Recipe: Lamb with Salmoretta Sauce & Risotto

It's a relaxed recipe as we combine an inexpensive cut of meat with a versatile sauce and stress-free side. This recipe was shared by Chef Art Kucherenko, from Sola Bistro and Wine Bar in St Pete. His philosophy is that "cooking should be stress-free, time in the kitchen should be enjoyed and the dinner table is a place to bring the family together." Chef Art told us:

"I chose the dish because it's affordable and versatile. It includes staple elements of Mediterranean cuisine- I like to have a jar of Salmoretta sauce in the fridge, it has a long shelf life and you can do a lot of things with it, such as add it to sauteed shrimp for a fun appetizer, or any other seafood, like mussels or swordfish. You can add it into risotto or pasta, smother steaks or pork chops with it, and so on."

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Lamb Shoulder Steaks

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shoulder steaks
• 6 basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• olive oil
• salt, to season
• black pepper, to season
• ghee or tallow, for cooking

Directions

1. Season lamb steaks with salt and pepper, then rub with basil, garlic and olive oil.
2. Leave to marinate for few hours or overnight.
3. Heat up heavy saute pan, add ghee or tallow, then sear steaks on both sides.
4. Cover pan with lid or foil and transfer to oven. The lamb is good cooked medium or medium well, but because they have a lot of connective tissues, we like them well done till the meat starts falling off the bone, which means internal temperature should be 207-210° F on a meat thermometer.

Salmoretta Sauce

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 8 dry New Mexico chilis, stemmed and seeded
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 16 cloves garlic
• handful of chopped parsley, with stems
• handful of chopped pistachios (optional)
• 4-5 tbsp butter (optional)

Directions

1. Cover bottom of pan with ¼" olive oil, add chilis without stems or seeds. Cook on low heat for 1 minute.
2. Add garlic and brown lightly. 
3. Add chopped tomatoes, cook untill soft and most water is evaporated. 
4. Add parsley, cook for another minute then take off heat and blend in food processor or blender. 
5. When lamb is ready, add butter and pistachios to pan, let pistachios brown slightly and then add salmoretta. 

Chef's Note

I like to store a jar of Salmoretta in the fridge all the time. The sauce has a long shelf life and is very versatile. You can add it to meat, chicken, seafood or vegetable dishes! 

Spanish Sofrito

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 tomato, finely diced
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika

Directions

1. Sweat onions, until translucent.
2. Add garlic, bell pepper, tomato and paprika, cook untill all vegetables are soft and water from tomatoes is evaporated.

Risotto  

Ingredients 

• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, or bone broth)
• salt, to taste
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Spanish Sofrito (see recipe above)

Directions

1. In heavy bottomed pot, sweat onions in olive oil until translucent
2. Add  garlic and rice, stir together until rice becomes clumpy.
3. Add salt and white wine, then stir together until you can’t see liquid on bottom of pan, then start adding hot stock in batches.  
4. When all liquid is used and rice is cooked but still has a little bite, pull off heat, add butter and cheese. Stir together until butter and cheese are melted, then add Sofrito.

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