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Arni fricassee — lamb with lettuce and dill in egg-lemon sauce
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/main-dishes/arni-fricassee-lamb-with-lettuce-and-dill-in-egg-lemon-sauce
About this recipe
Arni fricassee is Greek lamb with braised lettuce and dill in a velvety egg-lemon sauce. The shoulder slowly becomes tender in its own broth, while romaine lettuce added toward the end keeps distinct pieces of leaf and tender rib. Avgolemono brings it all together: eggs whisked with lemon and gradually warmed with the braising liquid. The sauce is pale, lightly thickened and pleasantly tangy, flecked with finely chopped dill. This home version makes four servings; allow about 3 hours and 25 minutes for preparation and gentle braising, with tougher meat needing more time.
Ingredients
Lamb and braising liquid
800 g raw boneless lamb shoulder, weighed after removing thick outer slabs of fat and tough membranes; fine marbling remains
40 g extra-virgin olive oil, all retained in the dish
120 g peeled onion
150 g scallions, white and green parts after removing roots and wilted tips
500 ml water for braising
up to 200 ml additional hot water, only if needed while braising the meat
salt, used in stages: 8 g for the meat and up to 2 g for final seasoning to taste
0.5 g ground black pepper
Lettuce and dill
700 g raw romaine lettuce, weighed as washed, thoroughly drained leaves with tender ribs, after removing cores and wilted leaves
15 g fresh dill, weighed after removing thick stems: 10 g for braising and 5 g at the end
Avgolemono sauce
2 whole medium eggs
60 g freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained without seeds
Steps
Cut the lamb into pieces about 4–5 cm across and pat thoroughly dry. Chop the onion, thinly slice the scallions and cut the drained lettuce into strips about 3 cm wide. Finely chop the dill and divide it into 10 g and 5 g portions. Prepare a wide, heavy-bottomed pot of about 4–5 liters with a well-fitting lid.
Season the meat with 8 g salt and the pepper. Heat 20 g oil in the pot and brown half the lamb over medium-high heat for about 4–5 minutes, turning until browned in places; transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 20 g oil and brown the second half in the same way. Lower the heat, add the onion and scallions and stir for about 3–4 minutes, until softened; all the fat and juices stay in the pot.
Return the meat with its juices from the plate and pour in 500 ml water. Gently scrape and dissolve the residue from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and braise over low heat for about 90–120 minutes, until the meat is tender and yields easily to a fork. Check occasionally that some liquid remains in the bottom; only if it reduces too much, add some of the measured additional hot water. If the lamb is still tough, extend braising before adding the lettuce.
Add the lettuce to the tender meat in two or three batches, gently pressing it into the broth as the previous batch wilts. Add 10 g dill and wait for a gentle simmer to return. Cover and cook for about 15–20 minutes, until the lettuce leaves and tender ribs soften. There should be a fluid sauce, not a large quantity of soup; if there is too much liquid, cook without a lid for about another 5–10 minutes before adding the eggs, to let some evaporate.
Remove the pot from the heat and wait about 2 minutes, until the bubbling stops. In a bowl, thoroughly whisk the whole eggs with the strained lemon juice. Take about 250 ml hot broth from the dish and slowly add it to the bowl in three or four additions, whisking vigorously all the time. This liquid comes from the pot, not additional water; it produces a warm, smooth sauce without egg lumps.
AI-generated Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the pot, stirring gently between the pieces of meat. Heat over very low heat for about 2–3 minutes, stirring and gently rocking the pot, until the sauce is hot and thickens slightly; do not bring to a boil, so the eggs do not curdle. Taste, use some of the remaining salt if needed and sprinkle with the remaining 5 g dill. Serve immediately, dividing all the meat, lettuce and all the sauce from the pot among four servings.
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