Denise says:
This is a delicious rice pie with the lamb filling sandwiched between two layers of rice. It is flavoured with my favourite sephardi spices – cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg and coriander. I like to make it for a mid-week dinner as it can be prepared in advance and reheated or for a Sunday supper when the family are all home, hungry and ready for a tasty meal. The secret to the success of this recipe is the slow cooking of the lamb in the spices which blends the flavours together.
Serve it with a cabbage either steamed or boiled.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 kg cubed shoulder of lamb500g white basmati grain rice
400g dried apricots
2 onions – peeled and roughly chopped
100g raisins
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried coriander
300ml boiling water
100 ml red wine
10 threads of saffron
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper – to taste
Garnish
Sprigs of coriander
6 radishes - sliced
Method
1)Season the cubed lamb with salt, pepper, cinnamon, coriander and nutmeg.2)Heat a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onion until just golden. Add the lamb and cook nicely brown all over.
3)Add the saffron to the boiling water and pour into the frying pan. Add the red wine, apricots and raisins, cover and cook slowly for 1 1/2 hours.
4)In a separate saucepan cook the rice and drain 5 minutes before it is completely cooked. Grease an oven dish large enough for 8 people with the remaining olive oil.
5)Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas 4.
6)Put in half of the rice spooning it evenly over the base of the oven dish.
7)Spread the meat mixture over the rice. Cover with the remaining rice.
8)Cover the dish with some aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
To serve the stylish way: Garnish with sprigs of coriander and sliced radishes.