Do Piaza
(“2 Onion” Braised Lamb)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.5 kg lamb (preferably boneless lamb shoulder cut into 3-4” pieces)
1.5 C vinegar (white or cider)
2 x medium white / yellow onions (finely diced)
2 x large red onions, thinly sliced into halfmoons
3-4 X garlic cloves (mashed0
1 C yellow split peas (dried)
6 C beef or chicken broth (can used canned or bouillon cubes)
1 T turmeric (ground)
1 T coriander (ground)
Salt (kosher)
Pepper (freshly ground course)
4 T vegetable oil (preferably rape seed / canola)
Preparation:
Marinade / pickle the red onion slices in 2 C salted vinegar for 2-3 hours.
Rinse split peas. Place in 3 C broth with ½ T coriander and ½ t salt and boil over medium heat until just done (not mushy, not al dente) about 30-45m.
Preheat oven to 160 C / 325 F.
Heat oil in in heavy-lidded pot or casserole and saute while / yellow onions over medium-high heat, salting sufficiently. Add mashed garlic after 2-3m and continue to saute until onions and garlic soften.
Add lamb pieces pot / casserole, turn down to medium heat, and lightly brown in onions, adding ~1 t salt and ~1 t pepper.
Once lamb has browned sufficiently (10-15m), add ½ C vinegar, ½ T coriander, turmeric, and broth so that lamb is largely covered with liquid.
Cover pot / casserole with lid and place in oven until meat is tender, 45-60m.
When meat ready, remove the meat from meat juice with slotted spoon an lay meat piece(s) on pieces of warm naan or lauvash on a flat serving tray. Ladle some additional meat juice on meat so that it meat and naan / lauvash are properly imbued.
Drain the split peas and pickled onions and lay on top of and around lamb so properly garnished.
Please extra split peas in meat juice and onions with vinegar in separate bowls near meat to allow guests to serve themselves as desired.
Garnish with fresh ground pepper and cover lamb, peas, and onions with additional pieces of warm naan or lauvash so that guests can serve themselves.
Serve with salata.
Enjoy!