Turkish style lamb

Name: Turkish style lamb - Andrada K.
Ingredients: a lamb shoulder (Suffolk breed); 2kg 10 new potatoes 1 carrot 100 ml olive oil 200 gr aged sheep cheese 1 lemon; juice 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 6 cloves of garlic 1 bunch of green garlic 1 bunch of fresh parsley for garnish

Meat - Turkish style lamb by Andrada K. - Recipia

The Turkish-style lamb is prepared simply, without many ingredients and complicated techniques. The rib is marinated for a few hours in a mixture of olive oil, lemon, garlic, and spices, then roasted together with potatoes, carrots, and sheep cheese. The meat remains covered during the first part of the cooking, and at the end, it is browned. This recipe is especially suitable for Easter dinner or for a family meal where you want to cook the lamb in one pot. The recipe is inspired by the cuisine of southeastern Turkey and was featured in an older magazine, Click! Enjoy your meal, as recommended by Chef Salih from the Divan restaurant in Bucharest. I have kept the method exactly in its simple form, including the combination of sheep cheese, new potatoes, and green garlic. Quick Info Total time: a few hours to a day for marinating, plus 2 hours for roasting Preparation time: the exact time for cleaning and preparing the ingredients is not specified; most of the time is reserved for marinating Cooking time: 90 minutes covered, then an additional 30 minutes for browning Servings: the exact number is not specified; it depends on the portion sizes and how much meat is served Difficulty: easy Recipe type: lamb dish, suitable for Easter dinner Ingredients 1 lamb rib, approximately 2 kg, preferably from the Suffolk breed 10 new potatoes 1 carrot 100 ml olive oil 200 g aged sheep cheese Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 6 garlic cloves 1 bunch of green garlic 1 bunch of fresh parsley Salt Preparation Method 1. Marinate the lamb rib Wash the lamb rib and let it drain. Peel the 6 garlic cloves and prepare the marinade mixture from olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, oregano, sweet paprika, and salt. Rub the meat well on all sides with this mixture. Place the rib to marinate for a few hours. If you have time, leave it until the next day. Longer marination is the recommended option in the recipe. 2. Prepare the vegetables Peel the carrot and slice it. Wash the new potatoes thoroughly, then slice them and sprinkle with salt. The potatoes do not necessarily need to be peeled, but they should be washed carefully before use. Crumble the aged sheep cheese. There is no need to turn it into a paste; the crumbled pieces are placed over the meat and vegetables. 3. Arrange the ingredients in the tray Line the tray with baking paper. Place the lamb rib in the tray, then add the carrot slices and new potatoes. Sprinkle the crumbled sheep cheese on top. Drizzle everything with a little olive oil and add the finely chopped green garlic. 4. Wrap the tray Cover the dish with baking paper and try to wrap it as tightly as possible. In the original recipe, the tray is meant to be sealed tightly in paper. If the paper does not close well enough, wrap the tray additionally in aluminum foil. It is important to unwrap the package carefully after the first cooking stage, as hot air accumulates inside. 5. Roast the lamb Place the tray in the oven and let the lamb roast for 90 minutes, keeping the tray covered. After this time, carefully open the package, remove the paper and foil, and leave the tray in the oven for another 30 minutes, so the lamb, potatoes, and cheese can brown. 6. Serve Finally, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top. Serve the lamb together with the potatoes, carrot, and browned cheese from the tray. Why I make this recipe often It's one of those recipes where the actual preparation doesn't take long, and the oven does most of the work. The marinade is simple, and all the ingredients are placed in the same tray. Plus, the potatoes and carrots cook together with the lamb, so there’s no need for a separate side dish. For those who don’t cook lamb often, the method is easy to follow. The meat is marinated, cooked covered, then left uncovered for browning. The sheep cheese and green garlic give the dish a more pronounced flavor without needing many spices. Tips If you choose to marinate the lamb until the next day, keep it covered and refrigerated. Before roasting, ensure the marinade is distributed over the entire surface of the meat. The wrapping should be done as tightly as possible, especially during the first cooking stage. If the baking paper does not close well, aluminum foil helps keep the package sealed. Unwrap the package carefully after 90 minutes. Steam and hot air from inside can escape suddenly. Do not skip the final 30-minute stage. This is when the dish browns after being cooked covered. The green garlic is added before roasting, while the parsley is sprinkled at the end. This way, the parsley remains fresh and provides a pleasant contrast to the dish. Substitutions If you cannot find Suffolk lamb rib, you can use another lamb rib of about 2 kg. The mention of the Suffolk breed belongs to the original recipe, where the meat is appreciated for its tenderness, flavor, and lower fat content. Aged sheep cheese is the ingredient used in the original recipe and has a more intense flavor. If you cannot find it, the source does not indicate a precise substitute, so it’s preferable to choose a crumbly sheep cheese with a well-defined taste without changing the mentioned quantity. Variations The recipe can be prepared with the same marinade for other cuts of lamb, but the cooking time may vary depending on the shape and thickness of the meat piece. For the version presented here, the lamb rib and cooking time from the original recipe are retained. If you want to follow the initial method as closely as possible, do not alter the proportions of garlic, oregano, paprika, and lemon. These are the ingredients that form the marinade and define the flavor direction of the dish. Serving Ideas Serve the lamb warm, directly from the tray, with the roasted potatoes and carrots alongside. The fresh parsley is added at the moment of serving, over the meat and vegetables. The dish does not require many additions. The crumbled cheese and green garlic are already included in the tray, and the potatoes serve as the side dish. Frequently Asked Questions How long should the lamb be marinated? The lamb should be left to marinate for a few hours. If you have time, you can leave it until the next day. The recipe does not specify an exact number of hours but recommends longer marination when possible. Is it necessary to use aluminum foil? Baking paper is specified in the original method for the airtight wrapping of the tray. If you cannot close the package well with just paper, you can wrap the tray additionally in aluminum foil, as indicated in the recipe. When is the parsley added? Fresh parsley is sprinkled at the end, after the lamb has been taken out of the oven. The green garlic is added before roasting, along with the other ingredients. Can I use regular potatoes instead of new potatoes? The original recipe uses new potatoes, washed, sliced, and salted. If you choose another type of potato, the dish will not be exactly in its original form, and the cooking time may differ. Why should the tray be opened carefully? During the covered cooking, steam and hot air accumulate inside the package. The paper and foil should be removed carefully to avoid direct contact with the steam. Nutritional Values The values are estimated, as the exact fat content of the meat is not specified, and the number of servings depends on how the lamb rib is divided. For a portion calculated by dividing the dish into 6 servings, the estimate may be: Calories: approximately 700–850 kcal Protein: approximately 50–60 g Fat: approximately 40–55 g Carbohydrates: approximately 35–45 g Fiber: approximately 4–6 g Most of the protein and fat comes from the lamb, sheep cheese, and olive oil. Carbohydrates primarily come from potatoes, and the final amount varies depending on the size of the 10 potatoes used. Storage and Reheating Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. It is recommended to consume them soon, as lamb meat and potatoes gradually lose their texture after cooling. Reheat only the amount you plan to serve. The dish can be reheated in the oven, in a covered dish, to prevent drying out. The cheese and potatoes will not have exactly the same texture as when freshly taken out of the oven, but the flavor holds up well if the lamb is reheated slowly. Tags: lamb dish, oven lamb, lamb ribs, Easter recipes, Easter dishes, recipes with new potatoes, Turkish-style preparations