Greek Lamb Fricassee with Avgolemono Sauce

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 kg Lamb shoulder
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 4 cups Water or lamb/chicken broth
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
• 2 heads Romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup Fresh dill
• 8 Green onions (scallions)
• 2 Large eggs
• 80 ml Fresh lemon juice

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the lamb cubes dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat (around 200°C / 400°F). Sear the lamb cubes in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the pot. Remove browned lamb to a plate.

   ⏱️ 15 minutes
2. 2

   Reduce heat to medium (around 180°C / 350°F). Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

   ⏱️ 8 minutes
3. 3

   Return the browned lamb to the pot. Add the water or broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook gently for 1 hour, or until the lamb is becoming tender.

   ⏱️ 1 hour
4. 4

   Add the chopped romaine lettuce, chopped dill, and chopped green onions to the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and continue to simmer for another 20-25 minutes, or until the lettuce is wilted and tender, and the lamb is very tender.

   ⏱️ 25 minutes
5. 5

   While the stew simmers, prepare the avgolemono sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and fresh lemon juice until well combined and slightly frothy.

   ⏱️ 5 minutes
6. 6

   To temper the egg mixture, slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth from the stew pot into the egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly. This gently heats the eggs and prevents them from scrambling. Once tempered, slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the stew pot, stirring constantly.

   ⏱️ 3 minutes
7. 7

   Cook the stew over very low heat (do not boil) for another 3-5 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

   ⏱️ 5 minutes

💡 Pro Tips

• ✓Ensure the lamb is well-browned for maximum flavor development.
• ✓The key to avgolemono is tempering the eggs slowly with hot liquid to prevent curdling. Never let the stew boil after adding the avgolemono.
• ✓The lettuce should be tender and wilted, but not completely disintegrated. Add it in the last 25 minutes of cooking.
• ✓Using good quality, fresh lemon juice is crucial for the avgolemono sauce.
• ✓Spring lamb is traditionally used for this dish, offering a more delicate flavor.

🔄 Variations

• For a richer flavor, use lamb broth instead of water.
• Add chopped artichoke hearts along with the lettuce for a variation.
• This recipe can be adapted for pork shoulder, though cooking times may vary.

🥗 Nutrition

Per serving