This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe was an easy one that will become a part of our winter repertoire. We both love lamb so were happy to see braised cardamom curry lamb on the menu this week. As with most braised dishes, it’s one that isn’t difficult – the hardest part is in the waiting as the bubbling pan fills the house gorgeous smells. This is exactly the sort of dish you need on a chilly day. It literally took me about 20 minutes to prepare, then it cooked away for just under 2 hours on very low. I made a few changes – I didn’t have figs or fresh mint and it was too late to get out and buy any so I added extra golden raisins and a touch of mint sauce to the mix. To finish, for colour (because it was VERY brown), I added some steamed English peas, some slivered almonds (as much for texture as colour) and some cranberries. I was pretty pleased with the result. Because there are potatoes in there, you don’t really need to serve it with a starch but it did well over steamed rice as well as on its own (with some crusty bread for dipping).
Thanks to Neil this week for coming to my rescue when I found a big old clump of sheep’s HAIR on the meat as I was cutting it up. Ew!
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Brave Mr. Neil for his hair handling duties…
I don’t know how you did it, but you managed to make this stew photogenic.
I am not on Team Lamb, but from what I am reading I think I am in the minority…
Have a great weekend & love the new look.
Yes I was SO pleased Neil was around – I was quite grossed out!
Great photo, I found this one to be a little unphotogenic, but still tasty.
Sometimes it’s not how it looks but how it tastes, right? 😉
I definitely like the color that you added to the dish, it looks beautiful, and the crunch of the almonds is a nice touch. I went a very different route from the book with this one!
As you always do, Trix! But we love seeing what you come up with each week!
Love lamb, as it is part of my “cuddlier alive, tastier on plate” discipline. 😉
Mardi whipped this together right after we walked in from the Finger Lakes, and I have to say it was a great quick dish…and as you’d expect, a great one to make and have for leftovers and lunches.
My back was so sore I wasn’t wining and dining, but do have several suggestions for this. A nice Bordeaux would be classic, but with the added spices I’d probably tend more for something from the Northern Rhone, or perhaps an old vine Zin from California (cooler region, though – not Napa).
Yes well let’s not think about “cuddlier alive” shall we?
Looks gorgeous! I love lamb and cardamom, so I’m sure this recipe is a winner. 🙂
It’s a wonderful combination!
That clump of sheep hair cracked me up. Must have been a nasty surprise! Your stew looked delicious especially with the added colour. Mint sauce substitution is a handy tip! Can’t always count on getting good mint in winter anymore.
Yes well it’s funny now but at the time… ewww!
Your pops of color are fabulous in this curry. And ew on the piece of lamb with fur attached…way to come to the rescue, Neil!
Thanks Liz – I was quite pleased to have him around to call on!
Many, many year ago I was preparing moose steak for my ex and found moose hairs still on the meat…that did it for me…ewww is right Mardi and you were lucky that your fellow was there to rescue you.
Your dish looks wonderful and to kudos to you to have *whipped* it up after just getting back from your trip when most probably would have ordered take-out.
Thanks Paula but it was really just as quick as calling for takeaway! And yes, yay for Mr Neil coming to the rescue!
That looks amazing–all those gorgeous colors!
Thanks 🙂
ew to sheep’s hair!! I love your photos on this post – they’re so crisp!
Why thanks Lauren – taken in the fading light too!
I’d be so surprised to see hair on my meat. Yuck! This one was very brown, wasn’t it? I like the color the peas added to your dish. I used a butternut squash instead of potatoes and apples, so it was rather orange.
Well at least it was “fresh” right? LOL! I love the idea of using butternut squash for some colour!
I love cardamom… But, not so sure about the curry part. I want to love it, but I usually don’t. Looking at this makes me want to give it another chance, though!
It’s very very mild Jen!
Ew or ewe…I’d have been all done finding any sheep’s hair anywhere in my food. But I’d have never guessed…your dish is so colorful and beautiful…I’ve seen some very nice looking braised lamb in the blogs I’ve read, but yours catches my eye…beautiful photos and probably tastes just as good.
I am quite sure had I been on my own that day I might not have got this dish finished after the sheep’s hair incident!
Looks great.. I can see myself wanting to mop the sauce up with a chunk of naan bread..
I like your tweaks and substitutions.
Naan would be a wonderful addition to this!
looks like a real hearty dish! nom
Hearty and light at the same time – the perfect combo!
Beautiful! I like that you added the cranberries for extra color. I am definitely adding this to
my repertoire as well. It has such wonderful flavors.
A wonderful winter dish!
That sounds so deliciously warming on a cold winter’s night. Yummmmm