Braised Breast of Lamb

For a cheap cut of lamb, the breast is particularly rich with a strong taste. Breast meat is moist and fatty and it braises well with vegetables. I’ve watched the boy cook this dish so many times that I thought it was about time I make my own.

Ingredients:

For Marinade:
2 pounds of breast of lamb with bones
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
half a bunch of scallions, roughly chopped
5 cloves of garlic, peeled, finely chopped
2 cups of red Zinfandel
salt, pepper

For Braising:
2 tbsps whiskey
beef broth
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
1 bag of baby carrots
1 bag of green peas
4 medium white baby potatoes, quartered
1 small can of tomato paste
olive oil

1. Let lamb sit in marinade for a few hours to absorb flavor. Save the juice.
2. When ready to cook, heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
3. Pour off all but 2 tbsps of the fat from the pot. Add the onion, carrots and potatoes to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in some of the marinade with the whiskey and the broth and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping off the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
5. Return the lamb with its juices to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the marinade to a thicker consistency and until lamb is soft.
6. Add the tomato paste and peas. Simmer in low heat until all vegetables are soft.