It was almost two decades ago when I found out the incredible taste fruits can add to meat dishes; that they have more to offer in culinary arts than just desserts and sweets.
This encounter took place when I was trying to understand more about Ottoman Cuisine and the traditional and authentic cuisine of Asia Minor, together which they create the fascinating Turkish Cuisine.
The richness of a cuisine, I believe, lies in how well it embraces all the recipes that sprouted within the same land with equal enthusiasm; whether it would be authentic, contemporary, traditional or ethnical.
The more I read about and searched for recipes the more I become familar with it in world cuisines and now I have my own collection that I find myself inclined too.
The use of fruits with meats are endless. The acidity, the sweetness, the texture as well as the aroma of every fruit brings another layer to the dishes that they are added. They tame the wildness in game meat and create flavourful base with the spices and herbs added.
I find lamb as a great option to pair with fruits; like plume, quinces, sour cherries, green apples, and dried apricots and prunes.
Still, my favorite is the sour cherries as I find the tartness of the sour cherries and the sweetness of onions create an amazing companionship to the gamy taste of the lamb. I would pair them with any cut that would benefit from braising. The wild taste of fresh sour cherry creates a complex depth in the dishes and can even be enhanced with the addition of vinegars and citrus.
What I like most about this recipe is the simplicity in terms of spices. The taste as well as the aroma of sour cherry is not veiled but accentuated as I purposefully avoid using aromatic spices. Picking a side dish for this recipe is also a breeze just because of this simplicity.
A plain rice pilaff, rosemary mashed potatoes or a simple Greek salad would work great as a side dish. And don’t forget a good, hearty bread to mop the juices with.
Lamb Stew with Pearl Onions and Sour Cherries
The recipe belongs to Asia Minor, where fruit and meat combinations create lots of tasty and authentic dishes.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Lamb Stewing Meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 600 gr Pearl Onions
- 1 cup + 3 Tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil
- 2 cups Sour Cherries, pitted *
- 1 cup Sour Cherry Juice, or Pomegranate Juice **
- 1 cup Beef /Chicken or Veggie stock
- 1 Lemon, juice
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Molasses ***
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste (optional)
- 1 tsp Salt
- Freshly cracked Black Peppers
- 1 tsp Thyme, fresh or dry
- 1 sprig of fresh Rosemary
- Pinch of Cayenne
Directions
- Step 1 Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a large, heavy bottom pot or in a Dutch-oven.
- Step 2 When the oil is hot add the stewing lamb to the pot and set the heat to medium. Cover the pot with the lid and cook the lamb until all its juices reduces, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally during this time to create an even browning.
- Step 3 Meanwhile in a separate pan cook the pearl onions in 1 cup of oil on a medium low heat. The onion would require 15-20 minutes to cook while releasing their sweet flavour
- Step 4 When the meat in the pot gets caramelized but not burned, add stock, sour cherry juice, lemon juice, half of the sour cherries and tomato paste if using. Season with salt and pepper, then add thyme, rosemary and a pinch of cayenne. Cook until the liquid reduced to 1/3 and the meat is slightly tender
- Step 5 Then add cooked pearl onions, remaining sour cherries, balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses and continue cooking for 5-7 more minutes.
- Step 6 Adjust for seasoning. Then take it out of the stove. Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes or rice pilaff, garnish with more rosemary and sour cherries.
* Depending on the season you can either use fresh or frozen sour cherries. Even you can opt for canned ones.
** If you don’t have sour cherry juice, make your own. Blend 1 cup sour cherries with 1 cup water at high speed for 2 minutes then strain. For this recipe you can even use it without straining.
***Pomegranate molasses is a very distinctive addition to this recipe. You can find them in specialty or Middle Eastern grocery stores. However, if you can not find any than you can easily substitute with 1/4 balsamic vinegar,1 tsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Enjoy..
