This classic Basque recipe was passed down from owner Mario Leon's grandmother to his mother. Leon took it from there. Sentimentality aside, the dish earns its permanent spot on the menu with big flavor and lamb so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork.
Ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Step 1
Season lamb with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Working in batches, cook lamb until golden brown on all sides, 7-8 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer browned lamb to a medium bowl and set aside.
Step 2
Add onions to same pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and light golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add wine and reserved browned lamb along with any accumulated juices. Simmer lamb until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato juice, chicken broth, ground cumin, hot paprika, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lamb is tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Step 3
Add chopped carrot and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until carrot is tender and sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Transfer braised lamb to a large bowl. Garnish lamb with peas, almonds, and mint.
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Reviews (14)
Back to TopThis was absolutely delicious and dinner party worthy! The almonds and mint must accompany! Adds crunch and mint a surprise and fresh addition. I normally use mint jelly, but the fresh mint was an awesome addition.
disunno22
East Hampton, NY
1/13/2015
I cooked it for 1 hour total as the liquid evaporated quite quickly
chanel11
7/13/2012
Delicious. I added portobello mushrooms and served over gnocchi. Plenty of gravy.
Anonymous
Highland Park, IL
4/29/2012
Really enjoyed this for a winter meal---as suggested below, used boneless leg as there was no shoulder available. Served it on a deep platter, surrounded by mashed potatoes with horseradish and steamed green beans with lemon butter. The sauce is more like a rich gravy--we ate well!
silemck
Pittsburgh, PA
1/29/2012
Thank you Matthew from Boston for requesting this recipe from Dali (one of my all time favorite restaurants)! I hope you get a chance to read these reviews and try it yourself. I'd love to see how it comes out in your kitchen!! Can't wait to try it myself!
JSebell
jsebell
12/19/2011
Really, really good. Made as is and it turned out delicious.
YGarcia
12/14/2011
Made it as directed and it was a huge hit. Very easy and delicious.
Nelliest
Palm Springs
12/8/2011
Wow-this was delicious. My whole family loved it. I made it in the slow cooker. I browned the lamb, cooked the onions, added the wine, spices and broth etc. in the insert on the cook top, then set the slow cooker for 2 hours on high and 7 hours on low. After that I added the carrot and set it back to high for 30 minutes before finishing with the herbs and garnish.
basildoc
Denver
11/29/2011
I made this for a dinner party and it was a huge hit! The flavors were so well developed and yet it was a relatively simple dish to make. I used smoked paprika which added good depth. I served the lamb (and sauce!) over couscous, accompanied by a spinach salad with lemon/mint dressing. Everyone loved it!
Anonymous
Denver, CO
11/28/2011
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I served it over mashed potatoes with a green salad on thie side...perfect.
ancastercook
ancaster, on
11/27/2011
I had never cooked lamb before but decided to try this recipe. The whole family, including the kids, LOVED it. I used a boneless leg of lamb on my butcher's recommendation, which turned out well, and served it over noodles. I suspect you could even do this one in a crock pot... ? I'll definitely be making this again!
blairef
Boulder, CO
11/10/2011
I found this very easy to make. Extra peas is a good idea. Works well over noodles, but we like mashed potatoes the best. Excellent use of shoulder cuts.
lastchance
Montana
11/7/2011
This was truly amazing. Broth was velvety and delicious, lamb falls apart in your mouth. Added more peas because I like some extra green, but otherwise, wouldn't change a thing.
mondaymoos
Mesa, AZ
11/5/2011
I saw this in this month's BA and thought "I have lamb". We bought a local whole lamb this year and I had a lot of the less prime cuts cut into stew, and used the bones to make stock. Anyway, made this last night, substituting only the chicken stock for lamb stock. My husband squirreled away the leftovers, labeled "lamb heaven". I think that says it all.
vgibbs
Vancouver Island
11/4/2011
