This is an old, and very simple recipe from the Abruzzo, and also quite delicate; fennel adds a delightful hint of anise freshness to the dish, while the olives also contribute. To serve 6:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 pounds (1.2 k) boned lamb, cut into pieces
- 2/5 cup (100 ml) olive oil
- 1 pound (450 g) potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 pound (225 g) bulb fennel, washed and cubed
- A bay leaf
- 2 cloves, crushed
- 1/2 pound (225 g) pitted green olives
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a broad pot (terracotta if you have it), add the lamb, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring the pieces about to brown them on all sides. Add the diced potatoes and fennel and the olives, together with the bay leaf and the cloves, and mix well, cover, and simmer until the meat and the potatoes are fork tender. After a bit, check seasoning.Liquid? Fennel gives off quite a bit of water as it cooks, but should the pot look to be drying out, add a little boiling water to keep things from sticking and burning. A wine? Red, and I would go with a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo.
One thing: The cooking time of this recipe may strike you as long, if you are used to rare lamb. Italians as a rule prefer their lamb well done -- my father-in-law would return it to the pot or oven if he saw blood -- and a couple of people have written to tell me that they had never liked lamb, until they had it well done.
