A delightful spring dish featuring tender lamb and fresh green garlic risotto, served with a vibrant salad.
Lamb and Green Garlic Risotto
This dish is a springtime favorite at Le Pigeon, featuring the abundant green garlic that fills the farmers’ markets at the start of the season. Paired with tender, slow-roasted lamb and a vibrant salad, this dish is a standout that would surely make it onto our greatest hits album.
Ingredients
Lamb: * ½ tsp garlic powder * ¼ tsp onion powder * ½ tsp ground fennel seeds * 2 tbsp kosher salt * 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper * 1 boneless lamb shoulder, about 3 pounds (1.4 kg) * 1 cup dry white wine * 1 head green garlic, halved * Neutral oil for frying
Risotto: * ¼ cup unsalted butter * ½ yellow onion, diced * 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced * 1½ cups Arborio rice * Kosher salt * ¾ cup dry white wine * 4 cups chicken stock, warmed * ½ cup grated pecorino * ½ cup thinly sliced radish
Salad: * ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley * 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes * Pickled Fennel, strained and liquid discarded * 2 tbsp good-quality extra-virgin olive oil * Kosher salt * A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Rub the lamb all over with the spice mixture. Place in a roasting pan with the wine and garlic. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 5 hours. Remove the lamb from the oven and let cool. Refrigerate until cold. Cut into six equal portions.
- To make the risotto, in a heavy pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and season with salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the wine has evaporated, 7 to 8 minutes. Add half of the stock and cook, stirring continuously, until all of the stock has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining stock and cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 8 minutes more. At this point the rice should be al dente. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the pecorino. Stir in the radish and season with salt. Set aside and keep warm.
- In a large sauté pan over high heat, heat 1/4 inch (6 mm) of oil. Add the lamb and panfry until heated through and crispy, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- To make the salad, in a bowl, toss together the parsley, tomatoes, fennel, and olive oil to combine. Season with salt to taste.
- Divide the risotto among six shallow bowls. Top each with a piece of lamb and an equal amount of the salad. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- This dish pairs well with Italian wines that have earthy notes, such as Cabernet Franc from Girolamo Dorigo in Friuli or Chianti from Colognole. The herbaceous hint of tomato stem in the Dorigo Cab Franc and the notes of cherry, dusty roads, and tomato leaf in the Colognole Chianti complement the flavors in this dish beautifully.