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The mediterranean ecookbook

Braised leg of lamb cleopatra

This is a recipe from restaurant Daniel in New York City. It is great. Rubbing the leg of lamb with a combination of 11 spices, then baking it slowly for 3 hours with a vegetable garnish produces an exquisitely tender and aromatic dish.
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 3 hours minutes
Servings 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the Braised leg of lamb cleopatra:

  • 1 whole leg of lamb
    8 garlic cloves
    salt and pepper to taste
    1/4 cup olive oil
    3 cups onions, chopped
    4 cups carrots, chopped
    3 cups celery, chopped
    2 cups fennel, chopped
    1 jalapeño, seeded, minced
    4 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped
    6 cups chicken stock
    1/4 cup italian parsley, chopped

    Spice mix
    Combine the following spices, all ground
    2 tablespoons cumin
    2 teaspoons cinnamon
    1 teaspoons allspice
    1 tablespoon coriander
    1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
    1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
    1 tablespoon cardamon
    1 teaspoons ginger
    1/2 teaspoon star anise
    1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    a pinch cloves

    Couscous
    1 pound instant couscous
    2 cups chicken stock
    1 teaspoon honey
    1/4 cup golden raisins, small
    3 tablespoons sweet butter
    1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
    2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
  • Directions

    • Blend the spices into a blender to obtain a fine powder.

      Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
      Remove lamb hip bone.
      Make 18 incisions all around meat with a small knife. Insert small garlic sticks in meat.
      Rub lamb with 4 tablespoons of the spice mix, and salt and pepper. Heat olive in a deep roasting pan, brown the lamb on all sides over high heat.
      Add remaining garlic, onions, carrots, celery, fennel, and jalapeño. Stir well. Add tomatoes, 1 tablespoon spice mix, and salt. Cover pan, and roast for 1 hour.
      Add hot chicken stock to lamb; Decrease oven temperature to 300 degrees. Cover and cook another 2 hours. Turn lamb every 20 minutes.
      Remove lamb from pan with vegetables. Add parsley to sauce with salt and pepper; Spread couscous into a casserole. Pour hot chicken stock, honey and 1/2 tablespoon spice mix, and raisins over couscous. Cover. Remove from heat. Add butter, pine nuts, and coriander leaves. Keep warm until ready to serve.
      Arrange lamb and vegetables on a platter. Cover with sauce. Carve meat and serve with couscous.

    Find it online:

    https://pageturnercookbooks.com/mediterranean