Artichokes and lamb go hand-in-hand, with the bitterness of the former nicely balancing the richness of the latter, and come spring the markets are full of both. The egg sauce also comes up in Greek cooking, and is likely quite old. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) boned lamb, cubed
- 2 eggs
- 4 artichokes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4/5 cup (200 ml) dry white wine
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- The juice of 2 lemons
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a sauce pot large enough to contain the lamb, add the garlic, and cook until it is golden but not brown. Add the cubed lamb and brown it over a brisk flame for 5 minutes, stirring the pieces to color all sides. Add the wine, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the artichokes by trimming the stems and removing the tough outer leaves (you'll find detailed instructions on the artichoke page). Cut the cleaned artichokes in half from top to bottom, and scoop out any fuzz you may find in the artichoke hearts. Sliver the artichokes lengthwise (figure 6-8 slices per half) and put the pieces in a bowl of water acidified with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to keep them from discoloring.
When you are done slicing, add the slivered artichokes to the lamb and continue cooking for another half hour, adding a little water of the pot looks to be drying out. At some point check seasoning.
While the pot bubbles, beat the eggs with the remaining lemon juice to form an emulsion. When the meat is done, turn off the burner and pour the egg-and-lemon emulsion over it, stirring carefully to evenly distribute the sauce, which will thicken thanks to the heat of the meat. Serve at once.
A wine? I'd be tempted by a white because reds and artichokes rarely work. Perhaps a Falanghina.
In the meantime, prepare the artichokes by trimming the stems and removing the tough outer leaves (you'll find detailed instructions on the artichoke page). Cut the cleaned artichokes in half from top to bottom, and scoop out any fuzz you may find in the artichoke hearts. Sliver the artichokes lengthwise (figure 6-8 slices per half) and put the pieces in a bowl of water acidified with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to keep them from discoloring.
When you are done slicing, add the slivered artichokes to the lamb and continue cooking for another half hour, adding a little water of the pot looks to be drying out. At some point check seasoning.
While the pot bubbles, beat the eggs with the remaining lemon juice to form an emulsion. When the meat is done, turn off the burner and pour the egg-and-lemon emulsion over it, stirring carefully to evenly distribute the sauce, which will thicken thanks to the heat of the meat. Serve at once.
A wine? I'd be tempted by a white because reds and artichokes rarely work. Perhaps a Falanghina.
