Best Roast Lamb With Avgolemono Sauce Recipes

LAMB FRICASSEE: GREEK STYLE LAMB & GREENS IN AVGOLEMONO SAUCE

Steps:

• A traditional Greek dish made with lamb and greens in a refreshing lemon sauce.
• Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a pot and brown the meat in a few batches all around. About 5-8 minutes. Do this in batches as to avoid overcrowding the pot. Overcrowding the pot will prevent the meat from browning.
• Note: the meat can also be browned in the oven by placing it in a baking pan, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast at 500 °F, 260 °C for about 10 minutes.
• Add the sliced scallions to the pot with the meat and cook over high heat for 3-5 minutes or until the scallions soften a bit.
• Cover the meat with water and bring to a boil.
• Cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to a medium low. Cook for approximately 1 and ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Stir often and add more water if needed.
• Wash, dry, and coarsely chop the greens.
• Once the meat is soft, add the chopped greens to the pot, cover with lid and cook until they are wilted.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Prepare the Avgolemono sauce by combining the egg yolks, lemon juice, and corn starch in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Temper the sauce by adding about ½ cup of hot liquid from the pot and whisking to combine.
• Pour the sauce into the pot and mix to distribute.
• Cook over medium heat 3-5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mint and dill and serve.
• Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL LAMB FRICASSéE WITH AVGOLEMONO SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim most of the visible fat from the lamb then cut the meat into 1½" - 2" chunks. Pat down the lamb to remove any excess moisture then brown it on all sides over medium-high heat in the olive oil in a large Dutch oven.
• Add the leeks, onions, and celery to the pot and sauté until the vegetables soften. Add the chicken stock to cover the mixture and season it generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 40 minutes.
• Mince the dill, reserving some for garnish. Chop the lettuce and add it to the pot, along with the dill. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or, until the lamb is fork-tender and a small amount of liquid (about a cup or so) remains in the pot. Turn off the heat.
• Prepare the egg-lemon (avgolemono) sauce. In a small bowl whisk the egg whites with the teaspoon of cold water and a little corn flour until very frothy. Whisk in the egg yolks and lemon juice (start with only one lemon if you do not like the acidity of the lemon too much). Temper the avgolemono sauce by slowly adding one ladleful of the hot liquid from the pot to the small bowl with the eggs, while whisking the whole time. Continue with a second ladleful of the hot liquid and whisk again. Now add the avgolemono to the pot and stir gently to incorporate. Shake the pot a few times to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed together.
• If you need to reheat the lamb fricassée before serving, do so very gently, making sure the stew does not come to a boil. Place on a serving platter, topped with the reserved minced dill, a drizzle of olive oil and a few wedges of lemon. Good, crusty bread is a must and a Greek salad on the side is always a good idea.

AVGOLEMONO RICE

Steps:

• Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Season lightly with salt. Rinse the rice, and pour into boiling water, stirring well to keep grains from clumping. When the water returns to a boil, lower heat a little to a gentle boil, and cook the rice "pasta-style" until just done.
• Drain the rice through a fine-mesh colander, giving it a couple of hearty shakes to remove the last of the water. Immediately spread cooked rice out on a sheet pan lined with parchment to cool quickly. Do not pat down or pack the rice - you want it fluffy and to be able to cool and dry quickly.
• Rinse the peas under cool water briefly to remove any frosty crystals.
• Bring the lamb stock to a simmer.
• In a stainless bowl, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together until fully incorporated.In a slow steady stream, while constantly whisking, add half the hot lamb stock into the yolks. Then whisk the egg-lemon mixture back into the remaining stock.
• Return the pot to the stove, and simmer (still whisking constantly so as not to cook the egg too fast and too hard), until the avgolemono sauce is full-bodied, approximately the consistency of buttermilk - a minute or 90 seconds more.
• Stir in the scallions, then the peas, and when they both turn bright green, turn off the heat, and stir in the rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The rice should be as soupy as risi e bisi and as creamy as risotto.

HERB-ROASTED LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven so the lamb will sit in the middle of the oven.
• Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and butter. Process until the garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Thoroughly coat the top and sides of the lamb with the rosemary mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Toss the potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and roast for another 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare. Place the lamb on a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.

OSSO BUCO OF LAMB SHANKS WITH ZUCCHINI AND AVGOLEMONO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• In a heavy casserole large enough to hold lamb shanks in one layer without crowding arrange shanks and season with salt and pepper. Roast shanks in middle of oven, covered tightly, 3 hours, or until tender. (Meat will give off juices as it cooks.) Pour off pan juices, reserving about 1 cup, and skim fat. Keep shanks warm, covered.
• In a small saucepan combine broth, reserved pan juices, water, and one-third zucchini and simmer 5 minutes, or until zucchini is tender but still bright green. In a blender purée broth mixture until smooth.
• In a bowl whisk together egg and lemon juice and whisk in puréed; broth mixture. Return mixture to pan and heat over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until 170°F. on a candy thermometer and thickened slightly (do not boil). Season avgolemono with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté remaining zucchini until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in dill and salt and pepper to taste.
• Arrange shanks on a deep platter and scatter with zucchini. Drizzle shanks with some avgolemono and serve remaining sauce separately. Serve shanks with orzo>/I>.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH AVGOLEMONO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the Lamb:.
• Remove all but 1/4 inch of fat from surface of lamb.
• Combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large non-metal pan large enough to accommodate the meat spread flat.( I like to use a large zip-lock bag).
• Put the lamb in the marinade, turn over once, cover with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil, and refrigerate at least 24 hours before cooking, turning occasionally.
• Remove from the refrigerator and let lamb come to room temperature before broiling.
• Preheat broiler 15 to 20 minutes, with broiler rack in place, about 4 inches below the source of heat.
• Remove lamb from marinade, drain and place on hot broiler rack, fat side down.
• Broil 15 minutes, turn and broil 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium-rare lamb.
• Test with a knife in the thickest part, and if not done sufficiently, broil for a few minutes longer.
• The lamb should be charred in places; however, watch carefully so it does not catch on fire.
• To serve, carve across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices, and arrange overlapping on a hot serving platter.
• Spoon a little warm avgolemono sauce over middle of sliced lamb and pass the remainder.
• For the Avgolemono Sauce:.
• In a 1 quart heavy saucepan, dissolve the cornstarch in the lemon juice.
• Add the egg yolks, salt, cayenne, and dried mint leaves; stir with a whisk to blend, then stir in chicken broth.
• Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken and coats a spoon( it should not approach a boil).
• Remove from heat and use immediately or keep warm over hot, but not boiling, water until ready to serve.
• To prepare in advance, complete sauce, cool, and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat slowly until warm (do not let boil).