Lamb Shoulder

Mrouzia Mrouzia is a dish traditionally made after the celebration of Aid el Kebir ("Feast of the Slaughter of the Lamb"), an occasion when, historically, a family would have large amounts of meat on hand. In the days before refrigeration, the lamb was cooked in copious amounts of fat and spices to preserve it. Don't worry — this version has much less butter and less intense spicing than the original. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 3 hr

Mensaf This recipe, adapted from Kathy Sullivan and Janine El Tal, international educators and longtime residents of Jordan, is a scaled-down version of that country's national dish, which is usually served in large quantities at important gatherings. Mensaf is eaten standing up, using the right hand to form a little ball of rice and meat. Traditionally, jameed, a ball of reconstituted sun-dried yogurt, is used to make the sauce, but it is replaced here by regular plain yogurt that has been stabilized (with egg white and cornstarch) for cooking. Buy the richest, tangiest yogurt you can find. Active time: 55 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr

In this recipe, a casserole dish stands in for the traditional tagine. Serve with couscous or an Israeli salad of tomato, cucumber, and sweet onion.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr

Sephardim (Jews of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean extraction) eat coriander seeds during Passover; if you do not because you are from an eastern European Jewish background, you can simply leave the coriander out of this recipe. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 3 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Khoresht Gheimeh This Persian stew recipe is adapted from the one that chef Homa Khakpour serves at Shiraz Kabab Cafe and Food Market. It's a terrific main course, which she pairs with chelo (steamed rice with melted butter). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tomato gratin and a watercress salad would be happy partners for these succulent chops.

Navain d'Agneau Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr This recipe, which accompanied our 1954 article on Tunisia, called for what were then two very exotic ingredients. One, the granular pasta called couscous, is now commonplace in supermarkets across America. The other, dried rose petals, is available by mail order.

There must be as many versions of this—Ireland's national dish—as there are cooks. One thing all recipes should say is that the stew is to be cooked slowly until the lamb is meltingly tender. This stew is the ideal dish to return to after a day in the open air, as it can be made ahead and reheated while cook and guests enjoy the hot punch.

"When my ancestors left Spain and settled on the Greek island of Rhodes five hundred years ago," writes Rebecca Levy of Los Angeles, California, "they brought with them their Sephardic culture. Likewise, when I fled Greece during World War II and eventually relocated to Los Angeles, I brought with me the traditions of my home. Many of my recipes are centuries old, and since each one is connected to a story, I always try to tell a little anecdote about the food so that the history will not be lost." Serve the stew over rice to soak up the juices.

This fragrant stew is great over couscous.

(Epaule d'Agneau Braisée au Thym, Sauté de Carottes et Fenouil) Have a butcher cut the lamb shoulder-blade chops about two inches thick for this dish.

Agnello di Latte Arrosto I always had mixed emotions about this dish as a little girl. Traditionally, it was served at the first meal after Lent, a joyous occasion to which everyone looked forward, including me. Still, there was an element of personal sadness: My pet was being eaten. At Busoler I spent long hours playing in the fields with lambs and young goats, and always found sentiment struggling with appetite at Easter. When the appearance of the first peas of the season coincided with Easter, they'd be shelled and added to the dish at the last moment.

This dish is said to have first been prepared in the imperial kitchens for Sultan Murad IV in the early 1600s.

The lamb in this recipe is blanched to make a light-colored stew. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr