Adam’s Slow Cooked Lamb & Spiced Rice
If ever there was a meal designed to be enjoyed with friends and family, this would be it. Full of aromatic spices and complex but comforting flavours, this recipe from our group head chef Adam Wolfers is a soul-warming experience. The dishes below are made for mixing and matching, so Adam urges creativity — always. Prepare it his way or switch it up with different proteins or make a vegetarian version. The only rule is there are no rules.
Serves 4 || Prep time 30-45 minutes (alternatively 2 hours if all elements are made from scratch) || Cook time [3 hours]
Ingredients:
Lamb Shoulder
800 g – 1kg lamb shoulder, bone in preferred
200 g Toum* (recipe below or can be store bought. If buying, we recommend Pilpel Garlic Dip or Liban Gourmet Garlic Love)
15 g Ras el Hanout* (recipe below or can be purchased pre-packaged in select stores)
250 g plain Greek yoghurt
15 g sea salt flakes
Spiced Rice
500 g basmati rice
500 ml neutral oil for frying
2 medium white onions, finely sliced
1.25 litres chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
100 g butter, diced
¼ bunch coriander, washed and picked
¼ bunch mint, washed and picked
Rice Spice Mix* (recipe below)
¼ cup chopped macadamias, lightly toasted
2 tbsp barberries (or goji berries /cranberries)
3 tbsp golden raisins
2 tbsp sultanas
1 lemon, cut in half
Rice Spice Mix
2 tbsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground caraway
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground fennel seed
2 tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp ground smoked chilli
Optional condiments:
Extra virgin olive oil, Garlic yoghurt* (recipe below), pickles, lemon halves
Method for lamb
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Generously sprinkle sea salt flakes over the lamb to ensure it is well seasoned before applying the marinade.
3. In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, ras el hanout and toum.
4. Mix and rub all the marinade onto the lamb, using gloves if desired.
*Steps 2-4 can be done the day before*
If marinating the lamb in advance, finish by wrapping it in plastic wrap and refrigerating overnight. The lamb cooking time should be extended slightly longer due to it being refrigerator cold.
5. Place the lamb in a cast iron pot (or a deep baking dish if preferred) and add water so it covers ⅓ of the lamb.
6. Cover the pot with a lid or tightly with aluminium foil and place into the oven for approximately 2 hours or until lamb easily falls away from the bone.
7. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest in the pot as you prepare the rice.
Method for rice
8. Increase oven temperature to 180°C.
9. Heat oil in a heavy cast iron pot (lid off) over medium heat.
10. Add the sliced onions ensuring they are completely submerged in the oil and keep stirring until they turn golden-brown in colour.
11. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the fried onions and place on a plate with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
12. Using a fine strainer, strain the remaining oil from the pot. Once strained, place half of the oil back into the pot.
13. Add the minced garlic; stir 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
14. Add the spice mix; stir for 3 minutes or until fragrant.
15. Add the rice; stir for 3 minutes, thoroughly coating the rice to bring out the toasted flavours.
16. Add in the chicken stock. Increase the heat on the stove, stirring continuously for approximately 1 minute so the rice does not stick to the sides of the pot.
17. Once the liquid has come to a boil, replace the lid and turn off the heat. Place the pot in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the liquid from the rice is completely absorbed and the rice is fluffy and slightly chewy.
18. Remove the rice from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 250°C.
19. Uncover the lamb and place back into the oven for an additional 15 minutes or until golden-brown in colour.
20. Remove the lamb from the oven. Using a ladle, take some of the remaining liquid from the bottom of the pot and pour over the lamb. Set aside.
21. Going back to the rice, gently fold the diced butter into the rice mixture. Avoid breaking the rice granules as much as possible.
22. Fold the macadamias, barberries, sultanas carefully into the rice mixture.
23. Add sea salt flakes to taste.
24. Top with fried onions and freshly picked herbs.
25. Add lemon juice to taste.
26. Optional: Serve with small bowls of garlic yoghurt, lemon wedges and pickles.
Additional Recipes
-
Toum (highly technical)
110 g organic garlic cloves
25 g peeled raw potato
2 tsp salt
250 g frozen lemon juice
1 litre vegetable oil (place in the freezer for 2 hours)
Method for ToumPlace garlic, potato and salt in a bowl; freeze for 20 minutes. Ensure garlic is not completely frozen.
Using a medium setting on a food processor, add the garlic, potato and frozen lemon juice to form a puree.
While the food processor is running on medium to high speed, slowly pour in 1-2 tbsp of oil, then stop and scrape down the bowl. Check the temperature of the mixture - we want to avoid it getting warm. If it does, the mixture will separate. If you feel it’s starting to get warm, stop adding the liquid and place into the freezer to cool down the mix.
When you’re satisfied the mixture isn’t warm, continue adding another tbsp or two of oil until the garlic starts to look creamy.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
-
Ras el Hanout
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp fennel seeds
pinch cayenne pepper
½ tsp sea salt
pinch cinnamon
½ tsp coriander seed
¼ tsp black peppercorns
Method for Ras el Hanout
In a bowl, combine the spices and set aside.
-
(highly technical if making toum from scratch)
500 g plain greek yoghurt
75 g garlic toum
¼ lemon juice, squeezed
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Method for garlic yoghurt
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the yoghurt and garlic toum.
Season with salt and lemon juice to taste.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Watch Adam’s Spiced Rice and Slow Cooked Lamb
Wine Pairing
2019 Domaine Raspail-Ay
Gigondas, Southern Rhone, France
From Seamus Brandt, Group Sommelier:
Dominique Ay, the serious-minded proprietor of Domaine Raspail-Ay, produces one of the most iconic wines in all of Gigondas. This estate, founded in 1854 and situated on mid-slope clay/limestone terraces beneath the imposing Dentelles de Montmirail, remains steadfastly traditional with its classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, vinified in concrete and aged in large oak foudres.
The intriguing perfume of black raspberry, cherry compote, tobacco, and lavender mirrors the aromatic profile of the many herbs and spices in Adam's recipe. The wine’s broad yet focused red fruit flavours holds its own against the richness of the lamb, while introducing an exotic touch of candied orange peel and star anise. Silky tannins lend structure to a long, elegantly perfumed finish.