Lamb Tacos
I’m not one to really use cookbooks, but I do enjoy skimming through the beautiful pictures to get a little inspiration. Which is exactly what I did when I was given the “Celebrity Chefs” cookbook (thanks Mommom!).
The book is actually pretty intriguing with some great looking recipes. One recipe in particular that immediately caught my eye was the “Lamb Tacos” by Chef Stephanie Izard. If you haven’t had a chance to go to Girl And The Goat in Chicago you need to get your butt there, it's amazing!
After skimming the pictures and ingredients I decided to run with the idea. Tacos are a staple in our house but I’ve never used lamb as the filling. I did a little brainstorming and after a few adjustments I came up with my own version. Feel free to do some adjusting of your own and enjoy!
Recipe
Yield: 4 light servings or 3 if you’re really hungry
Lamb Filing
1 lb of ground lamb (I found mine at Whole Foods)
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
1 yellow onion, diced
3 bell peppers, diced
⅕ cup cooked rice (cook according to package instructions)
Cucumber Tomato Salsa
1.5-2 Tomatoes, diced
4 little Persian cucumbers, diced (can use whatever cucumber you have)
¼ red onion, small diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh parsley, mint, dill & cilantro, chopped (use as little or as much as you want)
Salt & pepper to taste
Tzatziki
1.5 cup Greek yogurt
Juice of half a lemon
1 small Persian cucumber or ¼ of a regular cucumber, grated
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
Feta Cheese
Corn Tortillas
Procedure
For salsa: combine all ingredients and store until ready to use.
For tzatziki (NOT TRADITIONAL I KNOW!):
using a box or cheese grater, shred cucumbers into bowl, be sure to get the juice of the cucumber as well. Combine remaining ingredients and store until ready to use.
For lamb filling: Start by combining raw ground lamb, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garam masala, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic, salt & pepper. Mix and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. I mixed mine about 3 hours before I was going to be needing it.
Saute the diced onions and peppers in some olive oil on medium heat until slightly caramelized. Remove onions and peppers from the pan and set aside. On high heat add lamb mix into the pan and cook until completely cooked through. Add the onion and pepper mixture, along with the cooked rice. Mix together.
Char corn tortillas on open flame burner on both sides.
Best served family style as a build your own taco bar. Assemble by layering lamb and pepper mixture, salsa, tzatziki, feta cheese. Enjoy!