The Rural Voice, 1981-05, Page 35THE RURAL FAMILY
Spring lamb
A delicacy that's fine for everyday meals
Spring lamb is sometimes consider-
ed a delicacy, but there are many
everyday recipes in which it could be
used. This month Rural Voice asked area
home economists for some of those
recipes. Grey County home economist
Denise Edwards and Perth County home
economist Nancy Ross provided some of
the following recipes. Denise Edwards.
provided some of the following
information about lamb.
Lamb is an excellent source of high
quality protein and supplies minerals and
B vitamins as do other meats. For many
years, it was a seasonal meat, but now it
is available year round, due to improved
storage facilities and breeding practices.
Ontario Lamb has a delicate, delicious
flavour and its freshness helps to ensure
its goodness.
What do you look for when buying
Iamb? Meat from young Iambs should be
fine textured. firm and lean. It is pink in
color and the cross-sections of bones are
red. moist and porous. The external fat
should be firm and creamy white and not
too thick. In the older lamb, the meat is
light red and the fat is apt to be thicker.
beige in color and the bones look drier
and less red thin in younger lambs.
Avoid buying Iamb when the meat is dark
red, the fat yellow and the bones white.
Because it is meat from young
animals, lamb is usually tender. Comple-
ment the delicate flavour of lamb with
herbs and spices such as marjoram,
rosemary, thyme. mint. ginger, garlic,
oregano or curry powder. Sprinkle them
on the meat before cooking or add to the
gravy or sauce.
Store Iamb in the refrigerator no longer
than 3 days for chops and roasts, 2 days
for ground lamb and 1 day for organ
meats. You can store frozen lamb up to 8
months for roasts, 5 months for chops and
3 months for ground meat and organ
meats.
HARVEST CASSEROLE
6 '/s" lamb shoulder chops
2 tbsp. fat
8 oz. jar commercial red currant jelly
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
3 carrots, in' 2" fingers
2 onions, sliced
3 pears, quartered lengthwise
2 tsp. cornstarch
Snip f' t edge of chops and brown in fat.
Remo...: chops and fat from pan. Melt
jelly. add lemon juice and water. Cook
carrots in jelly mixture 7 minutes, onion
rings 1 minute. Place chops. vegetables
and pears in baking dish. Thicken jelly
with cornstarch and pour sauce over
them. Cover and bak'e 30 minutes at
325°F. 6 servings.
APPLE LAMB CURRY
2 to 21/2 Ib. boneless stewing Ontario
lamb, cubed
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped onion
21/2 cups diced apple
1 banana, peeled and sliced
'/: cup dark seedless raisins
1 to 2 Tbsp. curry powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
2 beef bouillon cubes, dissolved in 1'/2
cups boiling water
1/4 cup flour
' cup cold water
Saute onions in hot oil until golden (about
3 minutes). stirring frequently. Add lamb
cubes. Brown on all sides. about 10
minutes. Add apple, banana, raisins,
curry powder, garlic, ginger, salt and
pepper; saute 3 to 5 minutes. Add
bouillon cubes dissolved in water. Cover
with a tight -fitting lid and simmer 45 to
50 minutes or until lamb is tender.
Dissolve flour in cold water; add to curry
mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat and
simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
Makes 6 servings.
SWEET 'N SOUR LAMB
2 Ib. boneless stewing Ontario Iamb,
cubed
1 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
'/s tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
V3 cup vinegar
1 cup pineapple jpice (reserved from
pineapple chunks)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
'// cup chopped onion
THE RURAL VOICE/MAY 1981 PG. 33.