I grew up eating lamb very often, by the time I flew from the nest at the tender age of 18, I did not like lamb. Four years later I found myself in the Bay Area and submerged myself into becoming a foodie. I remember the first time I had lamb again, it was roasted with loads of garlic and rosemary, that taste still lingers in my mind. We are pretty much meat eaters around here and will eat just about anything; I more so then Lenny.
I love it all – vension, elk, wild birds, veal, beef, pork, etc… no discrimation in our home. A couple weeks ago I made these really incredible Lamb Shanks. It was a Moroccan recipe, which even used homemade Merguez and lots of chick peas. Slowly cooking the lamb shanks created this fantastic broth, which I saved for another time (along with the bones from the shanks), I just knew that the broth would make another equally fantastic dish. Friday night (as I knew I would not have time today) I braised some Sonoma Lamb stew meat and then added a chopped up onion, garlic, an extra heavy dose of left of Merguez seasoning, the left over broth and bones and proceeded to slowly cook it for a few hours. I left it in the fridge to marriage over night and by the time we got home today, heated it up, added some precooked Rancho Gordo Chickpeas, the mission was accomplished….. ultra moist and juicy lamb. I told Lenny at the end of the meal, that I really enjoy Lamb and we would be eating more of it. I love the silky texture of the meat and the slightly gamey but sweet taste and add some Merguez and you have a very exotic taste rolling off your palate into your stomach. The flavor penetrated your tastebuds. I served the dish with a watercress salad with persimmons and toasted pumpkin seeds (seeds saved from this dish) and a vanilla fig balsamic dressing and Israeli couscous.
For dessert we had an ultra creamy & slightly sweet rice pudding, which was the perfect ending to a spicy meal.
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