In Italy, lamb and kid are the meats of choice for Easter, to the point that animal rights advocates hold protests every year, and suggest that people try something else, preferably vegetarian. They would therefore be happy with Sicilian marzipan lambs. They might be a little less happy with this stewed lamb in cream of asparagus, from the Veneto. To serve 6:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
- A spring lamb, boned and chopped (keep the bones)
- A bottle of dry white wine, ideally Prosecco
- A glass of Marsala (A fortified Sicilian wine, use Sherry if need be)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- The white part of a leek, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds asparagus, cleaned and white ends of stems trimmed and discarded
- A carrot, minced
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 cup cream
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Combine the Prosecco and Marsala in a bowl and marinate the lamb for a couple of hours, turning the pieces occasionally.
Heat the oil and butter in a pot and sauté the garlic and leek until the leek has wilted and begun to color; add the lamb, turning the pieces about, and as soon as they have browned add a cup of the marinade, and simmer over a low flame, covered, adding liquid should the meat look to be drying out.
In the meantime, heat the remaining marinade in a pot with a little water and the bones from the lamb. Let cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Skim and strain the broth, mix the carrot into it, add, the asparagus, and boil them for 5 minutes from the time the broth comes back to a boil. Blend the mixture, whisk the yolks and the cream into it, mix well, and pour the resulting souce over the meat. Serve at once.
Yield: 6 servings stewed lamb in cream of asparagus.
Heat the oil and butter in a pot and sauté the garlic and leek until the leek has wilted and begun to color; add the lamb, turning the pieces about, and as soon as they have browned add a cup of the marinade, and simmer over a low flame, covered, adding liquid should the meat look to be drying out.
In the meantime, heat the remaining marinade in a pot with a little water and the bones from the lamb. Let cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Skim and strain the broth, mix the carrot into it, add, the asparagus, and boil them for 5 minutes from the time the broth comes back to a boil. Blend the mixture, whisk the yolks and the cream into it, mix well, and pour the resulting souce over the meat. Serve at once.
Yield: 6 servings stewed lamb in cream of asparagus.
