Here’s a lamb ragout, rich in the flavours of the Orient and Occident, and dead easy to make.
It is impossible to make this the right amount for one or two portions, so let’s make three portions. Left-overs reheat nicely for lunch on the following day.
Two lamb leg slices with skin, fat, meat and bone (~600 g).
3 medium-sized carrots, a bulb of garlic, two small red onions, 3 fresh tomatoes (or half a can of chopped ones). Star anise, Kassia bark (alt. cinnamon), red chillies, thyme. Salt, pepper, fresh herbs.
Preheat a frying pan to medium heat, melt some ghee or good cooking oil, then sear the leg slices until they begin to caramelise on both sides.
Meanwhile, clean and dice all the veg, crush the garlic. Leave the meat where it is, surround it with the onion and garlic, then add the remaining vegetables. Add five star anise, a good amount of Kassia bark (at least 20 cm worth), red chillies to taste. Add thyme, freshly ground black pepper and a teaspoon of salt.
Add 250 ml water, reduce the heat to a very low simmer, put the lid on and let it do its job for 3 hours.
When finished, remove skin, bones and excess fat, cutting the meat when necessary. Remove the chillies, anise and Kassia, then run the sauce through a blender.
Add some freshly chopped parsley, basil and perhaps a tough of mint.
Return the meat to the sauce, check the seasoning and you’re done.
I served it with grilled aubergines for a carb-free meal, but good quality egg fettuccine is certainly an option.
