Ingredients
Suckling lamb
Other Names: Abbacchio (Italian), agneau de lait (French), baby lamb, Easter lamb, hot-house (or house) lamb, lechazo (Spanish), milk-fed lamb.
General Description: Suckling lamb is lamb that has never grazed and has been fed solely on its mother’s milk, giving it pale, juicy, tender meat with an exquisite flavor. In many countries, milk-fed lamb is an Easter specialty, and it is also served for the Muslim holiday of Eid. Roast suckling lamb is prized for its crispy skin as well as the cartilaginous texture of its small bones. It is often cooked whole, but can be cut into quarters. Suckling lamb must be specially ordered from the butcher.
Characteristics: Suckling lamb meat is pale pink–almost white–in color, rich in gelatin, relatively lean, tender, and mild in flavor.
How to Choose: Suckling lamb is slaughtered at 3 to 5 weeks of age. The smaller the lamb, the more tender and mild tasting the meat.
Amount to Buy: Allow at least 1 pound of suckling lamb per person. A suckling lamb weighs 12 to 14 pounds. Spring lambs weigh 30 to 45 pounds.
Storage: Suckling lamb is quite perishable; wrap well and refrigerate 1 to 2 days.
Preparation:
- Rub the meat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place suckling lamb quarters in a deep roasting pan. Add aromatic vegetables, herbs, and white wine.
- Sprinkle the meat with breadcrumbs and Parmigiano cheese, add stock and olive oil to the pan, and bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350°F degrees, or until the meat is very tender and has a golden-brown crust.
- Remove the lamb from the pan, and pour off excess fat. Deglaze the pan with white wine, then strain and enrich with butter. Pour the pan sauce over the lamb.
Flavor Affinities: Artichokes, cumin, fava beans, plums, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, white vermouth, white wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
