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Springtime Is Ripe For Loving Lamb!

Susannah Chen — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:33:00 PDT

Artichokes, asparagus, peas, and rhubarb aren't the only products of nature that taste best between April and June - so do certain cheeses and meats, which are at their palate-pleasing pinnacle, too. Perhaps the most notable of these is lamb, not only for its symbolism during Easter, but also because the birth of lambs coincides with the first grass growth of Spring.

Enjoy the tender meat's unusual barnyard notes with a few of our top-choice recipe ideas below - like pistachio-pesto lamb lollipops to a classic French navarin.

Moussaka	Pesto Lamb Lollipops	Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Cardamom Lamb Chops	Navarin of Lamb	Roasted Leg of Lamb

The Star of the Easter Feast: Rosemary-Roasted Leg of Lamb

Camilla Salem — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:42:14 PDT

It wasn't until recently that I started to feel comfortable cooking large roasts. In particular, I'd always been intimidated by roasting legs of lamb, until I learned that with high-quality meat, minimal preparation is all you need for a result that's truly impressive.

Any roast requires significant cooking time, so this may not technically be a fast recipe, but it most certainly is an easy one. I prepped my massive leg of lamb in just five minutes. Garlic cloves buried into the meat, a bed of rosemary, salt, and pepper, and a bit of red wine in the pan, and things were good to go.

Timing and internal temperature are everything when it comes to this type of cooking. There is the "slow and steady" school of thought, which recommends low temperatures and long cooking times, but frankly, I just don't have patience for that most of the time. I start my roasts at a high temperature for about 25 minutes or so and then lower the temperature to finish the cooking process. One huge factor in cooking time is whether or not your leg of lamb has a bone. A bone-in roast will take more time, and you're looking for a slightly higher temperature on your meat thermometer to determine if it's done. Those factors aside, it makes a more impressive table presentation.

For the recipe, keep reading.

Get Ready For the Hunger Games Release With Katniss's Favorite Lamb Stew

Camilla Salem — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:15:46 PDT

Are you as excited as we are for the release of The Hunger Games in theaters this Friday? As if we needed to be any more pumped up, last week we received The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook. The trilogy does a great job of making us crave things like bread, goat cheese, and especially Katniss's favorite lamb stew. Naturally, the lamb stew with dried plums was the first thing I attempted out of the cookbook.

Although dried fruit in meaty stews is something I'm familiar with, I'm not a huge fan, and the recipe out of this book actually scared me a little bit. To be completely honest, I wasn't thrilled with the result. There are a few changes I would make if I were to prepare this stew again: When the recipe says to deglaze the pan with water, I would use red wine instead to develop the flavors of the stew more. I would also reduce the amount of dried plums used by half. The flavor was overpowering, in my opinion; I would have preferred it to be a little more toned down. I also ended up adding an extra two teaspoons of salt to the recipe because it was far too sweet for my taste buds. I didn't find the ginger ale addition necessary, so next time I would leave this out.

If you're a huge fan of Katniss (or if you just love lamb stew with dried fruit), find the original recipe when you keep reading.

Tarragon-Crusted Lamb With Goat Cheese Fondue

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:37:20 PST

OnSugar blogger Fresh Tart creates beautiful-looking food, and this tarragon-crusted lamb with goat cheese fondue continues her streak.

Spring is in the air! And on your plate!

Tarragon-Crusted Lamb with Goat Cheese Fondue at Andrew Zimmern's Kitchen Adventures/Food & Wine Magazine.

Want more? Start following Fresh Tart, then get crackin' on your own OnSugar blog. Who knows? You could wind up featured here!

Shop the Trend: Navajo-Inspired Prints

Hannah Weil — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 03:30:46 PDT

Isabel Marant, Proenza Schouler, and L.A.M.B.'s Fall collections set the tone for the rich Navajo prints we're after this season - they seem like the perfect antidote to dreary days, and perfect in front of a crackling fire. Bright, bold prints with textural intrigue bring the southwestern theme home on maxi skirts, dresses, jackets, and covetable cape knits. We've scanned the marketplace for the very best of the statement-quality prints, all you have to do is click through to shop and channel the trend for yourself.

L.A.M.B. Spring 2012 Presentation

FabSugar — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:59:33 PDT

High buns and teetering heels stole the show at L.A.M.B's Spring 2012 presentation, setting the sexy-sporty tone of the whole collection. Case in point: utilitarian jumpsuits for day and baby-doll dresses for night. Our favorite look? A fitted reptile-print suit with bold blue heels and an oversized day bag, but to see the whole collection, watch our coverage now!

L.A.M.B. Spring 2012

Brittney Stephens — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 13:33:06 PDT

For her Spring 2012 presentation, Gwen Stefani served up her usual sassiness in terms of bold prints, sexy cuts, and sky-high heels. Get a load of her utilitarian jumpsuits and paperbag shorts, tribal-chic printed blouses, and more when you click through the slideshow - and stay tuned for our full review of the collection.

Grill This! Lamb Chops With Garlic and Anchovies

Katie Sweeney — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:04:19 PDT

Adventurous eaters, if you're looking for something to grill this weekend, you've got to make these succulent lamb chops. They are absolutely amazing! With tons of garlic, mint, chiles, and anchovies, the marinade is slightly spicy and super flavorful. Don't leave out the anchovies; their briny saltiness enhances the lamb.

Although the recipe calls for overnight marinating, it's really quick and easy to make. You simply toss the ingredients into a food processor and blend. The chops cook on the grill in under 10 minutes. Serve as an appetizer or an entree alongside a salad and corn on the cob. Fans of lamb, get the wonderful recipe now.

Grilled Meats Galore!

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 01:32:19 PDT

Calling all carnivores! Have I got a treat for you: here are our best grilled meat recipes. Since the time is right for you to put some beef (or pork, or lamb) on the barbie, make the most of these dishes now. Nothing goes better with grilled meat than a glass of red wine, so don't forget to pick up a bottle while you're at the grocery store!

Tri-tip with chimichurri	Pork and mango skewers	Leg of lamb with rosemary and mustard
Cachaça-marinated hanger steak	Pork tenderloin with red pepper sauce	Lamb chops with blackberry relish

Must Make: Spike's Spectacular Lamb Burger

Katie Sweeney — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:04:43 PDT

When it comes to burgers, there are certain chefs that you can count on for awesome recipes. Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray are old standbys while Spike Mendelsohn is a relative newcomer to take the burger world by storm. I've got a copy of the former Top Cheftestant's cookbook, and it's amazing! It's filled with creative condiments, scrumptious shakes, and most importantly, unbelievable burgers.

Take his lamb burger, for example. The ground lamb is infused with fresh herbs and chopped onion. Once cooked, the succulent patty is topped with whipped feta and a thick yogurt sauce. The messy but exquisite burger is unlike any other I've tasted. It's hearty, juicy, salty, and creamy. You've got to try it out: check out Spike's recipe now.