In Greek: αρνί φρικασέ, pronounced ar-NEE free-kah-SEH
The Greek definition of "fricassee" may differ from what you know in your kitchen, and this is a Greek classic. Lamb fricassee with avgolemono (a traditional egg-lemon sauce) is a favorite in Greek homes. It's an easy recipe to make and a celebration of taste. It is equally delicious made with kid.
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- For the lamb fricassee:
- 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 pounds of lamb, cut into large chunks
- 2 large heads of Romaine lettuce, broken into large pieces
- 1/2 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
- 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 10 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- ----------
- For the avgolemono:
- 3 eggs, separated
- juice of 3 lemons
- 1 tablespoon of cold water
Preparation:
Boil the lamb in enough water to cover for 10 minutes. Drain.
In a frying pan, heat the oil over high heat and brown the meat. Add the onions and cook until they soften.
Transfer to a stew pot with 1/2 cup of water, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes over medium-high heat. Add dill and lettuce, resume boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
When the fricassee has cooked and only a small amount of liquid remains in the pot, turn off heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of cold water until frothy. Whisk in the egg yolks and lemon juice. Add 1-2 ladlesful of liquid from the pot to the egg-lemon mixture and stir gently. Slowly pour the egg-lemon sauce over the meat. With a wooden spoon, stir gently 4 times. Then shake the pot gently side to side to distribute. Allow to sit covered on the stove for 20 minutes before serving.
Yield: serves 4