This lightning-fast stir-fry balances lamb’s earthy grassiness with spring’s brightest stars: asparagus, scallions, dill, and lemon. Because ground lamb has so much fat (i.e., flavor), it doesn’t need a sauce or as many seasonings as you might need with chicken or tofu. By thinly slicing the asparagus spears as you would scallions, they cook to crisp-tender in just a minute or two. Feel free to cut another thin spring vegetable like green beans or sugar snap or snow peas the same way and swap them in (or use a mix). Serve this stir-fry over rice or whole grains, with warm pita and yogurt sauce, or tossed with wheat or rice noodles. —Ali Slagle
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Ingredients
3–4 servings
1
Tbsp. vegetable oil
1
lb. ground lamb
1
tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
1
2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
6
scallions, thinly sliced
1
lb. asparagus, woody ends trimmed, sliced on a diagonal ½” thick
½
cup finely chopped dill fronds and tender stems‚ plus more chopped fronds for serving
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Preparation
Step 1
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until beginning to smoke. Pour in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, then add 1 lb. ground lamb and use a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to press meat into a thin layer. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, season with freshly ground black pepper, and scatter one 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped, over. Cook, undisturbed, until lamb is deeply browned underneath, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Break up meat into bite-size pieces, then add 6 scallions, thinly sliced, 1 lb. asparagus, woody ends trimmed, sliced on a diagonal ½” thick, and ½ cup finely chopped dill fronds and tender stems. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until lamb is cooked through and asparagus is bright green and just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes (it’s okay if asparagus is still a little crunchy—it will continue to soften off the heat). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Scatter finely grated zest of ½ lemon over.
Step 3
Divide stir-fry among bowls or plates and top with more dill. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
