Lots of things went right, and a few things went wrong. That’s the most concise report I can give about making this dish.
Things that went right…
The marinade for this lamb is so simple and so full of umami, that it really could be applied to any cut of lamb or steak. It’s just salt, pepper, olive oil, and anchovies. Alison asks for 12 anchovies (about the amount that comes in a Cento can from TJ’s), but I cut it down to 9. I’m always a bit cautious with my anchovy portions, in case they become too fishy. All 4 of us who ate the lamb gave the flavor two big thumbs up.
Fresh garlicky tomatoes are such a refreshing anecdote. Especially after the lamb juices had seeped into the meat. Not to mention their visual appeal.
I didn’t have access to a grill, so instead, we cooked the lamb in a large cast iron skillet on the stove. With the help of a digital meat thermometer, the searing and cooking were very straightforward, and took about 10 minutes total.
Pals! Who doesn’t love cooking with them! I did most of the ingredient prep at home, but brought it all over to Madeline and Sam’s home to do final prep and cooking. And I didn’t cook alone. Which warrants my second MAP moment! (MAP = Make Alison Proud)
In the introduction to nothing fancy, Alison states her three guiding principles for having people over for a meal. One of them is to ask for help. This has several benefits. Chief among them is it’s nice to have help! Especially when there are multiple dishes in the fire, and they all need tending to/plating at the same time. Sharing the work also helps your guests feel more invested in the meal. I don’t know about you, but I certainly take extra delight in meals that I’ve had a small hand in. Finally, collective cooking brings about a deeper sense of community. Which is why I asked all of the meal partakers to participate in the preparation. It tasted that much better because of it.
Things that went wrong…
First of all (and this is my bad) I read the recipe a little too hastily before grocery shopping. I did not notice the call for boneless lamb shoulder. Instead, I picked up bone-in shoulder pieces at a Middle Eastern market near my home. I don’t think the bones made much of a difference, if any, but it did mean there was less meat to go around.
The quality of the meat itself was not great. It had a lot of fat and was too tough for my preference. I’m a lamb novice. It’s clear that I don’t know how to evaluate a good cut from a bad one. But I now know a few things to look for when shopping for lamb.
I’d like to make this one again, but next time go for a more quality piece of meat and maybe try my hand at grilling.
55 recipes cooked, 170 to go.
