Lamb & buckwheat pilaf with cherries, chestnuts & dill
4
2 hr 25 mins
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Pilafs can be found all over Eastern Europe, central Asia and the Middle East, ranging from the simple to the most complicated depending on the occasion. In this recipe, cherries and chestnuts impart their unmistakeable fruity sweetness on savoury lamb, buckwheat and fresh dill. Cooking the pilaf in the oven avoids any burnt bottoms and, I think, gives a nice crunch to the buckwheat at the surface of the dish.
Ingredients
3
tbsp
sunflower oil
500
g
lamb shoulder , trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3 cm cubes
2
onions , peeled and finely sliced
50
g
unsalted butter
1
tsp
ground allspice
1
tsp
ground cumin
2
bay leaves
pinch
crushed chilli flakes
75
g
dried cherries (or cranberries)
2
carrots , coarsely grated
75
g
cooked peeled chestnuts , broken up slightly
300
g
toasted buckwheat
8
cloves
garlic , unpeeled
sea salt and black pepper , freshly ground
3-4
tbsp
fresh dill , chopped , to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 °Coil to your deep pot. Brown the lamb in 2 batches. Using a slotted spoon, transfer each batch to a bowl, keeping as much of the oil in the pot as possible. Now lower the heat a little and add the onions and butter with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 10 minutesonions have reduced and begun to caramelize.
Now add the allspice , cumin , bay leaves and chilli flakes with ½ tsp black pepper. Allow the spices and onions to cook for a couple of minutes before returning the meat and any collected juices to the pot. Add 300 ml boiling water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot, pop it in the oven, and cook for 1.5 hoursdried cherries (or cranberries) halfway through and giving things a good stir.
The sauce should have reduced and thickened and the meat will be tender. Remove the pot from the oven and increase the temperature to 200 °C
Give the lamb a good stir. Add the carrots and chestnuts in a layer on top of the lamb and sauce. Next add the toasted buckwheat on top and push the garlic cloves into the buckwheat. No stirring!
Now dissolve 1 tsp salt in 500 ml boiling water and carefully pour this into the pot. Using the back of a spoon, submerge any buckwheat that appears to be floating. Pop the lid on and bake in the oven for 30 minutes
Remove from the oven, stir gently and allow to sit for 5 minutesfresh dill . Be sure to eat the garlic by squeezing the softened flesh from the skins - it’s delicious!
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