Daube of Lamb With White Wine and Olives

from Wine Spectator (contributed and modified by Janis & Geno of Logan)

3 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder
Marinade (recipe below)
1 1/2 cups green olives
3/4 pound piece of lean bacon
3 medium onions (about 1 pound), thinly sliced
3 large carrots (about 1 pound), thickly sliced
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 or 5 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups water, and more if needed
Salt (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Cut the lamb into 2-inch cubes, discarding any sinew and fat. Layer it in a nonmetallic bowl with the
marinade ingredients and pour over the wine. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours, and up to a day and a half, stirring occasionally. (If you don't have the time, use the 2-hour method described below.)

Cut the bacon meat into dice (lardons). Using a fork or tongs, pull the lamb meat out of the broth.
Layer the ingredients as follows: lamb, bacon, olives, onions, carrots, tomatoes and garlic, and top with fresh pepper. Pour over the reserved marinade and add water to just cover. Top with the lid and bring to a simmer on the range top. Cook the daube until the lamb is tender enough to crush easily between your finger and thumb, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Longer is even better, adding a little water as needed (although you want a thick sauce).

When the broth is well-reduced, taste it and adjust the seasoning—salt may not be needed as the olives and bacon are already salty. If you can, keep the daube covered a day or two in the refrigerator as the flavor will mellow wonderfully.

To serve, reheat the daube, stir in the parsley, and check the seasoning once more. Serve it from the casserole along with a loaf of country bread. Serves 8.

Marinade:
Pared zest of 1 orange
Large bouquet garni (thyme sprigs, parsley sprigs and chopped celery)
1 cinnamon stick, a 2-inch piece
3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 bottle (750 ml) full-bodied white wine

Note: If pressed for time, you can marinate the meat for just an hour or two in the cooking pot: Layer the ingredients as directed. Add the seasonings, pour the wine over all. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Add enough wine or water to just cover the ingredients, and cook as directed.

Mad Moroccan Lamb (aka Lamb Tagine)

from “Cook with Jamie” by Jamie Oliver (contributed by Mary A, SLC)

For the lamb:

4.5 lb lamb shoulder
2 t cumin seeds
2 t coriander seeds
2 t fennel seeds
2 t black peppercorns
2-3 dried red chilies
2 t sea salt
Small handful of rosemary leaves

For the Chickpeas:

Olive oil
4 lg red onions, peeled and sliced
1 cinnamon stick
A bunch of fresh marjoram or thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 x 14oz cans chickpeas
1 C balsamic vinegar

For the Couscous:

2 pints veg stock
9 oz raisins, dates, sour cherries, cranberries or apricots, or a combo, roughly chopped
Olive oil
1 lb 9 oz couscous
2 lemons, halved

For serving:

1 pint plain yogurt
A big handful of fresh cilantro leaves
1 fresh red chili, deseeded and finely sliced

Preheat oven to 425F. Score the lamb in criss-crosses about 1 inch apart. Grind or smash the spices and salt to a powder. Rub this all over the meat and push some rosemary into the cuts. Put the lamb in a roasting pan and put that into the over to cook for 2 hrs.

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan and fry onions, cinnamon, and marjoram o rthyme with a pinch of salt and pepper for about 15 mins or until softened. Add the chickpeas with about 3 C water and the vinegar. Simmer on medium till nice and thick, then remove from stove.

In another pan, bring stock to boil (can use water), add dried fruit and season lightly. Simmer for about 5 mins, to plump up the fruit. Add a glug of oil and the couscous, then remove it from heat and put aside to allow couscous to soak up all the liquid. When all absorbed, pour the couscous out onto a flat tray, drizzle it with olive oil and set it aside.

After 2 hrs, the lamb is roasted, turn the heat down to 400F. Take lamb out of pan and set aside. Pour 

Off fat from pan and put it on low heat. Add a little water, scrape any sticky bits off bottom, and turn off the heat. Get a large pot or snug fitting roasting pan with 4- to 5-inch sides and rub it with a little olive oil. Sprinkle about 1 inch of couscous on the bottom, some more around the sides, then spoon your chickpeas into the middle, making sure you remove the cinnamon stick. Put your lamb on top, pour the pan juices over, and completely cover with the rest of the couscous. Put the lemon halves around the sides, rub a piece of wet wax paper with oil and drape it over the couscous. Cover with aluminum foil and then put it in oven for another hour.

Use a knife to pull some of the couscous away, and if the meat pulls away from the bone and melts in your mouth, it is done! Keep it wrapped while you spike the yogurt with juice from the roasted lemon. Bring the pan to the table, cracking open the couscous. Add dollop of yogurt and sprinkle over cilantro and chili.

Slow Cooked Christmas Lamb

(posted on a sheep producer listserve)

This is a variation of something I caught the end of on daytimeTV last week. It has all the fruitiness of a tagine, and all the warming rich gravy of an Irish stew. As it cooks so long you get the best flavour with the cheapest cuts of lamb. I made it with something from up near the neck or shoulder, that looked decidedly scraggy when it went it, but it came out better than any lamb I've ever eaten.

Best eaten on a cold night, with plain boiled potatoes to soak up the amazing sauce.

1 kg/2lb Lamb cut into chunks
Seasoned flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
100g/4oz smoked bacon, chopped
4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
275ml/10fl oz red wine
250ml/half pint beef stock
150ml/5fl oz port

12 stoned prunes
100g/2oz dried cranberries or 4oz fresh cranberries
115g/4oz mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1 orange, zest and juice
1 tbsp tomato purée

Method:
1. Toss the lamb in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole dish and brown the lamb all over.
2. Add the bacon, celery, onion, and cook while stirring for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots and the garlic and cook for a minute more.
3. Add everything else.
4. Bring slowly to simmering point then cover and cook in the oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 2 ½ hours or until the lamb is tender.
5. Remove the casserole from the oven and allow to rest for five minutes.

This can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge. Return to the oven for 1 hour at 180C/Gas 4 until hot and bubbling. Alternatively, once cooked, chill and place in a container in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Defrost thoroughly before placing in the oven for 1 hour at 180C/Gas 4.