Fricassee de Lambi - Ethnic Foods R Us

Fricassee de Lambi is a classic Puerto Rican dish featuring lamb meat, and it is a national favorite. You can fricassee poultry, pork, seafood, and other red meats also. But my favorite is this particular recipe for Fricassee de Lambi.

(Photo Attributed to Author: nicolasnova)

Fricassee de Lambi Recipe-

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

1-1/2 lb. lamb meat, bone free and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp. sazon seasoning
1 tbsp. adobo seasoning
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried and ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
8 fresh red Thai chili peppers, left whole (you can also use dried peppers, rehydrated)
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and rough chopped
1 large ripe plantain, peeled and crosscut into thick slices
1 large carrot, peeled and crosscut into thick slices
1 large onion, peeled and rough chopped
8 large cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, rough chopped
1/2 cup good quality dry red wine (suggest a Malbec)
4 tbsp. scallion infused olive oil, divided
2 fresh limes, sliced thin, for garnish
4 green onions, trimmed and crosscut in half, for garnish
6 cups freshly cooked rice, to serve as accompaniment

Directions:

Wash the lamb meat and pat dry, then place all the pieces into a large bowl. Season with salt and the adobo and sazon seasonings, tossing the meat and coating the pieces all over evenly with the seasonings.
In an electric blender or food processor, puree the red bell pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil, wine, cumin, and oregano.
Place a large, heavy-duty skillet on the burner and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high flame. When the oil is hot, put the lamb in the skillet and sauté, stirring, until all the pieces are nicely browned on all sides.
Now pour the pureed mixture over the lamb, add in the bay leaves, whole red chilis, plantains and carrots, and stir everything together.
Bring the dish to a vigorous boil, then reduce the heat to just a lively simmer. Cook on low, stirring now and then, for 1-1/2 hours, or until the lamb is fork tender and the juices have reduced to a slightly thickened sauce consistency.
To serve your Fricassee de Lambi, scoop out a heap of lamb meat, using a slotted spoon, and place in a mound on each serving plate. Place one or two scoops of freshly cooked yellow rice and place on the plate beside the lamb. Again using a slotted spoon, fish out some slices of plantains and carrots, and a couple red chilis, and place them on the plate in various places next to the lamb. Then ladle a generous helping of the sauce over the lamb – if you get some sauce on the rice, hey – no worries – tastes great that way, and you will probably want to spoon some sauce into the rice anyway. Garnish each serving with a slice or two of lime and a couple pieces of green onions, and sit down and enjoy some authentic Fricassee de Lambi!