DAVID LEBOVITZ IS AN AMERICAN CHEF AND FOOD WRITER WHO LIVES IN PARIS. QUITE OFTEN HE GETS RECIPES FROM HIS PURVEYORS AT THE FARMERS MARKETS, HIS BUTCHER, BAKER AND CANDLESTICK MAKER. THIS PARTICULAR RECIPE FROM MY PARIS KITCHEN IS SANS ATTRIBUTION. I'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, ELIMINATED THE CHICKPEA PUFFS, BUT THIS DISH IS ASSUREDLY HIS. I LOVE BRAISED MEAT DISHES, PARTIALLY BECAUSE THEY MAKE USE OF OTHERWISE UNUSABLE CUTS-- OXTAIL, SHOULDER, NECK, AND BUTT. AND THESE AE ALSO THE MOST FLAVORFUL. THEY ENTAIL LONG, SLOW COOKING TO BREAK DOWN ALL THAT DELICIOUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE. THE MOST VARIED AND ATTRACTIVE ACCOMPANIMENT TO THE LAMB IS A MEDLEY OF VEGETABLES AND HERE THE CHOICE IS UP TO YOU. LEBOVITZ INCLUDES A RECIPE FOR SALSA VERDE, A NICE TOUCH SINCE THE TARTNESS OF THE SAUCE CUTS THROUGH THE SWEETNESS OF THE LAMB. EXCEPT FOR THE VEGETABLES, THIS DISH IS PROBABLY BEST COOKED A DAY AHEAD. ASSEMBLING AND SERVING, I WARN YOU IS A BIT OF A PUZZLE, SINCE YOU CAN'T REALLY CARVE A BONE-IN LAMB SHOULDER; YOU HAVE TO DISMANTLE IT. BELIEVE ME, IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT. THIS IS A GREAT DISH FOR COMPANY AND, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, THEY'LL LEAVE YOU SOME LEFTOVERS.
USING A MORTAR AND PESTLE OR A BLENDER, COMBINE PEELED GARLIC CLOVES, ANCHOVIES AND ROSEMARY LEAVES WITH ABOUT A 1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OLIVE TO MAKE A ROUGH PASTE.
USING A SMALL KNIFE, POKE A FEW HOLES IN THE LAMB SHOULDER. RUB THE PASTE ALL OVER, WORKING INTO THE HOLES. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER. COVER AND REFRIGERATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT.
PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 325.
PLACE THE LAMB IN A POT. POUR IN 1 1/2 CUPS OF WHITE WINE AND A CUP OF WATER. COOK IN THE OVEN FOR 1 HOUR. TURN THE LAMB OVER AND COOK ANOTHER HOUR. YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO ADD MORE WINE OR WATER DURING THE COURSE OF THE BRAISING. COOK UNTIL THE MEAT IS EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK. IT SHOULD BE NICELY BROWNED ON TOP.
DUMP THE POTATOES AND CARROTS IN A SINK FULL OF WATER TO LOOSEN ANY GRIT.
BRING A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN OF WATER TO BOIL
MEANWHILE, USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE TRIM A THIN SLICE OFF EACH END OF THE ONIONS. WHEN THE WATER BOILS, ADD THE ONIONS AND BOIL FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. DRAIN IMMEDIATELY AND DUMP INTO THE SINK FULL OF VEGETABLES. THE ONIONS SHOULD EASILY POP OUT OF THEIR SKINS.
MELT 2 TBPS OF BUTTER IN A LARGE FRYING PAN. ADD THE ONIONS AND SHAKING THE PAN, BROWN LIGHTLY. REMOVE TO A BOWL.
SCRUB THE POTATOES WITH A VEGETABLE BRUSH BUT LEAVE WHOLE.
TRIM ALL BUT A TUFT OF GREEN STEM FROM THE CARROTS. SCRAPE OR PEEL.
PLACE THE CARROTS AND POTATOES IN THE PAN. POUR IN A CUP OF CHICKEN STOCK. SALT AND PEPPER. BRING TO A BOIL, LOWER TO A SIMMER AND COVER. AFTER 6 MINUTES, ADD THE ONIONS. CONTINUE COOKING TILL THE VEGETABLES ARE EQUALLY TENDER.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH, BRING THE VEGETABLES BACK TO A SIMMER AND STIR IN THE PEAS. COOK ONE MINUTE, THEN TURN OFF THE HEAT.
SPOON THE VEGETABLES INTO YOUR SERVING DISH. DISMANTLE THE LAMB AND ARRANGE ON TOP OF THE VEGETABLES. GARNISH WITH FRESHLY-CHOPPED PARSLEY OR CHIVES.
SERVE WITH SALSA VERDE ON THE SIDE. SERVES 6
MINCE THE HERBS.
CHOP THE PITTED GREEN OLIVES.
RINSE THE CAPERS IN A STRAINER UNDER RUNNING WATER. DRY ON A PAPER TOWEL AND CHOP ROUGLY.
PEEL AND MINCE THE SHALLOT AND GARLIC CLOVES.
COMBINE INGREDIENTS IN A BOWL. GRATE IN THE LEMON ZEST.
SALT AND PEPPER, THEN BEAT IN ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF GOOD OLIVE OIL. ADD A SQUEEZE OF LEMON. TASTE, ADDING MORE LEMON JUICE OR OLIVE OIL AS NEEDED.
LET THE SALSA VERDE SIT FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING OR OVERNIGHT.
Ingredients
Directions
USING A MORTAR AND PESTLE OR A BLENDER, COMBINE PEELED GARLIC CLOVES, ANCHOVIES AND ROSEMARY LEAVES WITH ABOUT A 1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OLIVE TO MAKE A ROUGH PASTE.
USING A SMALL KNIFE, POKE A FEW HOLES IN THE LAMB SHOULDER. RUB THE PASTE ALL OVER, WORKING INTO THE HOLES. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER. COVER AND REFRIGERATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT.
PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 325.
PLACE THE LAMB IN A POT. POUR IN 1 1/2 CUPS OF WHITE WINE AND A CUP OF WATER. COOK IN THE OVEN FOR 1 HOUR. TURN THE LAMB OVER AND COOK ANOTHER HOUR. YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO ADD MORE WINE OR WATER DURING THE COURSE OF THE BRAISING. COOK UNTIL THE MEAT IS EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK. IT SHOULD BE NICELY BROWNED ON TOP.
DUMP THE POTATOES AND CARROTS IN A SINK FULL OF WATER TO LOOSEN ANY GRIT.
BRING A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN OF WATER TO BOIL
MEANWHILE, USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE TRIM A THIN SLICE OFF EACH END OF THE ONIONS. WHEN THE WATER BOILS, ADD THE ONIONS AND BOIL FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. DRAIN IMMEDIATELY AND DUMP INTO THE SINK FULL OF VEGETABLES. THE ONIONS SHOULD EASILY POP OUT OF THEIR SKINS.
MELT 2 TBPS OF BUTTER IN A LARGE FRYING PAN. ADD THE ONIONS AND SHAKING THE PAN, BROWN LIGHTLY. REMOVE TO A BOWL.
SCRUB THE POTATOES WITH A VEGETABLE BRUSH BUT LEAVE WHOLE.
TRIM ALL BUT A TUFT OF GREEN STEM FROM THE CARROTS. SCRAPE OR PEEL.
PLACE THE CARROTS AND POTATOES IN THE PAN. POUR IN A CUP OF CHICKEN STOCK. SALT AND PEPPER. BRING TO A BOIL, LOWER TO A SIMMER AND COVER. AFTER 6 MINUTES, ADD THE ONIONS. CONTINUE COOKING TILL THE VEGETABLES ARE EQUALLY TENDER.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH, BRING THE VEGETABLES BACK TO A SIMMER AND STIR IN THE PEAS. COOK ONE MINUTE, THEN TURN OFF THE HEAT.
SPOON THE VEGETABLES INTO YOUR SERVING DISH. DISMANTLE THE LAMB AND ARRANGE ON TOP OF THE VEGETABLES. GARNISH WITH FRESHLY-CHOPPED PARSLEY OR CHIVES.
SERVE WITH SALSA VERDE ON THE SIDE. SERVES 6
MINCE THE HERBS.
CHOP THE PITTED GREEN OLIVES.
RINSE THE CAPERS IN A STRAINER UNDER RUNNING WATER. DRY ON A PAPER TOWEL AND CHOP ROUGLY.
PEEL AND MINCE THE SHALLOT AND GARLIC CLOVES.
COMBINE INGREDIENTS IN A BOWL. GRATE IN THE LEMON ZEST.
SALT AND PEPPER, THEN BEAT IN ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF GOOD OLIVE OIL. ADD A SQUEEZE OF LEMON. TASTE, ADDING MORE LEMON JUICE OR OLIVE OIL AS NEEDED.
LET THE SALSA VERDE SIT FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING OR OVERNIGHT.