Lamb

Mark Taylor of West Hartford, Connecticut, writes: "I started cooking out of necessity when I first graduated from college, since I couldn't afford to eat out. Having grown up watching my mother cook for our large family, I used her recipes. She was always trying new dishes whenever we had guests and sharing her adventurous attitude toward eating. These days, even though my wife and I both work, we still cook several times a week. Now I tend to rely on recipes I've picked up from restaurants and friends. I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and figuring out new ways to improve a recipe, as I've done with the one here."

For this recipe the lamb racks are frenched all the way down to the eye of the meat. For decorative purposes, we asked our butcher to leave a 1-inch-wide strip of fat along the top of the eye of the rack.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Offer some homemade breadsticks with the lamb: Just cut a French bread baguette lengthwise into quarters; brush with olive oil that has been mixed with fresh herbs. Grill alongside the lamb until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Serve raspberries and cream with cookies for dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In Morocco, the word tagine refers to any of the country's slowly simmered meat, chicken, fish or vegetable stews that often have both savory and sweet flavors. It also refers to the earthenware dish with a conical lid in which the stew is cooked and served. Couscous or bread is a typical accompaniment.

A sophisticated main course that's perfect for weeknight entertaining. Accompany the lamb with herb-roasted potatoes and a mixed green salad.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Begin preparing the kebabs one day before you plan to serve them.

This dish features the exotic flavors of North Africa. A butcher can bone, butterfly, and trim the lamb. Start preparing this one day ahead.

The lamb that we buy today hardly requires a typical English mint sauce (the puckery flavor was originally designed to cut through the stronger taste of mutton), but the combination is by now a traditional and still-welcome one. Buttered carrots and a watercress salad would complement the lamb nicely. Uncork a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or red Bordeaux.

A classic lamb preparation from the Temple House in Ballymote, Ireland. Mint adds a nice touch to the puree.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.