Lamb with oranges and olives
8 servings
For the lamb:
10 – 11 pound lamb shoulder (I got my 10½ pound California lamb shoulder at R & R meats) ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 6 – 8 cloves garlic 2½ teaspoons sea salt (or 3 teaspoons kosher salt, as it’s less dense) 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 6 oranges, plus 1 for the zest, for garnish 2 cups peeled San Marzano tomatoes (Cento brand available at Raley’s) 1 cup dry white wine 3 – 4 branches rosemary (4 – 6 inches each) 1 cup dry cured black olives (Gaetas are best, others will do)
For the casserole’s top crust:
1 cup all-purpose or bread flour, plus 1 cup water
For the fava bean puree:
1¼ pounds peeled dried fava beans 2 – 4 cloves garlic, peeled ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper Salt, to tasteFor the artichoke hearts:
8 large artichokes (I got mine at Costco) ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ¾ cups dry white wine Salt, to tasteStab the lamb all over with a paring knife and filled the slits with slivers of garlic. Place the meat in a large heavy casserole. Rub all over with olive oil (extra virgin for everything, thank you).
Salt it generously (after all, it’s more than 10 pounds of meat; 2- 3 teaspoons ought to do it). And while we’re on the subject, only use kosher or sea salt. (NEVER use table salt or any salt that contains anti-caking agent; throw it out and don’t admit that you ever owned that acrid abomination!)
Wash well and quarter the oranges and add them to the pot. I used Mineolas from Costco – they had beautiful skins and very few seeds.
Break up the peeled tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot, along with the wine. Grind the black pepper over everything and add the rosemary. Seal the lid on the casserole with dough made from the flour and water. Place in a 290-degree oven (hopefully, you are able to dial in a temperature) for 7 hours.
Fava bean puree:Soak 1½ pounds dried fava beans overnight. The next day boil them in fresh water until they are very soft (30 to 45 minutes). Place them in a blender (you’ll probably have to do this in batches) with the garlic, cayenne, salt to taste, and enough of the cooking liquid to make a soupy puree (we want a puddle on the plate, not a pile).
Artichokes:Prepare the artichokes so you wind up with only the hearts, quartered. Place them in a large sauté pan with ¼ cup olive oil, 1 cup white wine, and salt to taste. Cover and cook on medium heat until they are perfectly tender.
When the lamb is done remove it from the pan and drain off the considerable quantity of fat. Add 1 cup of dry-cured black olives and cook them in the sauce for 1 – 2 minutes.
Plating:Place a generous puddle of fava puree on a warmed plate (lamb fat congeals at a rather high temperature, so be sure to serve all lamb dishes on thoroughly warmed plates). Place a piece of the braised lamb (which should come apart easily, using 2 spoons) on the puree. Place some of the sauce over the lamb, including orange wedges and olives. Place 3 – 4 artichoke pieces around the perimeter. Garnish with freshly grated orange zest.
Wine:While lamb is traditionally served with Cabernet Sauvignon, I found this dish went beautifully with a Gallo Family Estate Pinot Noir. We also tried a Trefethen Riesling (believe it or not) and it nicely complemented the fruitiness of the sauce.