Pomegranate
I’ve had two pomegranates in the fridge for a week or so. I’ve been very excited about them, but wanted to save them for something special. I bought some lamb neck on sale yesterday. I’d thought about cooking them Moroccan style with dates, but thought they’d be wonderful Persian style, slow cooked with pomegranate molasses and almonds, then topped with the fresh pomegranate. It’s a very simple dish to prepare.
Serves 2
| 600 | grams | lamb neck, sliced |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | butter |
| 1 | onion, diced | |
| 1 | teaspoon | ground coriander seeds |
| 1 | pinch | ground cinnamon |
| 80 | grams | slivered almonds |
| 2 | tablespoons | pomegranate molasses |
| water | ||
| 2 | bay leaves | |
| 1 | pomegranate |
Melt the butter in a deep, medium sized frying pan. Brown the lamb necks all over. Set the lamb aside.
Add the onion, coriander, cinnamon and almonds to the pan and cook till the onion softens and three quarters of the almonds begin to brown.
Return the lamb to the pan with the bay leaf and pomegranate molasses and cover with water. Bring to the boil then place the lid on the pan and turn the heat down so the dish barely simmers for about 4 hours.
Remove the lid and check the dish for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as required. Increase the heat to reduce the liquid to a thick gravy.
Cut the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds.
Arrange the lamb on a serving platter, tipping the gravy on top. Scatter the pomegranate seeds and remaining almonds. I served this with spinach pilaf.
Persian lamb with pomegranate and almonds
