Monday, May 9, 2011

Lamb Shawarma

Lamb Shawarma

I'm not a big meat eater, but when I indulge, it has to be good meat. I'm talking grass-fed, pasture raised, organic, etc. Imagine my excitement when I learned a butcher shop featuring meats with all of those adjectives and more would be opening up just up the street from my old apartment. Unfortunately it took a little longer than expected for them to open, but a few weeks ago, I finally got a chance to stop by and check out the store for myself. Lindy and Grundy are the nicknames of Amelia Posada (Lindy) and her wife Erika Nakamura (Grundy). Neither set out to be a butcher (Amelia was a vegetarian), but that is where their paths brought them. This store is phenomenal. It's clean and bright with a great selection if you get there early (they tend to sell out). They have various spices you can mix and match for rubs, bones for stock, and even an assortment of non-meat items like cheese, oils, and jams. Of course this meat is not cheap, nor should it be, but the quality is exceptional and since I don't cook meat often, I'm willing to spring for the best I can find.

Lamb Shawarma with Sauce

Which of course brings me to this lamb shawarma. The recipe speaks for itself. There is so much flavor going on in both the meat and the garlicky sauce. I upped the amount of garlic in the sauce (as always) and it was a bit potent, even for me, but I enjoyed it and the lamb is so tender. I'm excited to visit Lindy & Grundy again for my meaty needs.

Lindy & Grundy - Local, Pastured, and Organic Meats
801 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 951-0804
http://www.lindyandgrundy.com/


Lamb Shawarma
(Adapted from Food and Wine, May 2011)

Makes 4 servings

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 pound lamb shoulder, fat trimmed, and meat thinly sliced
1 onion, halved and cut into slivers
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Hot sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, rice, and/or warmed pita for serving

In a large bowl, mix together the cumin, oregano, half of the garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and the olive oil. Add the onions and lamb and mix well to combine. Let the lamb marinate for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small food processor or blender, mix together the mayonnaise, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the remaining garlic. Mix until smooth. Blend in 1/2 cup of water and mix until well combined and smooth. Season to taste with salt.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, cook the lamb and onions until tender and slightly charred, about 6 minutes per batch. Serve the lamb over rice with warm pitas, tomatoes, cucumber, hot sauce, and the tahini sauce if desired.

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17 comments:

Banana Wonder said...

Wind Attack just came up this weekend and we got 5 lbs of pasture raised lamb.. soooo good!

Kelly said...

That looks the same. I feel 100% the same way, meat shouldn't be cheap! When you sit back and think about everything that goes into raising it and the fact that something is giving up its life to be on your plate, then expecting it to be dirt cheap doesn't make any sense.

I have the same attitude as you. I don't need to have it all the time and when I do, I like it to come from a place I can feel good about, but since it's an occasional treat, the added expense isn't a big deal.

Erica said...

I so need a butcher like this near me! I buy Josh organic/local beef whenever possible and I get organic turkey/chicken. Our seafood is also local. The dish looks perfect.

Gaby said...

one of my favs!!

Joanne said...

Whoa! That is AWESOME! I'm currently not eating meat because it's too hard to find good quality stuff like this around here at affordable prices...but should I ever come across any, this recipe is TOTALLY getting made!

Rachel said...

This looks great. The farmer's market in my neighborhood just opened for the season and there is a local lamb vendor this year! That's in addition to the local, hazelnut-finished pork vendor that I already know and love...

vanillasugarblog said...

oh my gosh esi i just made a chicken shawarma! isn't that wild?
this looks good!

Diana said...

Wait, you upped the garlic? I'm STUNNED. ;)

I swear, I really can't peel a clove of garlic now without thinking of you. I think I'm becoming immune to its potency.

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

That is such a nice, delicious plate.

susan said...

Esi, that place has been on my list. can we go together? This is my kind of meal-looks delish!

marla said...

I am a big meat eater & this spicec lamb shawarma looks great!

Unknown said...

i definitely tend to do the same thing now with meat, but i wish i had that shop by me!! LOVE the sounds of this dish, too :)

The Food Librarian said...

This looks so tasty. I can't wait to visit them soon!!

test it comm said...

You have some nice flavours going on here!

Mother Rimmy said...

My husband loves lamb, but I don't use it often enough to have a variety of recipes. This dish looks delish. I'll put it on the menu.

Kristi

Alicia Foodycat said...

This sounds so delicious! I am totally with you though - meat should not be cheap. If we are going to take a life, then it should be as good a life as we can make it.

Mae Tyler said...

That’s a perfect treat for someone like you who prefers a great quality for their meat. Like what you've said, the recipe speaks for itself, and could be prepared in three easy steps. Thus, the essence of a good shawarma is basically a good quality of beef, lamb, or any meat you prefer.

Mae Tyler @ St. Andrew's Poultry