Category: Lamb

A quick blanching in boiling water mellows the garlic slightly.

Yield:  6 servings

7 points

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dash of crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)
3 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)
6 (5-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add garlic to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Remove garlic from water; cool. Coarsely chop garlic.

2. Place garlic, 1/2 cup parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, shallots, and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper) in a food processor; process 1 minute or until almost smooth. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; pulse 2 times.

3. Preheat oven to 450°.

4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

5. Combine squash, zucchini, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl; toss well. Arrange squash and zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bake at 450° for 16 minutes or until tender, turning after 8 minutes.

6. Lightly coat lamb with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place lamb on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Divide squash and zucchini evenly among 6 plates. Top each serving with 1 lamb chop and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley puree.

CALORIES 288 ; FAT 15.5g (sat 4.4g,mono 8.4g,poly 1.5g); CHOLESTEROL 90mg; CALCIUM 47mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.8g; SODIUM 466mg; PROTEIN 30.9g; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 3.5mg

7 points

I make this as a smaller portion with lamb leg steaks in a skillet on the stovetop.  Don’t overcook!

·    2 large garlic clove(s), chopped (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)
·    1 tbsp lemon zest, freshly grated
·    2 tsp dried oregano
·    2 tsp olive oil
·    1 tsp table salt, or to taste
·    1/2 tsp black pepper
·    3 1/2 pound(s) lean leg of lamb, boneless, rolled and tied

Sauce
·    1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat plain yogurt
·    2 tbsp red onion(s), finely chopped
·    2 tbsp mint leaves, or fresh dill, chopped
·    2 tsp dried oregano
·    1 1/2 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated
·    1/2 tsp ground cumin
·    1/2 tsp table salt
·    1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a small cup, combine garlic, lemon zest, oregano, oil, salt and pepper; rub mixture all over lamb.

Place lamb in a roasting pan and roast until medium-rare and a meat thermometer inserted in center reads 140ºF, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove lamb to a cutting board; let rest 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients.

Slice lamb into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve with sauce.

Yields about 2 slices of lamb and 3 tablespoons of sauce per serving – 8 servings.

5 points

Relish:
6 firm ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Lamb:
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 garlic cloves
1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 (5-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare relish, arrange pears in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange onion slices in a single layer in another 13 x 9-inch baking dish; lightly coat onion slices with cooking spray. Bake pears and onion slices at 400° for 40 minutes or until tender, turning once. Cool; chop.

Combine 2 teaspoons rind and next 7 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon black pepper) in a large bowl; add chopped onion and pears, tossing gently to combine. Stir in nuts just before serving.
To prepare lamb, combine 1 tablespoon lemon rind and next 10 ingredients (through onion wedges) in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Roll roast, and secure at 3-inch intervals with twine. Spread the onion mixture over lamb; cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place lamb on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 300° (do not remove lamb from oven); bake an additional 1 hour or until thermometer registers 145° (medium-rare) to 160° (medium). Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve relish with lamb.

Yield:  18 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces lamb and about 3 tablespoons relish)

• CALORIES 246
• FAT 10g
• FIBER 2.6g