Braised Lamb With Garlic and Cinnamon
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds lamb, preferably from the shoulder, cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
Salt and pepper to taste
5 or 6 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered
6 3-inch pieces of cinnamon
1 cup dry white wine, stock or water
4 plum tomatoes (canned are fine), chopped
1 lemon, quartered
1. Put oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. A minute
later, add as many chunks of lamb as will fit without crowding
(cook in batches, if necessary). When meat browns (3 to 4 minutes)
turn chunks and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Adjust heat so
pieces brown as rapidly as possible without burning. After each
has browned on 2 sides, remove from pan and add another piece or
two until all meat has been browned (10 to 15 minutes).
2. When all meat has been removed from pan, turn off heat and allow
the pan to cool a bit. Turn heat back to medium and add garlic and
cinnamon. Cook for about 30 seconds, then add the wine; raise heat
to high and let wine bubble away for a minute. Add the tomatoes
and cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute. Return meat
to pan and cover; adjust heat so mixture bubbles very gently. (If
it cooks too quickly, you may have to add a little water.)
3. Cook, undisturbed, until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve over rice or buttered
noodles, with lemon wedges.
B-man
