Lamb Stew

steps

Lamb

• Coat the lamb in salt and sear in the oven at 450 for 30 minutes.
• Make a sachet of star anise, cinnamon, black pepper, and clove.
• Combine all ingredients into a hotel pan and cover with foil. Bring to a boil and move to an oven at 275 for 1-3 hours until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
• Let the lamb cool in the liquid until you can handle it with your hands.
• Remove lamb, set aside, strain stock and let cool overnight.
• Remove the fat off of the braising liquid and reduce the stock by about 60%.
• Remove the lamb from the bone and give it a rough chop into medium dice pieces

Vegetables

• Medium dice all vegetables, then season with salt and pepper and roast separately until tender.

Rice Pilaf

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook the lentils for about 13 minutes until aldente, strain, season heavily with salt, set aside.
• In a rondeaux, cook onions and garlic and salt until translucent, add ras el hanout and rice, then toast for 2-3 minutes.
• Add chicken stock and deglaze the fond off the bottom of the pan. Add raisins and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 12 minutes and remove from heat but keep the lid on to let it steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add cooked lentils and let cool.

To Plate

• Add 1-2 cubes of butter to 1 cup of rice. Add ½ cup of vegetables, ½ cup chopped lamb, and 1 cup broth. Heat everything until hot.
• Plate with rice first in the lamb bowl, then the vegetables, lamb, and broth on top with 1 spoon of yogurt. Garnish with pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.