Cast Iron

Braised Leg of Lamb with Olives and Orange

by:
February 10, 2011
0
0 Ratings
Braised Leg of Lamb with Olives and Orange
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

I love the flavor of fresh, sweet oranges with salty cured olives but had never tried an actual braised meat with that combination. I've certainly read many recipes that combine meat or poultry with olives and oranges, especially Mediterrenean recipes from Spain, Provençe, and Morocco. I decided to try it based on some of the best ingredients I had, both fresh and canned. These included a local half leg of lamb (raised by a friend but butchered at the local USDA butcher), fresh blood and navel oranges, fresh rosemary that I raise indoors during the winter, a bottle of "French" olives that I had received for Christmas, and homemade canned tomato passata. I love the flavor. It's a very strong, dominant combination of flavors so I served it first with mashed potatoes and parsnips and some broccoli. But as leftovers, I had it with glazed carrots and polenta. Yummy! —Linda's Kitchen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 half of a bone-in, leg of lamb
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5-6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 10, or, to taste, cloves of garlic, smashed and diced
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/3 cup black kalamari or gaeta olives
  • 1 orange, quartered
  • 1/1 cup tomato passata
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • orange zest
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Salt and pepper the leg of lamb. In a large casserole (I use cast iron), heat the olive oil to smoking. Lower heat. Add the lamb and sear until well carmelized. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Add onions to the oil and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds. Add rosemary.
  4. Add red wine and reduce. Then add tomato passata and chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
  5. Place in oven for 2-3 hours, tightly covered. I usually put a piece of foil between my cast iron lid and the pot.
  6. Before serving, add orange zest. Next time I would use orange zest combined with parsley.
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4 Reviews

t.a.daisy@tamalpaistravel.com
[email protected] March 2, 2019
Where/when do the oranges and olives go?
 
Linda's K.
Linda's K. March 10, 2012
Ah, yes JohnSkye, you put the lamb back into the pot to braise it. I find recipes easy to create but difficult to write because of that taken-for-granted knowledge. But I would also be the first person to ask the question that you asked. Thanks for the correction!
 
Linda's K.
Linda's K. March 10, 2012
Ah, yes, JohnSkye, you do put the lamb back in the post to braise it. I find recipes easy to create but difficult to write because of that taken-for-granted knowledge. And yet, I'd be the first to ask the same kind of question you did. Thanks for the correction!
 
JohnSkye
JohnSkye March 10, 2012
in step 2 you've removed the lamb to a plate ... in step 5 you place the pot with the onions, garlic, tomato paste and chicken stock in the oven ... i assume the lamb should be placed back in the pot at some point?