Slavonija Braised Lamb
Submitted by Cookiegal8
Croatian braised lamb shoulder in a paprika and tarragon sour cream sauce, served over homemade spaetzle. A rich, warming Eastern European braise with a complete side dish recipe included.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
45 minREADY
90 minFrom the Slavonija region of Croatia comes this soul-warming lamb braise that belongs on a cold-weather table.
Cubed lamb shoulder browns slowly in butter until deeply golden, then onion and a generous spoonful of paprika build a fragrant, ruddy base.
Tarragon vinegar and stock go in next, and the whole thing simmers covered for 45 minutes until the lamb is spoon-tender.
A cup of sour cream stirred in at the end transforms the braising liquid into a velvety, tangy sauce.
Serve it over homemade spaetzle (the recipe is included) for the full experience, or over buttered egg noodles when time is short.
Chef Tips
- Brown the lamb slowly in batches. Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of searing it, and you’ll miss out on all that caramelized flavor
- Paprika is the backbone of this dish. Use Hungarian sweet paprika for the most authentic, full-bodied flavor
- Stir the sour cream in off the heat or over very low heat. Boiling it will cause it to curdle
- The spaetzle dough should be stiff but workable. If it’s too loose, add flour a tablespoon at a time
Ingredients
Directions
Brown lamb slowly in butter, adding additional butter if needed; add onon and paprika.
Sauté 2 or 3 minutes, then add vinegar, salt and stock.
Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 45 minutes.
Stir in sour cream and heat to serving temperature.
Serve with Spaetzle or noodles.
SPAETZLE: Mix eggs, salt and flour together to form a fairly stiff dough.
Pat out into a rectangle about ⅛ inch thick on a damp breadboard.
With a damp table knife, cut into strips 1 inch wide.
Cut or pinch off 1 inch pieces and drop into a kettle of boiling, salted water.
When the dough omes to the surface, they are done.
Drain in a colander and quickly turn into a hot bowl or casserole.
Sprinkle with butter or buttered crumbs; toss lightly and serve with any sauced meat dish.
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