Recipe: Lamb Stew “Piti”

Hi guys! How's everyone doing? As I'm writing this, we've just had another snow storm and are digging ourselves out once again. It's been quite a cold winter and I'm somewhat over it at this point. Seriously, warm weather can't come soon enough. But one thing I like about winter is that it's a great excuse to make many hearty dishes, such as stews, braises, and roasts. So today I'd like to share a recipe for a lamb stew I made the other day. It's my take on an Azerbaijanian Piti, a slow-cooking soup, traditionally cooked in an earthenware pot (I cook mine in a Dutch oven) with lamb, vegetables and chickpeas. It's hearty and delicious - a one pot meal to please the family. 

Stay warm!  

Lamb Stew “Piti”

Servings 2 – 4

Ingredients:

1 – 1 ½ lbs lamb neck bones (or shanks)
½ cup dried chickpeas, washed
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced (divided)
2 ribs of celery, finely diced
¼ cup red wine
1 qt lamb broth
½ cup water (as needed)
1 lb baby potatoes, peeled
1 medium tomato, peeled and diced
¼ tsp sumac (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Generously season the lamb then sear on all sides; remove from the pan and set aside. Add and sauté the vegetables: carrots, half of the diced onion [reserving the second half for later], and celery. Season your mirepoix with salt and pepper [if using add sumac] and once golden in color add the wine, deglazing the pan.

[Sumac is commonly used in middle eastern cuisine. It has a tart flavor and goes well with poultry and fish, and really brightens the flavor of this stew. If you can’t find it in your local market, it is available online. I’ve gotten mine here.]

mire•poix [mir-pwah]
noun
1. a flavoring made from diced vegetables, seasonings, herbs, and sometimes meat, often placed in a pan to cook with meat or fish.
2. finely chopped vegetables, as onions and carrots, sometimes with meat, often used as a bed for meat that is to be braised.

Return the lamb to the pan, add chickpeas and lamb broth [I’ve been quite in love with Saffron Road products as of late and been dying to use their new Classic Culinary Lamb Broth, so this was a no-brainer for me, but if you don’t have lamb broth on hand feel free to substitute with beef broth or water.]; bring to a boil than simmer on medium for about two hours, covered.

After two hours add whole baby potatoes, tomato and reserved onion to the pan, continue cooking for another hour. [I’ve added additional water to the pan at this point, making sure all the ingredients were covered. Give the stew a stir to incorporate and adjust the seasoning as needed.]

Once cooked, serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle with sumac and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Enjoy!