Easter is traditionally the time for lamb. If you're planning to serve it, but haven't yet decided how, Ada Boni is an excellent person to turn to. This stewed lamb with potatoes is actually more of a comfort dish for the family rather than something one might want to serve up for Easter dinner, but it is very good. For six you'll need:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
- A leg of lamb weighing about 2 1/4 pounds (1 k)
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) potatoes
- 1/4 cup (50 g) unsalted butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon flour
- A carrot
- Half an onion
- A 6-inch rib of celery
- A few tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:
Bone the leg of lamb and cube the meat. Chop the onion, celery, and carrot, and put them in a pot with the lamb. Sprinkle with a little oil, and set everything over a gentle flame, sautéing and stirring things about with a wooden spoon until the meat is nicely browned, then dust the meat with the flour, sprinkle a ladle of warm water over all, season with salt, cover, and simmer over a gentle flame.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water, peel them when they're done (a skewer will penetrate easily), peel them, and put them through a potato ricer while they're still hot.
Return the puree to the pot, season it with a walnut-sized chunk of butter, and cook, stirring, until the excess moisture from the potatoes has evaporated and it has reached the consistency you like in mashed potatoes. Let it cool somewhat and stir the egg yolks into it. Amalgamate them well, take an oven-proof serving dish, rub the outer section of the dish with butter, put down a ring of mashed potatoes, and slip the dish into a medium oven until the ring has browned slightly. Upon removing it from the oven, fill the well with the lamb stew and serve it forth.
What wine? A Chianti Classico Riserva.
Yield: 6 servings stewed lamb with potatoes.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water, peel them when they're done (a skewer will penetrate easily), peel them, and put them through a potato ricer while they're still hot.
Return the puree to the pot, season it with a walnut-sized chunk of butter, and cook, stirring, until the excess moisture from the potatoes has evaporated and it has reached the consistency you like in mashed potatoes. Let it cool somewhat and stir the egg yolks into it. Amalgamate them well, take an oven-proof serving dish, rub the outer section of the dish with butter, put down a ring of mashed potatoes, and slip the dish into a medium oven until the ring has browned slightly. Upon removing it from the oven, fill the well with the lamb stew and serve it forth.
What wine? A Chianti Classico Riserva.
Yield: 6 servings stewed lamb with potatoes.
