Best 4 Lamb With Preserved Lemons Recipes

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Lamb with preserved lemons is a classic dish that blends the rich flavor of lamb with the bright, tangy taste of preserved lemons. This dish is a popular choice for special occasions or dinner parties, as it is both flavorful and easy to prepare. With the right combination of ingredients and a few simple steps, you can create a delectable lamb dish that will tantalize your taste buds.

Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!

MOROCCAN LAMB STEW WITH PRESERVED LEMONS



Moroccan Lamb Stew with Preserved Lemons image

This is one of the easiest stews imaginable, because there is no browning of the meat, yet the flavor is very intense. Serve with apricot couscous and a fennel, mint, and radish salad. Preserved lemons must be made several weeks in advance, but they are simple to prepare and add exquisite flavor.

Provided by Food Network

Time 2h46m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, from the shoulder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron threads
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup water
1 cup pitted green Moroccan (or other) olives, chopped
Minced peel of 1 preserved lemon, recipe follows, optional
10 to 12 organically grown lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
Kosher salt
2 fresh or dried bay leaves, preferably Mediterranean

Steps:

  • Trim excess fat and gristle from meat and cut lamb into 1-inch cubes. Place meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron; sprinkle over the meat and set aside.
  • On a cutting board, mince together the orange zest, cilantro leaves, garlic, and salt until you have a paste. Add to the meat along with the orange juice and stir well to coat. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Transfer the mixture to a heavy pot, add the onions, tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer (or bake in a preheated 350 degree oven) until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add olives and, if using, preserved lemon to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes more, then serve.
  • Wash a 1-pint glass-canning jar and its lid with hot soapy water; rinse and dry thoroughly.
  • Cut 6 of the lemons, 1 at a time, into quarters through 1 end without cutting all the way through the other end. You want the lemon to open out like a flower, but not to separate. Place the lemon on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper, spread quarters open and sprinkle flesh with a heaping tablespoon of kosher salt; put the lemon into the jar. Continue with remaining lemons, sprinkling salt on each. Pack the lemons in the jar tightly, filling it to the top (you may need more or less than 6 lemons, depending on their size). When you reach the top, lift the parchment and pour the excess salt from it into the jar of lemons.
  • Slide the bay leaves down opposite sides of the jar. Juice the remaining lemons 1 by 1, adding juice to the jar, until it reaches the top. Seal jar, shake well, and let stand at room temperature, shaking well every 12 hours, for 1 week. After 1 week, transfer jar to the refrigerator, continuing to shake every day. Lemons are preserved after 3 weeks and keep up to several months in the refrigerator.
  • To use lemons, pull out as needed and scrape away pulp. Dice peel and use as a condiment.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB WITH PRESERVED LEMON



Grilled Leg of Lamb with Preserved Lemon image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Lamb Recipes

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 preserved lemon, rinsed
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 small dried red chiles, stemmed and crumbled (about 1 teaspoon)
1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for serving
1/4 cup fresh marjoram leaves, plus sprigs for serving
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon, plus lemon halves for serving
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, butterflied and pounded to an even thickness (1 to 1 1/2 inches)

Steps:

  • Halve preserved lemon; remove and discard seeds and flesh. Chop skin and pulse with garlic, shallot, chiles, mint and marjoram leaves, lemon zest and juice, and salt in a food processor until coarsely ground. Stir in oil. Reserve 3/4 cup marinade.
  • Place lamb in a baking dish; rub with remaining marinade. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
  • 3. Let lamb stand at room temperature 1 hour. Heat grill to medium-high. Remove lamb from marinade, brushing off excess. Grill, covered, 8 minutes. Flip; continue cooking until a thermometer inserted in center reads 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 8 minutes more. Cover loosely with foil; let rest 20 minutes. Slice thinly and serve with herb sprigs, lemons, and reserved marinade.

ROLLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH HERBS AND PRESERVED LEMONS



Rolled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Herbs and Preserved Lemons image

The lamb needs to marinate overnight, so prepare it the day before. Preserved lemons have been stored in jars of lemon juice and salt for at least a month. They have a silkier texture and a less sour flavor than regular lemons.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Lamb Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 whole preserved lemons, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 cloves of garlic
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 boneless butterflied leg of lamb, about 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat and pounded to 1 inch thick
2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps:

  • Cut 1 preserved lemon in half; remove and discard seeds. Coarsely chop lemon; transfer to a food processor. Add rosemary, mint, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Process until coarsely ground. With processor running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; process until a thick paste forms.
  • Spread herb mixture all over lamb; transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover; refrigerate 8 hours (or overnight).
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Cut remaining preserved lemon into paper-thin rounds; discard seeds. Arrange rounds over one side of lamb. Starting from one narrow end, roll up lamb. Using kitchen twine, tie lamb crosswise at 1-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer lamb to a roasting pan just large enough to hold it. Roast 25 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to pan; reduce heat to 400 degrees. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 120 degrees (for medium-rare), about 35 minutes.
  • Tent with foil. Let rest 25 minutes (internal temperature will rise). Transfer to a cutting board; remove twine. Cut into thin slices. Serve with lemon wedges.

MOROCCAN LAMB CHOPS WITH PRESERVED LEMON GREMOLATA



Moroccan Lamb Chops With Preserved Lemon Gremolata image

With the bone attached, these bite-sized lamb chops are a great finger-food/appetizer for a small crowd. Also, they can be made a day ahead, refrigerated, then served at room temperature. The gremolata topping adds some nice color and brightness but should be prepared on same day of your event. If you would like to prepare your own Ras el hanout, there are many blends, including my own, here on Food.com. If you are using a blend commercially prepared, the only one I can recommend is from Williams/Sonoma. I have tried another one that is popular and available in markets and online, but the Williams/Sonama blend is far better, JMHO. If you purchase preserved lemon, they are quite spendy. It is easy to make your own, but they need to be made a month ahead of time so they can ripen.

Provided by French Terrine

Categories     Lamb/Sheep

Time 2h

Yield 25 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

5 racks of lamb
4 tablespoons ras el hanout spice mix
1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
2 1/3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 preserved lemons
1 bunch fresh parsley leaves

Steps:

  • Rinse lamb and blot dry. Trim as much fat away from rack as possible. Slice between rib bones, all the way through, to yield eight chops per rack. Place in large container.
  • Combine Ras el hanout, 2 TBSPs of garlic, minced cilantro and olive oil. You might need more olive oil in order to obtain a smooth slather. Toss lamb chops in mixture and allow to stand at room temp for an hour or so.
  • Sprinkle coated lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Grill over hot fire or broil to desired doneness, only a few minutes per side. When internal temp reaches 130 degrees F, they are medium.
  • After removing from cooking source and still hot, sprinkle with lemon juice. (You might get the same result with adding the lemon juice to the marinade mixture before the lamb is cooked).
  • Prepare gremolata topping on same day you are serving the lamb. Remove pulp from preserved lemons and discard, keeping the rind. Then thoroughly rinse in cold water and mince finely. Roughly chop parsley leaves. Combine preserved lemon, parsley leaves, and remaining tsp of minced garlic. Sprinkle over lamb chops before serving.
  • **************************************************.
  • Preserved lemon: I usually start with about 5 lbs of organic lemons, juicing enough of them to yield about a cup. Go for organic ones, otherwise they have a coating of wax on them to preserve shelf life in the supermarket. You will need a glass jar with an air-tight seal. Combine ~ a tablespoon of coriander seed with ~ a tablespoon of fennel seed. Place 1 bay leaf and 1 cinnamon stick in the bottom of glass jar. Have a small bowl of Kosher salt nearby. Slice lemons in quarters ALMOST down to stem end, but leave intact. Place coriander and fennel seed inside lemon and also fill with salt. Place cut side down into glass jar, squeezing as many into the jar as you can. As you squeeze them, some of the lemon juice is released, but not enough to fill the jar. Just continue packing in as many lemons as you can and add additional salt between layers of lemon. Top off with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then refrigerate for a month before using. I think this is Jamie Oliver's technique, but there are many out there. He has also suggested doing this with other citrus, like limes and mandarin oranges. Meyer lemons work nicely. Some techniques suggest a layer of olive oil on top, and this works well, too. If refrigerated, they last indefinitely.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 20.7, Fat 2.2, SaturatedFat 0.3, Sodium 0.7, Carbohydrate 0.3, Fiber 0.1, Protein 0.1

Tips:

  • Choose high-quality lamb: Opt for lamb that is fresh, has a good marbling score, and is from a reputable source.
  • Use preserved lemons sparingly: Preserved lemons can be salty, so use them judiciously to avoid overpowering the dish.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan: When searing the lamb, make sure to not overcrowd the pan as this will prevent it from getting a nice sear.
  • Let the lamb rest: After cooking the lamb, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful dish.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs: Before serving, garnish the lamb with fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, or parsley for an extra burst of flavor and color.

Conclusion:

Lamb with preserved lemons is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed all year round. Whether you are looking for a special occasion meal or a simple weeknight dinner, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table. With its tender lamb, tangy preserved lemons, and aromatic spices, it is a dish that is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen. So next time you are looking for something new and exciting to try, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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