Featured Recipe: Spiced Lamb Steak with Florentine Rice

Copyright Linda Gassenheimer

A steak cut from the leg of lamb is tender and juicy and cooks in minutes. The spiced coating makes this dish special with little effort. It’s great for a week-night dinner or exciting enough for Easter weekend. If the lamb steak is not in the meat case, ask for 2 steaks about 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick cut from the leg. It is cut right through the leg making a round steak with a small bone in the center.

Recipes

Spiced Lamb Steak

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

2 6-ounce lamb steaks center cut from leg, fat removed

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Olive oil spray

Remove fat from lamb. Mix allspice, cinnamon and cayenne pepper together. Spread mixture on both sides of lamb. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with olive oil spray. Add the lamb and brown 2 minutes, turn lamb over and brown 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook 5 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 125 degrees for rare, 145 degrees for medium.

Yield 2 servings.

Florentine Rice

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

5 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach

1 package microwaveable brown rice to make 1 1/2-cups cooked rice

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 1 minute. Remove and cook rice in the microwave according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2-cups and set aside the remaining rice for another dinner. Add rice to the spinach and toss with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Yield 2 servings

Nutrition Information

Spiced Lamb Steak: Per serving: Per serving: 255 calories (40 percent from fat), 11.3 g fat (3.4 g saturated, 5.0 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 34.5 g protein, 2.4 g carbohydrates, 1.0 g fiber, 112 mg sodium. Florentine Rice: Per serving: Per serving: 220 calories (25 percent from fat), 6.1 g fat (0.9 g saturated, 3.8 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 5.9 g protein, 36.3 g carbohydrates, 4.4 g fiber, 68 mg sodium.

Shopping List

To buy: 2, 6-ounce lamb steaks, center cut from leg, 1 bottle ground allspice, 1 bottle ground cinnamon, 1 bottle cayenne pepper, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat spinach and 1 package microwaveable brown rice.

Staples: Olive oil spray, olive oil, salt and black peppercorns

Helpful Hints

Rib or loin chops can also be used instead of lamb steak.

Spices keep for about six months. Buy new ones if yours are older.

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