A month ago, I was invited to compete in the first-ever Lamb Pro-Am (as you probably already know thanks to all my tweets and facebook updates for votes - sorry!). I embraced the challenge and made lamb pot-stickers two ways. Unfortunately I did not advance to the finals. But I did get the opportunity to attend the Lamb Pro-Am Event last weekend at the Hotel Marlowe.


The Lamb Pro-Am featured four blogger/chef teams serving up samples of the final four lamb dishes to a horde of lamb-loving attendees. Each attendee was given a wooden coin to cast their vote for their favorite lamb dish. Samples of beer from Brooklyn Brewery, J. Lohr wines, the most delicious Pierre Ferrand cognac punch, and tasty bites from Bambara were also enjoyed. I was in foodie heaven.


Fan of the Lamb
This was the chance for the pro-am teams to show off their cooking chops (haha - couldn't resist). It was a true collaboration with chefs working with bloggers to refine their lamb dishes and offer it up to hundreds of hungry people.


I drooled reading the original blog posts and recipes. It truly was satisfying to actually get to taste my fellow competitors creations. I had an impossible time deciding who to vote for.

Congrats to the Team Doves & Figs/The Russell House Tavern for winning the first Lamb Pro-Am. Their lamb & apple sausage wrapped in lamb belly topped with apple pear cranberry conserve and cranberry mustard was out-of-this-world-good. A big thank you to BostonChefs.com, American Lamb Board, and all the sponsors of the Lamb Pro-Am. I can honestly say I'm now a fan of the Lamb. And thank you, thank you, thank you to all who voted for my lamb potstickers. You guys are the best!

One last word: If you're in Cambridge, check out Flavors of Fall fundraising event tonight. Great food, great chefs for a great cause. And all-star line-up that any foodie would swoon over. Tickets are still available!

The kitchen smelled like a bazaar straight from the Silk Road.


I complimented these with two different dipping sauces – a traditional Turkish butter sauce with paprika and hot sauce and a soy and rice vinegar sauce. 

 

• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing
• 1/4 head of napa cabbage, roughly chopped
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 3 scallions (green parts only), thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Store-bought dumpling wrappers

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 scallion (green part only), thinly sliced on the diagonal

1. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in each dumpling wrapper, wet the edge with water, fold over, pressing firmly to seal.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat . When hot, add as many dumplings as will fit and cook for 1 minute. Add enough cold water to cover the dumplings half way, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until liquid is evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.
4. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
5. While dumplings are cooking make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl.

• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 egg
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 bunch scallions, washed and finely chopped
• A few leaves of washed napa cabbage
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoon Moroccan spice mixture (see below)
• ¼ cup raisins
• Store-bought dumpling wrappers
• Fresh mint, shredded, for garnish

• 1 tbs minced garlic
• ½ tbs ground coriander
• ½ tbs ground black pepper
• ½ tbs cumin
• ½ tbs ground fennel seed
• ¼ tbs cinnamon
• ¼ tbs paprika
• ¼ kosher salt

• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon fine quality sweet paprika
• coarse salt to taste
• 4 dashes of hot red pepper sauce, or more to taste

1. Parboil half an onion for one to two minutes, until the layers of the onion have just turned translucent but are not soggy. Let cool; then finely chop.
2. Parboil a few leaves of Napa cabbage for thirty seconds to one minute, until the vegetables are slightly softened but not yet translucent. Finely chop.
3. Follow directions 1-4 above in Asian-inspired potstickers recipe
4. While dumplings are cooking make the sauce: In a small skillet over moderate heat cook the butter until it is a very light brown, remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the paprika, coarse salt to taste, and the hot red pepper sauce.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I was given the lamb courtesy of the American Lamb Board and BostonChefs.com. Opinions are my own.