Braised Leg of Lamb with Dried Prunes and Toasted Almonds

Joy! I just reserved my whole lamb for this year. But now I’m thinking maybe I should have ordered two instead… Ah, if only it weren’t that pricey.

Sometimes I wish lamb meat was just as widely available and affordable as beef is. I would more than gladly swap my beef for it. Granted, it wouldn’t work with every single dish, but for those dishes where the substitution wouldn’t be such a winning idea, then I would still have the option to stick with beef.

Perhaps I should move to New Zealand or something… I hear lamb is a lot cheaper there, and tastes a lot better, too. Well, for those who, like me, really like the pronounced, almost wool-like flavor of lamb meat.

Ah, wishful dreaming. Well, perhaps I’ll at least get to visit one day. But that would cost way more than the price of a lamb…

If you’re not a fan of lamb, or if you’ve never tried it, I think this Braised Leg of Lamb with Dried Prunes and Toasted Almonds is a good place to start. The stronger flavor of the meat harmonizes really well with the sweetness of the dried fruit and nuttiness of the almonds, and the hint of exoticism brought forth by the garam masala makes the whole experience even more pleasant to the palate.

The contrast between the tender chunks of meat, creamy dried fruits and crunchy almonds will more than probably leave an impression of tremendous pleasure on your senses, too!

I know it did mine…  

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F

Now melt the lard (or other healthy cooking fat) in a heavy skillet set over high heat. Sprinkle the leg of lamb generously with salt and pepper and place it in the hot pan; brown on all sides and remove the roast to a 7 quart Dutch oven.

Place the skillet back over the heat source, lower the heat to medium and add a little more fat to the pan if necessary then throw in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion becomes translucent.

Don’t worry if your onions take on a little bit of coloration… that only means more flavor!

Add almonds to the pan and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until the nuts become fragrant.

Transfer this to the Dutch oven, along with the dried prunes and dried figs.

Whisk the bone broth, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sage, thyme, garam masala, salt and pepper together in a large glass measuring cup or mixing bowl (preferably one that’s equipped with a spout) and then pour that liquid right over your roast.

Cover and cook in the oven for 3 to 3½ hours or until the meat is tender and detaches easily from the bone when pulled with a fork.

Notice how this roast produces its own beautiful sauce, and lots of it, too! At first, you may think that there’s even too much, but trust me, that feeling won’t last very long. That sauce is so deliciously sweet and tasty and rich, you won’t want to waste a single drop of it!

You will particularly enjoy it if you choose to serve your roast with a side of cauli-mash to soak it all up…

I also found this bad boy to be a particularly suitable choice of protein for breakfast. Its agreeably sweet profile makes it particularly easy for the brain and taste buds to accept even if it’s rather early in the morning…

Served alongside a couple of pan fried eggs and sauteed vegetables, it made for a mighty fine start to my day!

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5 from 1 vote

Braised Leg of Lamb with Dried Prunes and Toasted Almonds

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons lard, or other healthy cooking fat
• 1.5 kg 3.25lb bone-in leg of lamb
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 2 cups bone broth
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 cup dried prunes, cut in half
• 6 dried figs, cut in half

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F
• Melt the lard in a heavy skillet set over high heat. Sprinkle the leg of lamb generously with salt and pepper and place it in the hot pan; brown on all sides and remove the roast to a 7 quart Dutch oven.
• Place the skillet back over the heat source, lower the heat to medium and add a little more fat to the pan if necessary then throw in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion becomes translucent. Add almonds and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
• Add this to the Dutch oven, along with the dried prunes and dried figs.
• Whisk the bone broth, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sage, thyme, garam masala, salt and pepper together in a large glass measuring cup or mixing bowl, preferably one that’s equipped with a spout.
• Add that liquid to the Dutch oven, cover and cook in the oven for 3 to 3½ hours or until the meat is tender and detaches easily from the bone when pulled with a fork.
• Serve with a simple side of greens, cauliflower mash or sautéed vegetables.
  

Author: Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

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