Moroccan Lamb Pie and Rhubarb Panna Cotta: Thomasina Myers’ Best Sunday Recipes

THere it’s not as fun to cook in the depths of winter as a pot of attractively aromatic, slow-cooked meat. Lamb shoulder is one of my favorite cuts; You or your friendly butcher will need to trim off the excess fat, a task that will reward you with great flavor that blends beautifully with bold spices. Here, we travel to Morocco, with sweet aromatic ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, and follow that with cardamom, cream and rhubarb for dessert. A sumptuous and colorful feast to ward off any February blues.

Moroccan lamb pie with carrots and honey almonds (pictured above)

Many elements of this dish, with lamb and carrots marinated and encased in crispy golden pastry, can be prepared the day before. The flavors will be much improved too.

Preparatory school 15 minutes
He cooks 3 hours
serves 6-8

1 large bone-in lamb shoulderTrim excess fat
Salt and pepper
60 grams of butteror oil
2 large onionsPeeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 large pinches of saffron threads
650 grams of carrots, Peeled (or peeled) and cut into thick, oblique pieces
1 teaspoon honey

To finish
80 grams of peeled almonds
50 grams of butter
Filo pastry box 270 grams

Use a sharp knife to cut the meat into six to eight pieces, removing any excess fat that appears as you do so.

Season the lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Place a pot over high heat, and when hot, add a third of the butter (I like to add a little olive oil as well to prevent the butter from burning). Fry the lamb pieces in two batches for a few minutes on each side, until well browned and caramelized. Leave it aside in a bowl, then reduce the heat to medium.

Add a third of the butter to the pan, add the onions and season well with salt and plenty of pepper, then add the ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and saffron, and sauté gently, stirring often, for 10-12 minutes, until the onions are translucent and soft.

Return the lamb to the pan, pour enough water to almost cover the meat, and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 90 minutes, turning the lamb several times.

Meanwhile, place a large frying pan over high heat, and when hot, add the last amount of butter. Saute the carrots for four to five minutes, season generously with salt and pepper, add honey and cook for a few more minutes, until caramelized and fragrant.

Once the lamb has cooked for 90 minutes, add the carrots to the mixture and simmer, uncovered, for an additional 30-60 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and the carrots are just cooked. (This can now be set aside to finish the next day.)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C) / 390°F / Gas 6, and toast the almonds inside while it heats. Melt 50g of butter in a frying pan, then use a pastry brush to grease a large ovenproof pastry dish, then layer it up to four layers deep into the pan. Place the lamb, top with the toasted nuts, fold over the overhanging pastry and brush with more melted butter. Top the pie with some additional toasted phyllo sheets, brush with melted butter, then bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot and golden. Served with vegetables.

Cardamom panna cotta with baked rhubarb

For rhubarb
400 grams of rhubarbWipe and cut into 3cm pieces
100 grams of fine sugar
juice 1 orange
2-3 tablespoons Pernod

Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and add the orange peel and sugar. Open the cardamom pods with a rolling pin, then add them as well. Place the pan over medium heat and gently warm until a few small bubbles appear on the surface. Turn off the heat and leave it to soak for half an hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C)/390°F/Gas 6. Place the rhubarb in a single layer in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar, orange juice and Pernod, then cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, until soft to the point of a knife but still holding its shape. Taste and adjust sweetness if the rhubarb is too tart.

Immerse the gelatin in a bowl of cold water, leave it until it softens for five minutes, then filter it, squeeze the water from the gelatin, and put it in a bowl. Once the cream has soaked, gently reheat, then strain through a sieve into the gelatin bowl. Whisk until it dissolves, then gradually whisk it into the yogurt. Pour the mixture into four small molds, cups, or molds, then put it in the refrigerator for at least three hours, until it freezes.

To serve, dip the bases and sides of the panna cotta molds into boiling water and loosen with a palette knife. Turn out onto plates and arrange the rhubarb around the creams.