Cider-Braised Lamb Shoulder With Cardamom, Butternut Squash, And Greens

Name: Cider-Braised Lamb Shoulder With Cardamom, Butternut Squash, And Greens
Ingredients: 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 pound lamb stew meat, or lamb shoulder cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, patted dry; 2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 bunch swiss chard, stems and leaves separated, coarsely chopped; 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch dice; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 cup water; 1 2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes; 2 cup apple cider; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 bay leaf; 2 whole cloves; greek yogurt, for topping; chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

The American Lamb Board|Dec. 5, 2014 1:08 pm EST

4 (1 ratings)

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A rich slow-cooker stew to warm you up on cold winter days. Apple cider lends some sweetness to earthy slow-cooked lamb. Recipe courtesy of the American Lamb Board.

Servings

4

Ingredients

3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 pound lamb stew meat, or lamb shoulder cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, patted dry
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bunch swiss chard, stems and leaves separated, coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup water
1 2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 cup apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
greek yogurt, for topping
chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When you begin to see wisps of smoke, add the lamb to the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the lamb is deeply browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the meat to a 5- to 6 ½-quart slow cooker using a slotted spoon, reserving the fat in the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the chard stems (reserving the leaves to add later), onions, and garlic to the pan (add a little more olive oil if necessary). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender and lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cardamom and pepper and cook until distributed evenly and aromatic, about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Add the water to the sauté pan and scrape the bottom to release the flavorful stuck-on bits, then pour it into the slow cooker.
Add the butternut squash to the slow cooker, and pour in the apple cider. Submerge the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cloves in the liquid, and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Set the slow cooker to the low setting and cook until the meat is tender and shreds easily with a fork and the vegetables are very tender, 6 to 8 hours.
Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Gently stir in the chard leaves and continue cooking until wilted and just tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the stew in warm shallow bowls topped with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkled with cilantro.