Chasing the lamb

You have to acquire the taste for lamb to enjoy it, and not many have acquired the taste. Our family, since being introduced some years ago by a sister then living abroad to thyme-rubbed leg of lamb roasted to perfection, have been "recruited" to the lamb brigade. It is therefore with great pleasure that we welcome the current promotion, "Ooola..la..Lamb" by the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). This is ongoing in some restaurants in the country and in supermarkets where special frozen cuts are on sale.

It used to be that only lamb chops–on a buy-one-take-one promo at Rustans and later at ShopWise–were available. Likewise, aside from grills and roasts, lamb meat was used to make caldereta, as Filipinos do with goat meat. Innovative cooks soon found other ways to serve lamb–as longganiza with lots of spices as well as in paella. In both offerings, the creative cooks have earned kudos from family and friends.

What we have in the market is lamb from Australia, one of the world’s leading producers of lamb and the second largest exporter. The country Down Under is very proud of this meat with the delicate taste. It is said that Australian lamb has no equal in quality, consistency and delicious taste. It is high in nutrients, providing protein and B group vitamins. It is also a source of iron and if trimmed has low fat content and less cholesterol. It is now available in supermarkets and specialty stores like Shopwise, Rustans, Monterey at SM, South, Santis, and PriceSmart in a variety of cuts. There are seasoned cuts in the market, but you are better off marinating the meat yourself. We are talking from experience, since we had some bad ones from a popular chain.

You can use lamb in a variety of Filipino dishes, two of which we share here with our readers.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Lamb Spring Rolls)

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
750 g lamb shoulder, ground
250 g shrimp, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup singkamas, minced
1/2 cup carrot, minced
2 tbs. cornstarch
3 eggs
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
30 pcs lumpia wrappers
oil for frying

Combine garlic, onion, lamb, shrimp, singkamas, carrot, cornstarch, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture onto half a wrapper. Roll and seal edges with a little paste made from cornstarch and water. Heat oil in a pan until 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep fry lumpia in batches, drain on paper towels. Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Combine 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbps tomato catsup, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 2 tbps cornstarch, 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into the mixture. Simmer until thickened.

Australian Lamb Pochero

2 tbs corn oil
1 medium size onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 kg lamb shank, cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
8 cups water
4 pcs saba bananas, peeled, sliced lengthwise
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled, quartered
4 pcs pechay
1/2 head cabbage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
200 green beans

In a saucepan or wok, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes, add lamb shank and continue sautéing for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until lamb is tender, about 45 minutes. Fry the saba and potatoes. Set aside. When lamb is tender, add the pechay, cabbage and green beans. Cook until cabbage is tender. Season to taste. Arrange fried potatoes and saba on top and serve.

The price of lamb approximates that of prime beef, so if once in a while you dig deep into your pocket for a good steak, do the same with lamb.

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