Description
This light and delicious stew makes a perfect springtime meal, especially when served over rice pilaf. It’s a favorite of my children.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds lamb shoulder arm chops, cubed, round bones reserved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- ½ cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb cubes and bones and brown on all sides
- about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking about 2 minutes
- stirring frequently.
- Stir in the lentils
- 2 cups of the chicken broth
- tomatoes
- carrots and the thyme
- sage and basil. Bring to a boil
- reduce the heat to low and simmer
- covered
- until the lentils are tender but not quite done
- stirring occasionally. Depending on the type and freshness of the lentils
- this will take from 15 to 30 minutes. If the stew seems dry
- add more broth (up to one cup additional). Discard the lamb bones.
- Add the spinach and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Garnish individual servings with some of the crumbled cheese.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Servings: 4