Try Sweet Shredded Honey Lamb for a Twist on Your Holiday Dinner
This week, we’re spotlighting recipes from Modern Israeli Cooking: 100 New Recipes for Traditional Classics by Danielle Oron (Page Street Publishing Co.), chef and owner of Toronto’s Moo Milk Bar and founder of the blog I Will Not Eat Oysters. Try making the recipe at home and let us know what you think!
Photograph by Danielle Oron
Sweet Shredded Honey Lamb Over Couscous with Raisins and Almonds
Makes 6 servings
Honey and lamb go hand in hand. I use ras al hanut in this recipe but instead of having you go out to try to find this fairly rare spice blend, I’ve broken it down so you can use the spices you already have. Marinating the lamb allows those spices to penetrate the meat. It’s not very traditional to shred it, but I really like the idea of taking the work out of slicing a large piece of lamb. Placing the shredded lamb back into the sauce coats every inch of it with sticky sweetness, too. It’s a win-win, really.
1 trimmed 4 pound (1.8 kg) boneless leg of lamb, tied as a roast
2 cups (480 ml) water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon (15 ml) canola oil
1 large yellow onion, grated
¾ cup (120 g) raisins
¾ cup (90 g) slivered almonds
⅓ cup (80 ml) honey
1 ½ cups (360 ml) couscous
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (360 ml) boiling water
2 tablespoons (3 g) chopped parsley
Place the tied lamb into a zip-top bag and place the bag into a deep bowl. Combine the water with all the spices and pour it over the lamb. Seal the bag and marinate it in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300˚F (150˚C). Remove the lamb from the marinade. Do not discard the marinade! Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb on all sides until nicely browned, about 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb to a plate. Add the grated onion to the pot. Stir and cook for 3 minutes to soften the onion. Add the lamb back into the pot with any accumulated juices. Add the raisins and pour the marinade over the lamb. Add enough water to just cover the lamb. Bring to a boil, cover, and braise in the lower third of the oven for 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat, tossing, until golden, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Once cool enough to handle, gently transfer the lamb to a plate and cover with tinfoil. Skim off as much as possible of the fat that has accumulated on the surface of the sauce using a spoon or fat separator. Stir in the honey and almonds and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce until the sauce is thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if needed.
Remove the butcher’s twine from the lamb and shred the meat using your hands or two forks. Discard any fat, tendons, or cartilage that wouldn’t be palatable. Fold the shredded lamb back into the sauce.
Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl along with the butter and salt. Cover with the boiling water and cover with plastic wrap immediately. Let the couscous absorb the water for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous and stir in the chopped parsley.
Plate the couscous on the serving dishes, top with the shredded lamb and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Reprinted with permission from Modern Israeli Cooking: 100 New Recipes for Traditional Classics (Page Street Publishing Co.).
More of Danielle Oron’s recipes on Yahoo Food:
Lemon Garlic Eggplant with Labneh
Personal Pear, Onion, and Gruyère Galettes
