41 eastern lamb recipes

A delicious summer standard at our place. Easy to make with a mix of Southern European and Middle Eastern flavours. I use my Cucumber Raita (posted separately) to dress the lamb salad or you can use the quick yoghurt dressing provided here.

Herb-roasted rack of lamb crusted with rosemary, thyme, and garlic, then carved into chops and served with a glossy red wine pan sauce. An elegant Easter and holiday roast that's far simpler than it looks.

Parcha bozbash is an Azerbaijani lamb soup with chestnuts, quince, prunes, and chickpeas simmered in a rich broth and finished with ghee. Warming, fruit-kissed, and deeply aromatic.

Tender lamb and fresh okra slow-simmered in a tomato sauce with whole garlic cloves and onions, finished with a bright squeeze of lemon. This Middle Eastern bamieh stew is rich, tangy, and deeply comforting.

Persian-style mandarine rice with saffron, julienned carrots, slivered almonds, and sultanas in a citrus syrup. Soaked rice baked under a jeweled mandarin and saffron glaze.

Parcha bozbash is a Caucasian lamb soup with chestnuts, quince, prunes, and chickpeas in a rich beef broth finished with clarified butter. A hearty, aromatic stew with sweet and savory depth from traditional regional ingredients.

Magiritsa, the traditional Greek Easter soup of slow-simmered lamb and liver, rice, fresh herbs, and a silky egg-lemon avgolemono finish. Eaten after midnight mass to break the Lenten fast.

Sarimsaaqli palaaw layers tender lamb, julienned carrots, and whole heads of sweet garlic over rice steamed Central Asian style. Each guest gets their own softened garlic bulb to squeeze over the pilaf.

Timen Ajami spiced meat skillet with ground beef or lamb, allspice, Madras curry powder, rosewater, dried currants, and chopped almonds. A fragrant Middle Eastern one-pan dish ready in 45 minutes.

A showstopping Persian jeweled rice (javaher polow) layered with saffron-glazed carrots, barberries, currants, pistachios, almonds, orange peel, and rose water. Topped with a golden tah dig crust.

Hammin di Pesach is a traditional Passover lamb stew with chicken meatballs, spinach, and matzo served as a two-course meal. Braised lamb chops and tiny seasoned chicken dumplings simmer together, then split into a main dish and a matzo soup.

Kentucky-style burgoo with three meats: stewing beef, pork shoulder, and whole chicken simmered for hours with fresh corn, lima beans, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Hummus marinade thins classic chickpea, sesame and lemon hummus with olive oil and dark toasted sesame oil into a coating for chicken, lamb, fish or vegetables. Vegan, gluten-free and Middle Eastern.

Grilled lamb kofta seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, and allspice, served with a creamy tahini yogurt sauce. Spiced Middle Eastern skewered lamb kebabs ready in 30 minutes.

Turkish lamb pita burgers blend ground lamb and turkey with bulgur, toasted coriander and cumin, allspice, and cinnamon. Tucked into warm whole-wheat pitas with herbed yogurt and tomato-onion salad. Eastern Mediterranean flavors for 6.

Ukrainian meat and fish loaf with ground beef, lamb, and milk-soaked herring blended with potato and yogurt. A regional Eastern European baked loaf with goat cheese topping.