Turkish-Style Lamb
You cannot go wrong with this recipe — the flavours are unbeatable and the lamb always comes out tender. My mom has been making this recipe for years and has been a staple in many celebrations and holidays. We typically serve this over rice with green beans on the side — Jack likes to add Frank’s hot sauce on top for some heat. This recipe was adapted from the Food & Drink Spring 2015 issue.
— Alysha
Total Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: 3/5
Tested: YES
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
4 lbs (2 kg) boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3/4 inch medallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp (5 mL) ground allspice
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
2 cups (500 mL) finely chopped onions
1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped carrots
1 cup (250 mL) red wine
1 can (798 mL) tomatoes, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) beef or chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 300°F. Trim the fat off the lamb and cut into 3/4 inch medallions. Season with salt, pepper, allspice and cinnamon.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add lamb and brown well all over, about 8 minutes in total. Remove to a large ovenproof pot.
Wipe skillet clean and return to medium high heat. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and sauté for another 3 minutes or until softened. Pour in wine and bring to boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until reduced slightly. Add tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, dill and oregano, and return to a boil.
Remove from heat and pour sauce around lamb. Cover and bake for 2½ hours. Remove lid and continue to cook until meat is fork tender, 15 to 30 more minutes.
Place lamb on a cutting board and skim the fat off the sauce. If sauce is too thin, bring to a boil on the stove top and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Arrange the medallions of meat on top of the the stew-like mixture. Garnish with extra dill and/or oregano if desired.