following are some delicious recipes to make with Australian lambs:
Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Butter
Grill 4 lamb chops, occasionally brushing with minted butter. Place lamb chops on the top rack of the oven underneath the grill for 6-8 minutes. When done, slice chops into diagonal pieces and serve with mint butter.
Recipe for minted butter: Mix ½ cup of unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of freshly chopped mint leaves and one clove of finely chopped garlic in a bowl until well combined.
Roast Lamb with Soy-Honey Glaze
Place a pre-cut leg of lamb into a roasting pan, season it with salt and pepper and brush with soy-honey glaze. Whisk together 1/3 cup of soy sauce, two teaspoons of honey, ½ teaspoon minced garlic in a bowl until well combined. Roast at 220 degrees for a minimum of 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180 degrees Celsius and roast for at least 30 minutes or until desired doneness.
Lamb Curry
Sauté 1 cup of chopped white onion, ½ cup of chopped green pepper and two teaspoons of minced ginger in olive oil for 5 minutes or until soft. Add two tablespoons of curry powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes and cook for another minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
Add one can of diced tomatoes, 1 ½ cups of beef broth and 2 pounds cubed leg of lamb into the pot. Cover and cook the broth for 45 minutes or until the lamb is done.
Add salt to taste before serving hot with rice or naan bread.
Lamb Kofta
For the koftas: Mix 1 pound ground lamb, ½ cup bread crumbs, ¼ cup parsley leaves and two teaspoons of cumin in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Form into 12-14 patties that are about 1 inch thick. Keep them in the refrigerator until they are needed.
For the sauce
- Sauté ½ cup of chopped white onion, four cloves of chopped garlic and one teaspoon cumin in olive oil for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add three tablespoons tomato paste, ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes, two teaspoons brown sugar and salt to taste.
- Stir in a can of drained chickpeas and 1/3 cup of water.
Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring until the flavours have been incorporated. Add one tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley before a cubed leg of lamb.
Season it with salt, pepper and oregano to taste. For the sauce: Mix ½ cup yoghurt, one tablespoon olive oil, one tablespoon lemon juice,
One teaspoon dried oregano. Spread on top of each skewer before grilling for 5 minutes on each side or until done.
Lamb Souvlaki
Thread 2 pre-soaked bamboo skewers with four oz. of cubed leg of lamb and marinated vegetables.
Preheat a gas grill on high heat, add the skewers and baste them with olive oil. Grill for at least five minutes on each side or until grilled through. Serve it with tzatziki sauce once cooked.
To prepare the tzatziki sauce: Mix 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt, ½ cucumber peeled, seeded and grated, one tablespoon lemon juice and one teaspoon dill in a bowl. Season with salt to taste before serving with the souvlaki.