[Sca-cooks] lamb recipes?

[Barbara Benson]

Greetings,

Sticking with the German rutt that I seem to be in, here is a Lamb
Meatball in Almond Sauce recipe. It stretches the lamb, not as much as
a stew would - but it does stretch it. And somehow, when I made this
for a feast it became the Magical Meatballs being that I portioned out
the meatballs and ended up with more meatballs by weight than the
weight of the constituent components. Magic!!

For the feast (for 100) I had a meatball making party at my house and
it did not take long at all. I laid them out (raw) on sheet pans
(lined with Pam-ed Al Foil) and put them in my deep freeze. Once they
were frozen solid I transferred them to large zip top bags. I thawed
them out laid flat in their bags (each on their own tray with glasses
to seperate the trays - stacked in towers in the fridge, I would think
it would work in a cooler also) overnight and then some.

The sauce was prepared seperately on the stove and then the meatballs
par-boiled on a propane tank Turkey Fryer thingie. They were
transferred to two Turkey Roasters and then covered with the sauce.
Cooked for an extended time and basted frequently. There were no
leftovers.

Lamb Knödel
Ein New Kochbuch. Marx Rumpolt. 1581, Transcribed and translated by
Barbara Benson.

17. Lemmern Knödel macht man/ wie vorhin vnterricht geschehen vö
Kalbfleisch zu machen. Man kan sie auch zum eindämpffen abbreunen auff
einem Roßt/ mit einem gescharb/ oder in einem Pfeffer/ sie seing auf
allerley mainier gut.
Lamb meatball you will make/ as earlier instructed (chapter? Recipie?)
from Vealmeat you make. One can also steam them brown on a Rack/ with
a sauce/ or in a pepper sauce/ they are in all manners good.

43. Knödel vom Kalbfleisch zu machen/ Nim dz Kalbfleisch/ vn schneide
klein/ vnd hacks durcheinander mit einem Rindtfeißt/ wie vorhin
vermeldt ist/ vn wend u dz Fleisch klein gehact hast/ so nim mehr
dazu/ auch ein geweichten Wect/ Peffer unnd Saffran/ thu auch brey
oder vier Eyer darunter/ vun hack es durcheinander/ vn versalkl es
nicht/ Und wenn due s klein gehackt hast/ so schneidt Mandelen darein/
die klein geschnitten/ auch saubere klein Rosein/ vnd ein wenig
Zucker/ daß es ein wenig süß wirdt/ thy es alles durcheinander/ vnd
rür es mit saubern Ha:nden/ vnd wenn due s wol gerürt hast/ so mach
Knödel darauß/ rundt vnnd lenglicht/ wirff sie in ein gesotten Wasser/
laß es an die statt sieden/ thu es herauß auff ein saubers Bret/ und
nim geschnittene Mandeln/ auch klein Rosein/ Wein/ ein wenig Essig vnd
Zucker/ brenn ein wenig Mehl darein/ laß es miteinander sieden/ nim
Pfeffer vnd Saffran darzu/ vnd laß es auch dermit sieden/ so wirst
haben ein guts Mandelgescharb/ Vnd wenn du hast auffsieden lassen/ so
thu die Knödel darein and sek es auff heisse Eschen/ so bleibts warm/
biß daß due s anrichtest/ Wiltu aber haben solche Knödel/ wie du die
hast gemacht/ so leg es auff ein Roßt/ vnd breuns ab/ vnnd mach darzu
ein gutern Pfeffer mit einem Hennenschweiß/ wie es vorhin gemeldt ist/
wie man Pfeffer mache sol/ es fey süß oder saur/ seined auff beyde
manier gut. Mach auch solche Knödel/ wie du die hast gemacht/ die
abgebreunt seyn. Du magsts auch einda:mpffen mit Wacholderbeern/ oder
Pettersilgen Wurkel/ vn machs nicht saur/ sondern mit einer
Rindfleischbrüh/ vnd magst es dermit eindämpffen/ so wirt es gut vnd
woldeschmack.

Meatball made from Veal Meat/ Take Vealmeat/ and cut it small/ and
hack it altogether with Beef Fat/ as earlier stated/ and when the
flesh has been small hacked/ so take more therto/ and a grated Loaf/
Pepper and Saffron/ put also three or four Eggs therunder/ and mix it
altogether/ and oversalt it not/ And when you have hacked it well
small./ so cut Almonds therein/ the small chopped/ also clean small
Raisins/ and a little Sugar/ that will make it a little sweet/ mix it
all together/ and knead it with clean Hands/ and when you have well
kneaded/ so make meatballs thereof/ round and long/ throw them in
boiling water/ and let it there simmer/ put them out of it and onto a
clean board/ And take chopped Almonds/ also small raisins/ wine/ a
little vinegar and sugar/ brown a little Flour therein/ let it
altogether simmer/ take Pepper and Saffron thereto/ and let it also
seethe there/ so you will have a good Almond sauce/ And when you have
let them simmer/ so put the meatballs therein and set them on the hot
Ashes/ so it will stay warm/ until you will serve it/ If you want to
have another such meatball/ as you have made/ so lay it on a Rack/ and
brown it off/ and make thereto a good Pepper with some Chicken Fat/
that has been melted before/ as one (who) makes Pepper should/ be it
sweet or sour/ it is in both manners good. Make also such meatballs/
that you would have made/ the browned kind. You make also boiled with
Juniper berries/ or Parsley Roots/ and do not make it sour/ so they
are with Beef Broth/ and make it with steam/ so it will be good and
well tasting.
		
For the Sauce
1 C Ground Almonds
2 T Pureed Raisins
1/2 C Red Wine (additional 1/3 C needed)
1 1/2 t Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T Sugar
1 T Flour
1 T Olive Oil
1 t Salt
20 threads Saffron
1/2 + 1/8 t Black Pepper
1 C Water (additional 2/3 C needed)

Add olive oil to a sauce pan and heat. Add flour and whisk until it
reaches a light caramel brown. Add almonds and stir well. Add raisins
and stir well. Add ½ C wine and 1 C water. Stir well. Add spices and 1
t vinegar and allow to simmer. Reserve 1/3 C of wine, ½ t vinegar and
2/3 cup of water to thin out sauce. Keep covered on a low heat,
stirring occasionally.
			
For the Meatballs
1 lb Ground Lamb
1/4 lb Chopped Beef fat
3 oz Bread Crumbs
1/4 t Black Pepper
1 pinch Saffron
3 Beaten eggs
3/4 t Salt
3 T Ground Almonds
1/4 C Chopped Raisins
Pinch Sugar

Add saffron to beaten eggs and allow them to sit while preparing the
meat mixture. Combine lamb and fat with hands and add pepper, salt,
almonds, raisins and sugar, knead well. Add eggs and combine well. Add
bread crumbs and knead one last time until well combined. Check sauce
and add the additional liquid. Put a pot of water on to boil and form
meatballs. Each meatball should be approximately 2 ½ oz raw. Form into
balls and then roll into egg shaped forms without the pointed ends.
Place on cookie sheet and hold in refrigeration until ready to boil.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place meatballs gently into boiling water
and boil covered for 15 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool
on a flat surface. Check on sauce and see that it is a fairly liquid
consistency. Place meatballs in a casserole dish and pour sauce over
them all. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. The
meatballs are tasty after 1 hour and even better after 2 hours. Check
on the meatballs during the cooking and turn them over so that the
tops do not dry out, spooning the sauce back over them is good too.
After cooking remove meatballs to a serving dish and you can add some
water to the sauce to loosen it back up. Bring it up to heat and pour
it over the meatballs just before serving.

I hope that this is useful.

Glad Tidings,
Serena da Riva

On 4/20/06, Anne-Marie Rousseau <dailleurs at liripipe.com> wrote:
> Hi all from Anne-Marie
>
> I just received 18 lbs of homegrown lamb stew meat, and am looking for
> some inspiration...

> What would you guys do with all this bounty?