On The Lamb

Recipes for every occasion, from family dinners to summer soirées.

Whether served on your table as a celebratory holiday staple or traditional comfort food, lamb is a meat so steeped in flavor that it shines on its own and often requires little dressing. Versatile, it carries the spices of almost any cuisine well, including Mediterranean, South American, Middle Eastern, and Western European. It’s just as appropriate for an intimate dinner date for two as for a robust family feast. Gamey and tender, lamb can the centerpiece dish for any occasion.

John Ferguson, until recently the executive chef at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, provided these four late-spring lamb preparations. If you prefer to spend your time outside the kitchen, you can enjoy similar dishes at one of the property’s seven dining establishments, which serve Virginia-raised lamb from Meadow’s Pride Farm in Monterey.

lamb lollipop

Charcoal grilled rack of lamb chops topped with pesto and rosemary and sauteed Brussel sprouts with bacon and onion p

Lamb lollipops.

Lamb Lollipops with Aleppo and Kataifi

• 1 rack of lamb, Frenched
• kosher salt
• 2 ½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• Optional garnish:
• 50 strands kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), room temperature
• 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the lamb rack into chops of equal thickness. Season the chops on both sides with kosher salt. In a very hot skillet, add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, and quickly sear the chops to caramelize the meat; be careful not to cook it too much. Remove the chops to a pan with a glazing rack. Optional garnish: Carefully separate the strands of kataifi. Gently toss it with the remaining olive oil and Aleppo pepper. Shape about five strands into a circle that will fit nicely on top of each lamb chop; repeat for each chop. Bake the chops in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until desired doneness; the kataifi should be evenly toasted as well. After removing the chops from the oven, let them rest at room temperature for at least 4 minutes. Note: Pairs well with green olive tapenade.

Makes 8 pieces

Look for kataifi in the frozen baking supply section of a specialty grocery store.

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Chimichurri Marinade

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Chimichurri Marinade

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Chimichurri Marinade

• 4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 ounces Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1-2 fresh jalapeños, chopped (Remove the seeds if you prefer less spice.)
• kosher salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 lamb shoulder, about 4 to 4 ½ pounds

Combine first six ingredients, plus salt and pepper to taste, in a blender until smooth. Liberally season the lamb with salt and pepper. With the tip of a small paring knife, make many shallow (¼-inch deep) stabs all over the lamb shoulder. Then, rub the chimichurri marinade all over the meat, gently massaging the marinade into all of the knife cuts. Let the lamb marinate for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight; rotate the shoulder in the dish every couple of hours so that it marinates evenly.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Bake the lamb shoulder on a tray with a rack; rotate the tray every hour, but otherwise keep the oven door tightly shut during baking. The lamb is finished cooking when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat is 170 degrees, about 6 hours. Note: Pairs well with grilled naan bread, turmeric basmati rice, tzatziki sauce, and jalapeño-mint chutney.

Serves 8

lamb burger

Lamb burger

Lamb Burger with Curry Onions and Rosemary Feta Spread

• 28 ounces ground lamb, 80/20
• kosher salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, julienne sliced
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Vadouvan curry powder (optional)
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 4 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 4 brioche buns, toasted with butter

Season the ground lamb with salt and pepper to taste and form four 7-ounce patties. Cook the patties in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat until medium or preferred temperature. In a sauté pan

over medium heat, cook the onions in

1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the curry powder (if using) and a little salt until soft but not mushy, about 4 minutes. Combine cheeses, remaining olive oil, vinegar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. To serve, place one patty on each bun and top with onions and rosemary feta spread.

Serves 4

Lamb Agnolottini

Lamb Agnolottini

Lamb Trio: Roasted Loin with Garlic, Braised Belly, and Buttered Agnolottini

For the roasted lamb strip loin:

• 1 boneless lamb strip loin
• kosher salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Season the lamb loin very well with salt and pepper, then place in a sous vide bag or plastic freezer bag with 1 clove of garlic, 1 sprig of thyme, and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook in an immersion circulator or pot of water at 110 degrees for 2 hours. Remove from the bag and pat dry; discard the garlic and thyme. Preheat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium high heat, then add the olive oil and lamb loin. After about 30 seconds, gently turn the loin over to sear the other side. Add the remaining garlic, thyme, and butter. As the butter foams, carefully tip the pan toward the handle and, with a large spoon, gently baste the lamb loin with the seasoned butter. After about 30 seconds, the lamb should be evenly caramelized. Remove it from the pan and let it rest on a rack over a tray for at least 4 minutes before slicing. 

For the braised lamb belly:

• 1 lamb belly, removed from ribs on lamb rack
• kosher salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ yellow onion, large dice
• ½ very ripe tomato, large dice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 quart lamb stock
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 small sprig fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the lamb belly liberally with salt and pepper. Preheat a heavy-bottomed braising pan over medium high heat, then add the olive oil and begin to sear the belly, fat side up. As the belly attains a deep and even sear, carefully flip it over and sear the other side. Remove the belly and almost all of the fat from the pan. In the remaining fat, add the onions and cook for about 1 minute, until they begin to turn color. Add the tomato, then the thyme and rosemary. Continue to cook until almost no moisture remains, then add the white wine. Cook until wine has reduced by three-quarters. Return the belly to the pan and add the stock, ensuring that the belly is well covered. Bring to a simmer, then cover with parchment paper and tightly secured aluminum foil. Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes, until lamb is fully cooked and fork-tender. Remove from the oven and let cool in the braising liquid. Once the lamb is close to room temperature, place in the refrigerator until cold. Remove the top half of the belly, which is mostly fat. Cut the remaining meat into 1 ½-by-1 ½-inch squares; reserve scraps. Place the squares in a small, shallow baking dish. Heat the braising liquid, strain the herbs and vegetables from it, and then quickly reduce it by two-thirds until it is a sauce consistency. Spoon 1 teaspoon of sauce over each piece of belly and heat in the oven for 5 minutes until hot. Reserve remaining braising liquid.

For the lamb agnolottini:

• 2 teaspoons butter
• ¼ teaspoon carrot, finely diced
• ¼ teaspoon yellow onion, finely diced
• ½ sprig fresh thyme, chopped
• 3 ounces braised lamb belly scraps, small dice (see above)
• 4 ounces lamb braising liquid sauce (see above)
• 1 tablespoons ricotta cheese, strained
• 1 teaspoons pecorino cheese, finely grated
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 ounces pasta dough (premade or purchased)
• 1 egg 
• 1 tablespoon water

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, heat the butter, then sweat the carrots and onion. When they are soft, add the thyme, lamb, and sauce. When all is warm, remove from the heat and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Add the ricotta, pecorino, and egg yolk, and gently mix to combine. Transfer the pasta filling to a piping bag. Cut the tip of the bag to create a ½-inch opening. With a pasta machine, roll the pasta dough to about 3/16-inch thick (settings will vary based on machine). Combine the egg and water to create an egg wash, and lightly brush the pasta dough. With the piping bag, apply a steady bead of filling 1 inch from the long edge of the pasta. Roll the edge of the pasta around the filling and then another half roll; gently press the filling to keep it in place. With a chopstick held horizontally, press firmly to indent the filled roll into 1 ½-inch-wide sections. With a fluted rolling pasta cutter, carefully trim the pasta sheet ¼ inch above the filling, then separate the agnolottini by cutting in the middle of the pressed area between them. Repeat the process until you run out of dough and filling. Keep pasta in the refrigerator, on tightly covered parchment paper, until ready to cook, but do not store for more than one day. Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes, until dough is cooked and filling is hot. Remove from water and immediately add 1 tablespoon of butter. To serve, arrange portions of roast, belly, and pasta on two plates. Note: Pairs well with buttery whipped potatoes and fresh baby vegetables.

Serves 2

Tip: Chef Ferguson prefers local garlic, which Jon Donaldson also grows at Meadow’s Pride Farm (see below).