I don't think I could possibly be more excited for The Hunger Games. The movie with Jennifer Lawrence as heroine Katniss (although maybe the role should have gone to a Latina) officially comes out today and I'm celebrating by making one of Katniss' favorite dishes—lamb!
In the books, she says that her favorite part of The Capitol (the ruling city where the kids are escorted to after they're chosen) is the lamb stew with prunes over wild rice. Well, to be honest, I think she could do a lot better with one of our Latin lamb dishes. Why not try the Peruvian lamb stew? Or the Adobo-crusted lamb chops. Or, my favorite, the braised lamb shanks. Either way, these are some delicious Lamb dishes that Katniss is sure to love.
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Seco de Caldero, a.k.a. Peruvian Lamb Stew with Potatoes (recipe courtesy of About.com)
Ingredients:
2 pounds lamb meat (shoulder or leg)
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large red onion, chopped fine
1 aji pepper (or other hot chile pepper), chopped fine
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bottle of beer
1-2 cups chicken or beef stock
5-6 medium yellow potatoes
__Directions:
__1. Cut the meat into approximate 2 inch cubes.
2. Mix the vinegar with the garlic, cumin, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and some salt and black pepper, and pour over the meat. Let meat marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Purée the cilantro (stems removed) with some water in a blender or food processor until you get a smooth paste.
4. Heat 3-4 tablespoons oil in a large pot or skillet on high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown the meat on all sides. Remove meat to a plate.
5. Lower the heat and add the onion and aji pepper to the same skillet with the leftover marinade. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the meat back to the skillet, along with the beer, the cilantro, and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Cover and cook over low heat until the meat is tender, about an hour.
7. Peel and quarter the potatoes, and add them to the stew. Continue to cook over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more, adding more chicken broth if necessary.
8. Serve warm over rice.
Adobo-Crusted Lamb Loin Chops (recipe courtesy of Hispanic Kitchen)
Ingredients:
8 American Lamb loin chops, 1-inch thick
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 teaspoons coriander seed
2 teaspoons cracked pepper
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons lime zest
½ teaspoon each fresh thyme and rosemary leaves
¼ cup olive oil
__Directions:
__1. In a dry skillet, toast fennel, cumin, coriander and pepper for a few minutes until aromatic; let cool and grind coarsely in a spice grinder or blender. Stir in salt, garlic, oregano and lime zest.
2. Add the thyme and rosemary to the spice mixture. Rub both sides of each lamb chop with about a tablespoon of the spice mixture; cover and marinate for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat ovenproof large skillet over medium-high heat; add 2 tablespoons of oil, heating until it shimmers. Place lamb chops in hot pan and sear for 3 minutes; turn lamb to sear the second side for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Place the pans into the 400ºF oven; bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until lamb is cooked to your liking.
Lamb Caldero, a.k.a. Lamb Shanks Braised in Dutch Oven (recipe courtesy of FoodBuzz and Food Wishes)
__Ingredients:
__4 lamb shanks
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
vegetable oil as needed
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed
3-4 large jalapeños, seeded, cut in strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut in strips
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Directions:
Embedded content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVONdE1X24M
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Do you enjoy lamb dishes? Have you ever made one of these or do you want to now?
Images via Muy Yum/flickr, FoodBuzz, Hispanic Kitchen
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