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Lamb, Cauliflower and Rice (Makloubeh)
What you need
- Bone in lamb chops or leftover roast leg with some meat
- Olive oil or duck fat
- Water
- 1 head cauliflower, separated into florets and chop the core
- 2 cups brown basmati rice, raw
- 2 tomatoes, sliced or 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley or 2 tsp dried parsley
- Lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- Olive oil
- 1/4 cup almonds
How to make it
- Toast almonds in a touch of olive oil until just turning brown and skins begin to open - set aside to cool
- Sprinkle lamb with 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and ground allspice
- Heat oil or fat over medium high heat - brown lamb (If using leftover leg of lamb, I skip this step)
- When lamb is browned on both sides, add water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover
- Cook for 60-90 minutes until lamb is very tender - remove lamb to cool and reserve cooking liquid
- Remove lamb meat from the bones and fat
- Heat oil or fat in a dutch oven over medium heat and add onions with 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Allow to cook until caramelized
- Add lamb to the onion, then layer the tomato slices (or stir tomato paste into broth), top with cauliflower and last add the rice
- Top with parsley and lemon zest
- Carefully pour in the lamb broth until it just covers the rice (add water if you don't have enough lamb broth)
- 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
- 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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