Braised Harissa Lamb Recipe

Serve with Double Diamond Proprietary Red Wine

Serves 4-6

• 2 pounds lamb stew meat (or boneless leg of lamb cut into 1-2 inch chunks)
• Diamond Kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½ angled slices
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, coarsely crushed in mortar and pestle
• ½ cup Double Diamond Proprietary Red Wine
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups high quality chicken or beef broth
• Two 15-ounce cans garbanzos, drained
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• for serving: cilantro and cilantro blossoms ( if available) and saffron rice

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Season lamb chunks with 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Set seasoned lamb aside at room temp while you prepare your other ingredients.
3. Heat butter and olive oil in a large Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Brown both sides of the carrot chunks along with a pinch of salt – about 8 minutes of cooking time. Set aside caramelized carrots on a large platter or sheet pan. Next, brown all sides of the lamb pieces in batches, setting aside browned pieces on the carrot platter as you go.
4. When you’re done browning the lamb and have set all pieces aside, turn the flame under the Dutch Oven to medium-low. Sauté onions with a pinch of salt and crushed cumin seeds, scraping up the lovely lamb and carrot remnants in the pan.
5. When onions are golden and translucent, add wine to the pan, and turn heat up to medium-high so the wine is bubbling. Scrape and deglaze the pan. When wine has reduced by half, add crushed tomato, tomato paste, harissa, garlic, broth to the pot. Stir to incorporate all ingredients and season with additional salt and a few grinds of black pepper to taste. Nestle carrot and lamb chunks into the pot. Bring liquid to a simmer, cover, then braise in the 325 degree oven for 2 hours.
6. You’ll know your stew is done when the lamb is very tender and easy to pull apart with a fork. Add garbanzos and apple cider vinegar to the stew, then taste for seasoning adding additional salt and/or black pepper. Put stew back on stovetop over low heat until garbanzos are warmed through and have soften a bit and mingled with the sauce.
7. Serve harissa lamb on a bed of saffron rice topped with cilantro leaves and blossoms, if you have them.
8. Note: Stew can be made 1-3 days ahead and the flavors only deepen.