RED WINE BRAISED LAMB AND FIGS

Posted on by Laura Geraty – By

With temperatures finally dipping down into true fall territory here in New York City, we’re entering my favorite cooking season. (Note, I did not just say “season” there, I prefaced it with cooking. These shorter, cooler days? No, no, no, I don’t like where this is headed.)

Our farmers markets are still stocked with tomatoes and eggplant, those beauties of late summer. But tables are also laden with winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cabbages, kale and other cold weather produce.

On top of that, it doesn’t seem sacrilegious to have my oven on for hours at a time. In fact, I want to have it on for hours to combat the cold air seeping through my windows and to fill my home with the comforting smells of something delicious. That’s exactly what inspired this recipe: red wine braised lamb and figs.

Oh, this recipe. The assertive lamb mellows and picks up on the subtle sweetness of the figs. It yields into moist threads with the lightest pressure of your fork. I make sure each bite of my lamb has a bit of the jammy, soft fig spread over the top. Mmmm, my mouth is watering describing it.

Also, what’s not to love about braising? In addition to its aforementioned home-heating and intoxicating-smell-inducing properties, braising also transforms the toughest cuts of meat into no-knife-required fare. Flavors meld and deepen as the liquid reduces.

You can absolutely braise on the stove-top but I prefer the more consistent heat provided by the oven; no open flames or adjusting temperatures up or down. Which means I can clean up after the initial prep and go do something else. I’m with David Sedaris who told Mark Bittman, “When I cook, I want to put everything in the oven, then I want to take a bath for half an hour, and then when I get out of the tub I want everything to be ready.” I don’t get to take a lot of baths these days but, ya, I like that extra time.

So prep this braised lamb this afternoon for dinner tonight. Then let your oven work its magic while you light some candles and take a long bath…or, let’s be real, do laundry, catch up on emails and get some work done. Your kitchen will be warm, your home fragrant, and your belly full.

Red Wine Braised Lamb and Figs

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, cut into rough ~2 inch chunks (lamb stew meat would also probably be fine)
  • Neutral, high heat oil like grapeseed oil (extra virgin olive oil also fine)
  • 1 large red onion, roughly chopped (yellow okay too)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried ginger
  • 1 tsp dried coriander
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • 1 sprig rosemary (optional)
  • 1 cup dried figs, stems removed and halved
  • 1.5+ cups chicken broth***
  • ¾ cup red wine (something you’d drink)
  • Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • To serve: Toasted Israeli Couscous (recipe below), chopped parsley, lemon wedges and/or zest

*** Depending on the size of your braising dish, you might need to add more because the liquid evaporates quicker in a larger dish, even when covered. I found I needed nearly 3 cups, adding a splash here and there. Start with 1.5 cups and add splashes as necessary. You are looking to maintain enough liquid that the lamb is at least halfway covered. It should be mostly covered when you first put it into the oven to braise.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Generously season the chunks of lamb with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Don’t be shy.
  3. Preheat a large dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, coat the bottom lightly with oil, then sear the lamb in batches until well-browned, about 4-5 minutes a side. I did two batches in my very large Le Creuset.
  4. Meanwhile, get all of your other ingredients prepped: measure out the spices; chop the onion, garlic and figs; and measure out the wine and broth.
  5. Remove all of the browned lamb from your dutch oven and set aside. Add the chopped onion and garlic. You aren’t looking to brown them, just soften them a little which will take ~3-5 minutes. Their moisture will also help pick up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of pan.
  6. Next, add the cumin, dried ginger, coriander and cinnamon stick. Saute them for a couple of minutes to maximize their flavor.
  7. Finally, add everything else to the party: the browned lamb, figs, red wine and chicken broth. As noted, add a splash of extra chicken broth if the lamb isn’t mostly covered. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly with a lid, then transfer the dutch oven to your preheated oven.
  8. Check on the lamb at 90 minutes and then at 30-minute increments thereafter, adding splashes of chicken stock as necessary. You know it is done when the lamb falls apart easily with the gentlest prodding of a fork. This took me about 2.5 hours though could take more or less depending on the lamb.
  9. Serve alongside toasted Israeli couscous and topped with chopped parsley, lemon zest and a squirt of bright lemon juice. Make sure to ladle extra sauce over the couscous.

Serves 4-6 people

 

Toasted Israeli Couscous

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cups Israeli Couscous
  • 3 cups water or broth
  • Kosher Salt

Method

  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous and toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring every few seconds so the couscous becomes lightly browned but not burnt. It will begin the smell pleasantly nutty.
  2. Add the water or broth (use leftover broth if you have it) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until cooked just shy of package-suggested time, typically 8-10 minutes.
  3. Drain, return the couscous to the pot and tent with a clean kitchen towel to finish cooking in its own steam. You can add a little extra butter if you are worried about the couscous becoming too sticky.

Serves 4