L'Italo-Americano

A W h i f f o f S p r i n g, A Wa f t o f R o m e : A Marriage of Lamb and Artichokes THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 17 L'Italo-Americano H istorically and until the present day, enormous quantities of abbacchio, milk-fed baby lamb, have been cons umed in Rome and its outlying region from Easter until J une 24, the feas t of S an Giovanni. For example, in 1629, the city alone recorded selling 165 thousand carcasses for 115 thousand inhabitants during this period. A look at any traditional Roman menu today, or any Roman cookbook, for that matter, s how s that it is s till preferred to any other food, even bread. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Romans are the most discriminating of all the Italians w hen it comes to cooking lamb. While other regions have a predilection for spit-roasted meats, they have a propens ity for s tew s , as evidenced in the skill with which they transform economical cuts of meat into succulent stove-top dis hes . O ne of the mos t delightful at this time of year is a long-simmered braise of young lamb with fresh artichokes. In the original recipe, given to me by a friend from Lazio's northeas tern Rieti province, delicate, six-week-old baby lamb is used. "Spring lamb" has an entirely different meaning in the States, w here domes tic an imals are slaughtered at between eight and ten months. To avoid gamey- tasting meat, butcher and meat expert, P at La F rieda recommends American lamb that is fed on grains and legumes as w ell as forage, w hich he considers incomparable for its tenderness and flavor. I have made s ome minor adjus tments to the original recipe, s ubs tituting lamb shoulder, the best cut for stewing because of its superior flavor and tenderness after long and slow cooking. Braised Lamb with White Wine and Artichokes For 4 people The artichokes, needless to say, should be fresh ones. In Italy, wild fennel is used, but we can subsitute fresh minced dill, or even rosemary. ·half a lemon ·5 medium fresh artichokes ·2 pounds (trimmed weight) boned lamb shoulder ·4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil · 3 large cloves garlic, bruised · 1 carrot, peeled and shredded ·3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste ·3 6-inch sprigs fresh dill ·1/2 cup dry white wine JULIA DELLA CROCE Braised Lamb with Artichokes and White Wine. Photo: Copyright Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton for Italian Home Cooking, by Julia della Croce (Kyle Books), 2010 ·approximately 4 cups water or good unsalted stock ·1 heaping tablespoon flour ·freshly ground black pepper to taste To prepare the artichokes: 1. A dd about 6 inches of w ater to an ample glas s or ceramic bow l (do not us e reactive metal). Squeeze the juice of the lemon into it. Trim a thin slice from the base of each artichoke stem. Whittle off all the dark green skin on the stem, but don't sever it from the bulb. H olding the artichoke by its bottom, press your thumb against the base of a leaf and with the other hand, snap off the upper part above the lighter-colored bottom part. Repeat this procedure w ith each leaf, working your way around the globe until you get to the paler central cone. The inner rows of leaves are the tender part you want, so be careful not to cut away too much. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice off the upper part of the cone crosswise. Use a sharp paring knife to whittle away any dark parts that remain around the exterior of the base or leaves. Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and, with a small knife, cut out the hairy choke and any other tough, inner purple leaves . A s each artichoke is finished, immediately put it in the lemon water to prevent it from turning brow n. (The prepared artichokes can remain in the acidulated water in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.) 2. When you are ready, drain the artichokes and cook them in boiling water to cover until they are nearly tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. For the lamb: 1. Trim the excess fat from the lamb. Cut the meat into bite- sized pieces. In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the lamb. Brown it nicely all over, about 12 minutes. Transfer the meat to a dish. 2. Add the garlic and carrot to the pan and saute over low heat until the carrot softens, about 2 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add salt. Stir in the wine. Cook to evaporate the alcohol, 3 minutes. Add enough of the water or stock to nearly cover the meat. Reduce the heat to low , and cook, partially covered, adding additional water or stock a little at a time until the lamb is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Check the pot frequently and add more liquid as necessary to prevent the meat from drying out. When the meat is almost done, blend the flour with cold water or stock to make a paste and stir it into the stew. Add the dill and the artichoke hearts and cover. Cook over low heat until the artichokes hearts are tender and the flavors of all the ingredients marry, 10 to 15 minutes more. Stir in the pepper. Julia della Croce is a print & broadcast journalist and James Beard award-winning cookbook author, cooking teacher, culinary consultant & recipe developer. You can visit her on her website, www.juliadellacroce. com and blog, http://julia dellacroce.com/ forktales1/ Connect on Facebook: Juliadella Croce - chef & foodwriter Twitter: @juliadella croce Artichokes at market in Via Metauro, Rome. | Photo: Copyright Paolo Destefanis for Roma: Authentic Recipes from in and Around the Eternal City, by Julia della Croce (Chronicle Books) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES

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