Lamb and Orange Khoresh Stew

• Gluten free

• Meat

  • 1 3/4 kg Lamb

• Produce

  • 600 g Carrots
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 handful Mint, fresh leaves
  • 4 Oranges, organic
  • 400 g Yellow onions

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
  • 4 Pods green cardamom
  • 1 pinch Saffron threads
  • 1 Salt
  • 2 tbsp Sugar

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 40 g Pistachios, unsalted

• Dairy

  • 30 g Butter

• Liquids

  • 2 tbsp Flower water, orange

Found on chocolateandzucchini.com

Ingredients

• 4 organic oranges, about 700 grams (1 1/2 pounds) total
• 30 grams (2 tablespoons) butter (use coconut oil for dairy-free or paleo)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (use honey for paleo)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.8 kilos (4 pounds) lamb, half from the shoulder and half from the neck (bone-in), cut into 4-cm (1 1/2-inch) cubes
• 400 grams (14 ounces) yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I use fresh cinnamon from Cinnamon Hill)
• 4 pods green cardamom, smashed with the blade of a knife
• a pinch saffron threads (optional)
• 1 lime
• 600 grams (1 1/3 pounds) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons orange flower water
• 40 grams (1/3 cup) unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped (omit for nut-free)
• a handful of fresh mint leaves
• salt, pepper

Directions

• Wash 3 of the oranges well and use a vegetable peeler to peel off the very surface of their peel: the goal is to get the orange part and as little of the white as possible.
• Cut the peel in matchstick-size strips (I use kitchen shears).
• Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan, add the orange peel and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and return to the pan.
• Add the butter, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Melt over medium heat and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the pan smells like salted butter caramel and the strips are lightly browned. Dont overcook or they will be bitter.
• Lift the peels from the pan with tongs or a slotted spoon, letting the melted butter drip down, and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to cool. Reserve the butter that remains at the bottom of the pan. (This can be made a day ahead.)
• Heat the oil and reserved butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use my cast-iron cocotte) over medium heat.
• Add the meat without crowding (you may have to work in two batches) and cook for a few minutes on each side until browned. Set aside on a plate.
• Pour in a little water to deglaze the bottom of the pot, add the onions, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook for a few minutes, until soft.
• Add the cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron, and cook for a minute to toast the spices.
• In the meantime, squeeze the juice from the lime and 2 of the oranges (one of them now naked).
• Return the meat to the pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Pour in the citrus juices, and add a little water so the liquids almost cover the meat but not quite.
• Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every once in a while.
• Add the carrots 30 minutes before the end of the cooking.
• Segment the 2 remaining oranges and add the segments to the pot 10 minutes before the end of the cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Stir in the orange flower water at the last minute.
• Serve with basmati rice (I opted for brown basmati rice) and a sprinkle of candied orange peel, pistachios, and mint cut into strips -- I just passed these toppings around in small bowls for each guest to help himself.