Boston was hit with a lambstorm at Middle East this past Sunday… the gods were much pleased with the arrival of 18 Lamb dishes- each entirely different from each other. Seemed cruel to award prizes, since every single dish was insanely good at the Boston Lamb Takedown, but whatevs.
Pictures COMING SOON!!!!
Adam Ragusea from WBUR features this on the Public Radio Kitchen website!!!
We saw Meatballs, Shepherd’s Pie, and a brilliant perversion of the classic Rubin sandwich. Lamb was beered, braised, slow-cooked, and grilled. To call these cooks “amateur” would be a misstatement, so I won’t be doing that. These people are geniuseses, and I thank all 18 of them for working their booties off to feed the happy crowds!!!! CONTESTANTS! THANK YOU BIG TIME !!! WOAHZERS!!!
Thank you also to the Middle East, the staff and owners are all amazingly cool and hospitable- and they serve an amazing Lamb shank upstairs in their restaurant!!! Thank you to Le Creuset, for donating $1000 worth of cookware!!! The winners are chuffed!!! And of course, a huge thank you to the American Lamb Board and Marlie at Baltz and Company!
The judges were smart and cool. There was Adam Regusea, a producer from WBUR (NPR affiliate) in Boston! There was Charles Mokriski, the restaurant reviewer at Improper Bostonian! And Edie Clark, food writer for Yankee Magazine! Boston food heavyweights, all!!!
People’s Choice
- 1st – Aleks Strub: Lamb Bolognese with Rosemary Gnocchi
- 2nd – Justin Manjourides: 5-Spice Pulled Lamb with Pickled Fennel and Carrots
- 3rd – Matt O’Shea : Hammered Shanks- Cajun Spiced Lamb Shanks braised in Abita Turbodog with jambalaya.
Judge’s Selections
- 1st – Justin Manjourides: 5-Spice Pulled Lamb with Pickled Fennel and Carrots
- 2nd – Aleks Strub: Lammb Bolognese with Rosemary Gnocchi
- 3rd – Jamie Saltsman: Smoked Leg with hand-picked fruit compote
Judge’s Honorable Mentions:
- Aaron Foster: Lamb Ruben
- Alex Rosenzweig: Georgian Style Barbecue
And here below are all the awesome contestants, along with their brilliant creations- I’m filling in, as quick as I can, all the recipes:
Aleks Strub – Lamb Bolognese w Rosemary Gnocchi #19
Michael Johnson – #5 Braised, Oven Roasted Lamb Shanks with a Gorgonzola Crust, Roasted Plum Tomatoes and Braising Sauce
Mark Chandler – Spicy braised lamb tacos
Michael Sandler – Post-Colonial Shepherd’s Pie: South Indian Lamb Keema with Aloo Mattar and Cucumber Raita.
Zachary Waldstein #12 Moroccan Shoulder with Apricot Couscous.
Alex Rosenzweig – #4 Georgian Pomegranate Marinated Lamb with cucumber,roasted garlic, basil and mint yougurt sauce, bacon and fresh pomegranate.
Corin McLean Boyko
Justin Manjourides – 5-Spice Pulled Lamb with Pickled Fennel and Carrots, and was at station #1
Patrick Popores and David Remillard
Quinault Childs and Luke Pyenson – Feta-Stuffed Lamb meatballs with N. African Sauce, Turmeric Yogurt, and Candied Orange Zest
Bryan Shilowich #17 “Honey, it’s a-stout thyme you tried this lamb” – Roast leg of lamb with stout, honey, and thyme with roasted vegetable medley.
Aaron Foster – Lamb Ruben
Jamie Saltsman – Smoked Leg with Fruit Compote
Jeanette Renault- lamb kapama (shoulder stewed in tomato, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, wine)
JJ Gonson #15 Cumin soaked leg of lamb, grilled and served salad style on local baby spinach with a homemade yogurt sauce
Vaughn Tan and Sam Feller – Slow braised lamb with rosemary, thyme, and red wine, done in ravioli, and a grilled sandwich
Matt O’Shea – Hammered Shanks – Cajun spiced lamb shank braised in Abita Turbodog with jambalaya
Chris Cooper – #2 BBQ Pulled Lamb shank w/ Cole-ziki (combination coleslaw and Tzatziki), and feta on pita.
