SEASONED LAMB and FETA in PHYLLO

A crisp and flavorful beginning to a meal-not to mention the fact that we found yet another use for ground lamb, one our guests love!

1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced {about 1 cup}
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
20-25 sheets phyllo dough

Brown lamb in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Remove lamb from skillet and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the pan juices. Add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Saute until soft. Return lamb to the pan. Add cumin, rosemary, allspice, salt, cheeses, and lemon juice. Season to taste. Cool. Add beaten eggs. Makes filling for 24 rolls.

To assemble and cook: Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough, brush with melted butter, and fold lengthwise. * Place two heaping tablespoons of filling along the short edge of the dough, leaving a small margin on either side. Roll once to cover filling. Fold in the edges, brush lightly with butter, and roll up. Brush the final seam to seal it and place roll on an ungreased baking sheet. Continue with the remaining filling and phyllo. Bake 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, cut into thirds, and serve.

* Cover remaining dough with a piece of saran wrap and a towel to prevent the dough from drying out.

SEASONED LAMB in PHYLLO

We buy our lamb whole from a local rancher, rather than specific cuts from the butcher. As a result, we always have quite a quantity of ground lamb to work with. We have developed a number of recipes using ground lamb, but this one, reminiscent of the Middle East, is our favorite.

1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
1 egg
4 whole green onions, minced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
1 large carrot, cut in 1" julienne
1/2 cup butter
1 ounce pine nuts
8 small mushroom caps, sliced
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
6 sheets phyllo dough

Combine the lamb, egg, onions, parsley, garlic, cumin, pepper, and a dash of salt. Mix well. Cook a small amount of this mixture in a skillet, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Shape the remaining ground lamb mixture into 3 equal, 3" x 4" x 1/2" thick patties. Saute in a hot skillet just long enough to sear both sides. Remove from the skillet and place on paper towels to drain and cool.
Lightly blanch the julienne carrot in boiling water until tender but crisp. Drain and immerse in ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside on a towel to drain. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet and add the pine nuts. Toast lightly and remove. Melt an additional 2 tablespoons of butter and add the mushrooms. Saute 2-3 minutes. Remove from the stove and add the carrots, pine nuts, spinach, feta cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Fold in the egg whites.
Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small pan and remove from the heat. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface, brush with butter, and top with a second sheet.* Working lengthwise with the dough, place a lamb patty 1/4 of the way down from the top edge. Top with 1/3 of the spinach mixture. Fold the top edge of the pastry over the filling and brush with butter. Fold the sides inward and roll up, brushing the final fold with butter to seal. Continue with the remaining phyllo, lamb, and spinach. Place on an ungreased sheet and brush the tops with butter. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, cut in half diagonally, and serve.
Serves 4-6.

Note: Cover remaining phyllo dough with a piece of saran wrap and a towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Any unused dough should be tightly wrapped and either refrigerated or frozen.

GARLIC BAKED LEG of LAMB

This combination of garlic, mustard, rosemary, peppery chili sauce, and lamb has become another favorite among our family and guests.

1 5-pound leg of lamb, boned and trimmed
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soft butter
1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce*
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Combine the garlic, mustard, butter, chili garlic sauce, and the rosemary. Rub the unrolled leg of lamb with the garlic mixture. Fold the leg in half and place, fat side up, on a rack set in a shallow baking pan.
Roast in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue to cook for 45 minutes. At this point, open up the leg and lay flat on the baking rack. Bake an additional 15 minutes to seal the interior meat {we allow 15 minutes per pound, total oven time, for a rare roast.}
Serves 6-8.

Note: We often pull our meat a little early and let it set 15-20 minutes before carving {it will continue to cook a bit due to residual heat}. This technique will produce a very moist, tender leg of lamb that is neither overdone on the outside nor too rare on the inside.

* Chili garlic sauce can be found on the specialty aisle in some grocery stores or in an oriental market.

BARBECUED LAMB CHOPS

A green salad, simple potato, and a bottle of good pinot noir, and you have dinner!

8-10 lamb chops, trimmed of ant fat
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the trimmed lamb chops in a non-corrosive baking dish. Combine the red wine, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and salt. Pour over the lamb chops. Marinate 2-4 hours, turning the chops occasionally.
Prepare the barbecue. When the coals are ready, remove the lamb chops from the marinade and place on the barbecue grill. Cook 4 minutes per side for rare. While cooking, baste with remaining marinade.
Serves 4.

HOLIDAY LAMB..

Cheryl Bennett works to win over a nation of lamb-skeptics! As sales and operations manager of  Lava Lake Lamb near Sun Valley, Idaho, she shepherds all online sales athttp://www.lavalakelamb.com. And it's not unusual to see her-cowboy boots and all- visiting chefs on their turf extolling the delicious other red meat. What makes  Lava Lake Lamb unique is its broader mission of environmental stewardship. Since 1999,  Lava Lake Ranch has preserved and restored thousands of acres of wild landscape and its workings to protect natural predators like wolves with nonlethal deterrent techniques. That philosophy immediately appealed to Bennett, who was looking for a change in her life when she joined  Lava Lake four years ago. On Lava Lake's organic range, a handful of shepherds and their faithful canine companions watch over the 6,000 free-range sheep that graze on 60,000 acres of natural grasses. These lambs are never inoculated with antibiotics or growth hormones and, unlike their industrially raised cousins, never step hoof on a feedlot. Their grass-fed diet creates a lean meat with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Being so close to the ranch's day-to-day life and enjoying leg of lamb and lamb burgers is a vital component to the Bennett family's food philosophy. "It's very important to know where and how your food is raised," says the health conscious mother of two. "I see the choice to eat all-natural and organic foods, like our lamb, will serve my kids health in their future."

2 pounds of lamb eaten per person IN AMERICA.   40 pounds of lamb eaten per person IN FRANCE & NEW ZEALAND.

Pomegranate Roasted Leg of Lamb..

Pomegranate juice has three times the heart healthy polyphenol content found in green tea and red wine.

1/2 cup pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely grated onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 {4- to 4 1/2-pound} boneless leg of lamb, rolled and tied
Pomegranate seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together all ingredients {except lamb and pomegranate seeds} in a small bowl. Place lamb on roasting rack in roasting pan. Roast 80 to 90 minutes {20 minutes per pound}, basting with pomegranate mixture every 15 minutes, until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees for medium-rare, 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well done. Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let stand 10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise approximately 10 degrees. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve with pan juices.
Serves: 10 to 12

Per Serving:

200 calories; 8 grams fat; 85 milligrams cholesterol; 27 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams fiber; 300 milligrams sodium.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Kiwi Mango Relish..

RELISH:
2 cups diced mango
1/2 cup diced kiwi
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

CHOPS:
12  rib or loin lamb chops, each 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
1 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

1. To prepare relish, combine all ingredients. Stir gently. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours. Let relish come to room temperature before serving.
Makes: 2 1/2 cups.
2. To prepare chops, prepare grill. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Cook chops over medium-hot fire 6 to 8 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness. Season with more pepper just before serving. Serve with relish.
Serves: 6

Per Serving:

250 calories; 9 grams fat; 85 milligrams cholesterol; 28 grams protein; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 470 milligrams sodium.

Curried Lamb Hand Pies

Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes, plus chilling time for the filling and pies
Servings: 12
NOTE: The lamb can be replaced with lean ground beef if preferred.
4 tablespoons oil, divided
1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 pound lamb
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 large boiling potato, cut into 1/4-inch dice {peeled or unpeeled}
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup beef or vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Prepared pie dough for 2 single crust {9-to10-inch} pies, 36 to 40 ounces
2 beaten eggs
1. In a large saute pan heated over medium-high heat until hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften. stir in the curry powder, cumin and coriander and cook until the spices are aromatic and begin to toast, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, stirring to combine.
2. Stir in the ground lamb, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the lamb is lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Taste the lamb and adjust the seasoning if desired. Add the wine and cook, scraping any flavorings from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and spoon the meat into a bowl.
3. In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add potato and cook, stirring frequently, until it just begins to brown. Stir in the carrot and broth. Cover the pan and steam the potatoes and carrots just until they are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. {Check while stirring to make sure the potato does not stick to bottom of the pan.} Uncover the pan and add the peas, then the meat mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in the cilantro. Taste again and adjust the seasoning and spices if desired.
4. Remove from heat and spread the filling onto a sheet pan, then refrigerate it until the filling is chilled. This makes about 5 cups filling, more than is needed for 12 pies; the filling can be warmed and eaten, added to a soup, stew or other dishes as desired. The filling will keep for up to 4 days; covered and refrigerated.
5. Divide the prepared pie dough into 12 even pieces, about 3 ounces each, and shape each into a small disk. On a lightly floured board, carefully roll each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter and about one-eighth-inch thick. The dough will be flaky and will probably crack on the edges; without working the dough too much, gently mold the dough with your hands as it's rolled to form as perfect a circle as possible. Carefully set the circle aside and continue rolling until all of the circles are formed.
6. Assemble the hand pies: Brush the inside of each circle with a very light coating of beaten egg, brushing all the way to the edge of the circle. Place roughly one-fourth cup of the lamb filling in the center, slightly off to one side {to make it easier to fold over the dough to form the hand pie.}, but leaving a 1-inch border around the edge on one side. Carefully-this can be tricky-fold over half of the dough, lining the edges up to form a half-circle; you may need to support the dough as it's folded over to keep it from cracking. Gently press the edges down to seal the pie. Trim the edges to clean them up, or gently brush the top of the edge of each pie, then fold the edge again for a cleaner-looking side. Continue until all 12 pies are formed.
7. Place the prepared pies on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate them, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.
8. Remove the chilled pies and brush them with the egg wash. Use a small knife to slash 2 to 3 small steam vents in the top of each pie.
9. Bake the pies, 1 sheet at a time {refrigerate the other sheet until ready to bake}, on the center rack until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pies halfway through baking for even coloring. Cool on a rack. The pies can be served warm or at room temperature.
Each hand pie:
496 calories
11 grams protien
42 grams carbohydrates
2 grams fiber
31 grams fat
14 grams saturated fat
87 mg cholesteral

3 grams sugar 760 mg sodium