Around the Passover Table (17 page)

I have retained the ancient herb perfume in this braised lamb dish. Garlic, lemon, and artichoke build up more layers of flavor and texture—my attempt to compensate for the missing taste of roast pomegranate woodsmoke.

5 to 6 pounds bone-in lean lamb shoulder

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

5 cups thinly sliced onion (about 2 large onions)

10 large garlic cloves, peeled, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

About
¹
⁄
₂
cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Shredded zest of 1 large lemon

1 cup chicken broth, preferably
homemade
, or good-quality, low-sodium
purchased

8 to 10 medium artichokes (see Cook's Note), or two 9- or 10-ounce packages of frozen artichokes, thawed and patted dry with paper towels

¹
⁄
₂
cup chopped fresh mint

TRIM
the lamb of as much fat as possible—very tedious, but careful trimming usually eliminates the need to skim the fat from the pan later on. Cut the lamb into 1
¹
⁄
₂
- to 2-inch pieces, leaving the bones in (they'll add a lot of flavor). Do, however, cut the meat away from any large, unsightly bones. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

DO
the initial browning in a large heavy skillet (10- to 12-inch cast-iron is ideal). Heat 2 tablespoons oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the lamb in batches and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Fry only a few pieces at a time; crowding the pan will steam the meat, rather than brown it. Add a little more oil to the pan only if necessary because you want to burn off as much fat as you can. Transfer the lamb as it is done to a platter.

IF
there is any rendered fat remaining in the pan, wipe it out. Add 1 tablespoon fresh oil and heat until hot. Add the onions and brown over medium-high heat, lifting and turning them as they become deep gold, about 10 minutes, and scraping up any browned bits. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes longer. Return the meat to the pan, season it with salt and pepper, and turn the meat over a few times to coat it well with the onions. Add
¹
⁄
₄
cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon rosemary, the thyme, and lemon zest, and cook for 3 minutes.

TRANSFER
the mixture and any scrapings from the bottom of the pan to a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven or large, deep, flameproof casserole and add the broth. Bring to a slow bubble, cover, and reduce the heat to the barest simmer. Cook for about 1
¹
⁄
₂
hours, until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork. Turn the meat frequently, basting it with the onions and pan sauce.

ADD
the artichokes, and cook, covered, until they are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. I like to continue cooking until a few of the artichoke pieces break up and melt into the sauce, but follow your preference. If there is a lot of liquid left in the pot, uncover and turn the heat up to high, evaporating enough so that the pan liquid is thick and syrupy. Stir in the mint, minced garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, and
¹
⁄
₄
cup lemon juice, and cook for 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. There should be a pronounced lemon flavor, so add a bit more juice, if necessary. For an easier and more attractive serving, remove some of the large bones that pull away from the meat easily. Serve hot.

COOK'S NOTE
: Follow this method to prepare fresh artichokes: to prevent the artichokes from discoloring, rub each surface you cut with fresh lemon. Or dip into a large bowl of cold water acidulated with the juice of a large lemon. Slice off the artichoke stem and reserve. Pull off the tough outer leaves at the bottom of the artichoke and discard. Using a serrated knife or scissors, cut off the pointy top of the leaves just above the artichoke heart or choke and discard it. With a very sharp knife, cut off and discard the remaining leaves, until you reach the palest soft leaves. Now cut the artichoke in half vertically, and pull out and discard the purple-tipped leaves in the center. With a teaspoon, scrape out all of the fuzzy choke and discard. Trim the artichoke stem and peel it. Cut the stem into bite-size chunks. Halve the heart halves again, so you have quarters. The artichoke and the stem are ready to be used in the recipe. Prepare the remaining artichokes in the same way.

This dish tastes even better the next day. To prepare it in advance while retaining an herbal freshness, hold off on the herb and lemon finish. Remove from the heat and cool 1 hour, then refrigerate, covered, overnight. Scrape off any congealed fat from the surface. Reheat gently until heated through, and proceed with the final addition of herbs, garlic, and lemon juice.

Etty Russo's Lamb Mina from Izmir

yield:
About 6 servings

Borekas, bulemas, and boyos, empanadas, tapadas
, and
ojaldres
—Turkish Jews are extraordinarily fond of their savory pies and turnovers. For Passover, they make special versions using matzoh, called minas. Usually moistened matzoh squares form the top and bottom crust of a pie; in more elaborate minas, the matzoh may be layered through one or more fillings, creating a lasagne-like casserole.

But in Izmir, southwestern Turkey, Etty Russo's lamb and chicken minas are a delectable jumble of matzoh, meat, and eggs, more akin to matzoh brie. Overlooking the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, sheep, poultry, vegetables, and fruit grow intensely flavorful, and the Russo minas rely on no more seasoning than garlic, pepper, and a generous dust of coarse salt. But you can brighten up more pallid foodstuffs with a few additional flavorings, if needed.

At Russo seders, this homey, easy-to-prepare lamb mina shares equal billing with the elegant roast lamb Etty serves with potatoes, fresh green beans, and peas. It makes a tasty Passover weekday supper as well.

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for greasing the pan

About 2
¹
⁄
₂
pounds shoulder lamb chops, well trimmed of fat and gristle

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 whole plain or egg matzohs

About 2 cups chicken broth, preferably
homemade
, or lightly salted water

5 large eggs

1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons chopped fresh garlic

Coarse salt, for sprinkling

Optional garnish: chopped parsley or dill leaves

PREHEAT
the oven to 350°F.

CHOOSE
a heavy, deep, lidded skillet large enough to hold all the lamb snugly in a single layer. Film it with the olive oil and set it over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the lamb, in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, and sauté until nicely browned on both sides. Transfer the lamb as it is done to a platter and season well with salt and pepper.

DISCARD
all the fat in the pan, then pour in 2 cups water to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to a simmer and return all the lamb to the pan. Cover tightly and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lamb is tender but still juicy. Let the meat cool in the liquid, then cut it into bite-size pieces, discarding any fat and bones. Reserve the cooking liquid.

SPREAD
the matzohs out on a platter or rimmed baking sheet. Moisten them with the broth or salted water and let them drink in the liquid for about 5 minutes. Break the matzohs into pieces about the size of a quarter and drain either in a colander, extracting the liquid with your hands or the back of a wooden spoon, or the traditional Turkish way, by pressing the matzoh dry between clean kitchen towels.

MEANWHILE,
in another large bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. Add the drained matzohs to the eggs. Mix in the lamb and garlic and season well with salt and pepper.

GREASE
the bottom and sides of a large, shallow baking pan (13 by 9-inch, 12-inch oval, or similar size). Spread the lamb-matzoh batter evenly in the pan. Measure out about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups of the reserved cooking liquid and pour it through a strainer over the batter. The lamb pieces should be covered or they may dry out, so if needed, push them down into the batter and add more of the cooking liquid. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, until the top is firm and golden brown.

REMOVE
from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Sprinkle well with coarse salt and pepper, garnish with the herbs, if desired, and serve.

COOK'S NOTE
: This is very good prepared a day ahead and reheated, uncovered, until hot and crusty.

Simple and flavorful as is, you can elaborate on the basic recipe, adding either fresh herbs (scallions, chives, mint, tarragon, cilantro, or rosemary) or spices like smoked paprika to the batter.

Chicken Mina
Place about 1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds skinless, boneless chicken thigh meat in a heavy saucepan, and add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, and cold water to cover by about an inch. Simmer slowly (don't allow the water to boil), until the chicken is barely cooked through: it should be quite juicy. Follow the lamb mina directions, substituting trimmed, bite-size pieces of the chicken for the lamb.

Can you use poached chicken left over from soup? The secret to this homey mina is very juicy, gently cooked meat. Since all of the flavor from your chicken will have gone into your soup, you'd really be left with nothing very tasty for the mina.