TammyM wrote:
> Interesting! My experience of American lamb doesn't even begin to
> favorably compare with that of antipodean lamb (well, specifically in
> New Zealand, not in Ocker Land!) New Zealand lamb was an entirely
> different critter and I quite literally ordered it every time I dined
> out and many a time when dining in. New Zealand stores have displays
> of lamb that are similar to what an American store (typical one)
> stocks in beef cuts. Then again, as my Kiwi pal says, NZ is a country
> of 4 million people and 40 million sheep. Do the math :-)
>
> TammyM, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I love lamb. I think I've only had American lamb, but I love every cut
I've tried, including the neck and breast (I think I like goat's neck
better than lamb's neck). Lamb's head was a little too much work for
the payoff, but maybe around Easter I'll try it again. I still haven't
tried lamb's organ meats (except "sweetbreads" in a restuarant). My
neighborhood grocery was advertising NZ lamb this weekend at $6.99/lb
(US dollars, and hegemonic pounds). I bought American lamb instead--3
shanks and the top half (is it caled the sirloin end?) of a leg of
lamb. The shanks were $3.29 or $3.49/lb; the leg was $3.99/lb, I
think. Gonna slash the leg to the bone a few times, slather it in and
out with curried yoghurt, garlic, grated onion and lemon juice, let it
marinate for a day or so, tie it back together and roast it in as hot
an oven as I can get. Next week or the week after, I plan to braise
the shanks in tomaotes, leeks and white wine. I prefer white to red
wine for this. I think it adds acidity and backbone to the sauce. I
like the neck and breast stewed with ((okra or tiny Indian eggplants)
and tomaotes).

-bwg
Goin' to heaven in a groundnut shell.