Recipes : Garlic-Stuffed Lamb Loin Bites : Food Network

	Print 3x5 Recipe Cards
	Print this recipe out and cut along the dotted lines to add this 3x5 recipe card to your personal collection.

Garlic-Stuffed Lamb Loin Bites
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

Directions
For the marinade:

Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, toasted (see Cook's Note above)
1/3 cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

For the lamb skewers:
1 1/2 pounds (trimmed weight) lamb loin, boned, fat and membranes removed (reserve

tenderloins for another use)

Directions
1/2 cup Roasted Garlic Paste, recipe follows

Ingredients
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
4 metal or wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 to 60
minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the marinade:

Directions
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and chili
flakes over low heat for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the oregano, garlic
and lemon zest. Pour mixture out of the pan and into a bowl. Allow to
cool.

Ingredients
For the lamb skewers:

Directions
Slice lamb loin lengthwise (as if filleting) into 2

pieces about 1/2-inch thick. Using a mallet or the heel of your palm, lightly
pound meat to about 1/4-inch thickness then cut each in half lengthwise. Place
meat in a non-metallic dish and pour reserved oregano marinade over the meat. Turn
several times to coat, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

When ready to cook, prepare grill or preheat broiler.

Remove lamb from marinade and discard marinade. Spread about 1 tablespoon garlic
paste on each of the lamb pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Roll meat
lengthwise end to end and place on skewers. Brush with olive oil. Grill or broil
to desired doneness, 10 to 15 minutes for medium-rare meat, depending on heat of
grill. Turn meat occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Cook's Notes: If buying fresh lamb, make a double batch and freeze half on the

skewers. Convenience and compromise are cousins: Lamb is a meat that freezes very
well. Make sure to transfer meat from the freezer to the refrigerator the day
before you plan to serve it to ensure even thawing.

To toast the red pepper flakes: Put red pepper flakes in a skillet and heat over
medium heat just until flakes begin to brown. Immediately remove from heat and
pour onto a cool dish to prevent burning.

Ingredients
Roasted Garlic Paste:

Directions
1 pound whole garlic heads
1/2 cup pure olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel the outermost layers of skin off the heads of garlic. Cut off the top 1/3 of
the heads to open the cloves. Put the heads, cut sides up, in a small baking dish
and pour the olive oil over them. Season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly,
place in the oven, and roast until about 3/4 cooked, about 45 minutes. Uncover and
return to the oven until the cloves begin to pop out of their skins and brown,
about 15 minutes. Let cool.

When garlic is cool enough to handle easily, squeeze the roasted garlic into a
small bowl. Press against the skins very well to get out all the sweet roasted
garlic you can. Add the oil from the baking dish and mix well until a paste forms.

Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.

Yield: about 1 cup