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Lamb, Cauliflower and Rice (Makloubeh)

What you need

  1. Bone in lamb chops or leftover roast leg with some meat
  2. Olive oil or duck fat
  3. Water
  4. 1 head cauliflower, separated into florets and chop the core
  5. 2 cups brown basmati rice, raw
  6. 2 tomatoes, sliced or 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  7. 1-2 large onions, thinly sliced
  8. 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
  9. 2 tsp ground allspice
  10. 1 tsp kosher salt
  11. Black pepper to taste
  12. 1 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley or 2 tsp dried parsley
  13. Lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  14. Olive oil
  15. 1/4 cup almonds

How to make it

  1. Toast almonds in a touch of olive oil until just turning brown and skins begin to open - set aside to cool
  2. Sprinkle lamb with 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and ground allspice
  3. Heat oil or fat over medium high heat - brown lamb (If using leftover leg of lamb, I skip this step)
  4. When lamb is browned on both sides, add water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover
  5. Cook for 60-90 minutes until lamb is very tender - remove lamb to cool and reserve cooking liquid
  6. Remove lamb meat from the bones and fat
  7. Heat oil or fat in a dutch oven over medium heat and add onions with 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  8. Allow to cook until caramelized
  9. Add lamb to the onion, then layer the tomato slices (or stir tomato paste into broth), top with cauliflower and last add the rice
  10. Top with parsley and lemon zest
  11. Carefully pour in the lamb broth until it just covers the rice (add water if you don't have enough lamb broth)
  12. Simmer until the rice is tender and most of the broth is cooked out - use a spoon to check to the very bottom of the pot - this will probably take 30-40 minutes, but check after 25 minutes
  13. Remove from heat and let stand 20-30 minutes

Serve garnished with chopped toasted almonds from step 1. This is often inverted onto a platter to serve, but I don't make that effort.

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