7 ground lamb recipes

Hand-rolled Greek stuffed grape leaves filled with seasoned beef or lamb, rice, currants, pine nuts, and mint. Simmered until tender and served with a classic avgolemono egg-lemon sauce. Makes 60.

Kazakh rice combines ground lamb, slivered almonds, and dried apricots, dates, and prunes with garlic and onion in one pilaf-style pot. A Central Asian sweet-savory main or side.

Armenian style zucchini hollows out fresh zucchini and stuffs them with ground lamb, rice, onion, and stewed tomatoes. A classic dolma-style stuffed vegetable dish simmered low and slow.

Sheftalia are traditional Cypriot barbequed sausages: ground pork and veal seasoned with onion and parsley, wrapped in caul fat, and grilled over charcoal until the caul melts into the meat.

Crispy phyllo triangles stuffed with spiced lamb, raisins, pine nuts, and warm cinnamon-cumin-allspice. A Middle Eastern-inspired appetizer that bakes lighter than fried, perfect for parties.

Glazed roast leg of lamb with a honey-vinegar glaze and a tangy rhubarb salsa spiked with jalapeno, cardamom, and raisins. A spring roast with a uniquely tart, spiced fruit condiment.

Persian lamb soup simmered with dried fruits (prunes, apricots, peaches), turmeric-browned onions, and a sweet-sour balance of brown sugar and citrus for comforting depth.