Sicilian Lamb Spezzatino With Saffron and Mint
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4pounds lamb shoulder chops cut 2 inches thick
- Salt and pepper
- ¼cup olive oil
- 2cups diced red onion
- 4cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch of saffron
- 2tablespoon tomato paste
- 1cup dry white wine
- 1cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
949 calories; 74 grams fat; 29 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 33 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 52 grams protein; 995 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Season chops generously with salt and pepper. Put olive oil in a wide deep skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown lamb on both sides, then remove and set aside. Lower heat to medium, add onion to pan and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly colored, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Stir garlic, saffron and tomato paste into onions and cook 1 minute. Add wine and simmer for 2 minutes, then return lamb to skillet. Add 4 cups water, just to cover meat, and bring to a boil. Put on lid, turn heat to low and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until quite tender.
- Step 3
Remove lid and raise heat to a rapid simmer. Simmer until juices have reduced by nearly half and sauce has thickened somewhat (may be prepared ahead to this point). Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, reheat and stir in chopped mint.
Private Notes
Comments
I found that adding a diced quarter or half of a preserved lemon provided some acidity that helped to cut through the fat, lighten the dish, and make it even more delicious, in a Sicilian-consistent way.
This was good, but the shoulder chops were quite fatty so I cooked this in two stages, over two days, so I could defat the sauce. In Step 2, I used homemade stock in place of the water, simmered for 10 or 15 minutes, refrigerated, defatted the next day and then finished the simmering. The meat was very tender, the sauce silky and full of flavor. Leftovers (we had lots) were good over bulgur pilav and (later, deboned) over egg noodles.
This was delicious for such a simple recipe (just 7 ingredients!). I followed the recipe to a T for the most part, adding a handful of chopped sundried tomatoes (very Sicilian) along with the garlic, saffron, etc. I also cooked it in my Instant Pot pressure cooker for just 17 minutes and while the meat fell off the bone, it was deeply flavorful and maintained great texture.
Make this. Right now. Go. Only change I made was to use 1/2 homemade chicken broth for the braising liquid. And I did end up taking off some of the fat bc it was swimming in grease. HUGE approval at a very discerning table :) I served with polenta. Perfect and amazing. Enjoy!!!
Had I cooked this for guests it would have been a major embarrassment, because it needed another hour or more of cooking. Luckily I was cooking for my wife and myself.
I followed the recipe and the meat was absolutely tough. It needed TWICE the cooking time or more