Slow Cooker Lamb

Greek food is one of my favorite cuisines.  Back home in Chicago, it is readily available, but I haven't found a place I like yet here.  That leaves me to make it on my own.  Lamb is probably my favorite meat in terms of flavor so when one of my friends asked if I wanted to cook a lamb leg with him, I jumped at the chance.  We cut the leg in half and he made a delicious roast out of his half while braised mine.  The recipe that I used is one that I modified from a Greek cookbook my family has had for years.  The recipe calls for lamb shanks but a lamb leg works as well.  The recipe is better, however, with a bone-in cut since the bone adds to the stockiness as it cooks in the slow cooker.  I generally serve this dish over orzo, but my friend made homemade whole wheat bread that also went very well with the dish and was a great way of getting all that wonderful sauce.

Braised Lamb

• 3 - 4 pound lamb leg or 4 lamb shanks
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 cups of chopped carrots
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 cans of tomato sauce
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

Mix together 1 tablespoon of oregano with salt and pepper.  Coat the lamb with olive oil.  Rub with the spice mixture and squeeze the juice from half the lemon over the lamb.  Let sit for 1 hour.

In the mean time make the sauce.  Sautee the onions in olive oil until they begin to soften.  Add garlic and carrots and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, wine, lemon juice from other lemon half, and the remaining spices.  Cook for 10 more minutes and then remove from heat.

Next sear the lamb.  Heat a bit of oil in a pan and sear until the lamb is brown on both sides.  Place in slow cooker and pour sauce over lamb.  Cook on high for 8 hours or until the lamb is falling off the bone.

This recipe also works in the oven.  Just cook it at 350 degrees covered for 2 - 3 hours.

- Sophie