Lamb Shoulder With Pomegranate Glaze Recipes

THE ZAHAV LAMB SHOULDER

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the salt, sugar, allspice, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and garlic in 2 quarts water. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool completely.
• Place the lamb into the cooled brine. (If it's floating or not submerged enough, cover the lamb with a clean cloth that's saturated in the brine.) Cover with lid and refrigerate the lamb shoulder in the brine overnight or up to 48 hours.
• Turn your oven's broiler on. Place a rack on a baking sheet. Drain the lamb and pat dry, wiping off solids from the brine. Put the lamb on the rack and broil until well browned, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the roasting pan: Drain soaked chickpeas and place in the roasting pan, along with 2 quarts of water and the pomegranate molasses. Remove lamb shoulder from the oven; turn off the broiler and set the oven to 325 degrees F. Lay the lamb shoulder in the roasting pan, skin side up. (The liquid should come about halfway up the shoulder; add water if needed.) Place a sheet of parchment paper over the lamb and cover the pan tightly with several layers of foil. Braise in the oven about 5 hours, basting every hour.
• After 5 hours, remove the foil and parchment from the lamb and baste again. Raise heat to 475 degrees F, and place lamb back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven when the lamb is deeply glazed and the liquid has reduced. Baste again with the juices and garnish with torn parsley and mint. Place in a serving dish, cover with juices and chickpeas, and serve family-style.

LAMB BRAISED IN POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Generously season lamb chops with salt and black pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Place lamb chops in Dutch oven and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate and reduce heat to medium.
• Stir onion and a pinch of salt into the Dutch oven; cook until onions are slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour pomegranate juice into the Dutch oven and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Pour in balsamic vinegar, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
• Stir rosemary, mint leaves, and red pepper flakes into pomegranate juice mixture. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return lamb and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven, spoon pomegranate mixture over lamb, and cover.
• Cook in the preheated oven until meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. Transfer lamb to a plate and set Dutch oven on the stovetop over high heat. Bring pomegranate mixture to a boil; cook, skimming any fat that accumulates, until liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in honey and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Return lamb to the Dutch oven; stir to combine. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, sliced mint leaves, and pumpkin seeds.