LAMB FEST 2021 was a delicious day for lamb lovers and connoisseurs of good flavor. Seven of our nine teams shared their recipes for TABLE readers to try at home.

The chef teams who competed for the top prize at TABLE Magazine’s Lamb Fest 2021 brought their experience, their imagination, and their talents to SouthSide Works last October. The results…nine fantastic variations on deliciousness. Each entry was unique in its flavor profile, in its textures, and in its presentation. It was a tough choice, but the many hundreds of attendees voted their taste buds. Guest Judge Hal B. Klein supervised the count and announced the verdict. And the rest is lamb history.

Team The Underdogz

Roger Li of Umami and The Parlor Dim Sum and Julio Peraza of Round Corner Cantina and Cobra, took a multicultural approach to their entry in the Lamb Fest 2021 competition. Roger braised delicious lamb shoulder with Asian ingredients such as fermented bean cubes, sesame oil, and soy sauce to infuse a rich umami impact into the meat. Julio plated the delicious, tender results with a fantastic El Salvadoran salsa verde, grated onions and a sprinkle of fresh sprouts…all on one of the tender-fresh, soft tortillas that Round Corner Cantina is known for. Many Lamb Fest fans visited this booth multiple times.

Pure Braised Lamb Shoulder

• 10 lb lamb shoulder

• 1 cup fermented bean cubes

• 1 cup chu hou sauce

• 1 cup soy sauce

• 2 qt water

• 2 tbsp salt

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 1 tbsp white pepper

• 1/2 cup sesame oil

Braise lamb for 1 hour, then separate meat and reduce the sauce. Once reduced, mix the sauce in with braised lamb. Serve on fresh soft tacos

Story by Keith Recker/ Photography by Laura Petrilla/ Styling by Ana Kelly