Oklava's Selin Kiazim shares her recipe for pomegranate-glazed lamb breast

Name: Oklava's Selin Kiazim shares her recipe for pomegranate-glazed lamb breast
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients: For the lamb1 bay leaf1 large onion, peeled and roughly sliced1 lamb breast, bone in (approx. 2 kg). Ask your butcher to cut it into 4/5 pieces to make it more manageableFor the pomegranate sauce100ml pomegranate molasses (you can find this in the World Foods section of large supermarkets)50ml cider vinegar25g dark brown sugar1/4 tsp black peppercorns1/4 tsp fennel seeds1/4 tsp coriander seeds1 cinnamon stick4 clovesTo serve360g Turkish/Greek yoghurt4 sprigs mint, leaves picked and finely shredded4 sprigs parsley, leaves picked and finely shredded

Here's a recipe from Oklava's Selin Kiazim that'll knock the socks off your dinner party guests. Or you could just eat it all yourself. We know what we'd do

Published: Thursday 11th February 2016

Lamb

Serves 4-6

Preparation time 30 mins

Cooking time 240 mins

If you haven't heard of Selin Kiazim, where on earth have you been? The opening of her restaurant, Oklava, was toted as being one of the biggest launches of 2015, and we suggest you get yourself down there, fast.

When she spoke to us, she told us her favourite dish on the menu is her pomegranate-glazed lamb – and we couldn't help but ask her for the recipe. Here it is, in all it's glory; melt-in-the-mouth chunks of lamb with an umami-laden crust. You're welcome.

Ingredients

For the lamb

1 bay leaf
1 large onion, peeled and roughly sliced
1 lamb breast, bone in (approx. 2 kg). Ask your butcher to cut it into 4/5 pieces to make it more manageable

For the pomegranate sauce

100ml pomegranate molasses (you can find this in the World Foods section of large supermarkets)
50ml cider vinegar
25g dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves

To serve

360g Turkish/Greek yoghurt
4 sprigs mint, leaves picked and finely shredded
4 sprigs parsley, leaves picked and finely shredded

Method

Preheat your oven to 160ºC (fan)/180ºC/gas mark 4.
Place the lamb breast, sliced onion and bay leaf into a large roasting tray or casserole dish. Add enough water to cover the lamb by around 2cm.
Cover with foil or a lid and place into the oven for approximately 3 hours. You will know the lamb is ready when you can pull the bones away without any resistance.
Remove the lamb from the stock. Place the stock in the fridge to cool.
Let the lamb cool down enough so you can handle it, but don’t allow it to cool down completely as you will find it more difficult to remove all the bones and cartilage.
Remove as much meat as possible, discarding the bones and any cartilage. Place the meat into the fridge until the fat is set, preferably overnight. The next day cut the meat into approx. 2cm cubes.
Heat your oven to 170ºC (fan)/ 190ºC/ Gas mark 5.
Place all the spices onto a small roasting tray and toast them in the middle of the oven for approximately 6 minutes.
Get your cooled stock out of the fridge. Remove and discard all of the fat, which will have risen to the top of your stock.
Place the remaining liquid into a small pot and add the spices, pomegranate molasses, cider vinegar and sugar.
Allow this to simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has a consistency similar to single cream, strain off the spices.
Place the diced lamb into a medium hot dry pan and fry until crispy all over, turning occasionally and seasoning with sea salt as you go along. Be aware that a lot of fat will render out and the pan may spit at you so be careful as you are turning the lamb over. The pieces of lamb will break up a little in the pan but that’s fine. You want some bits that are super crispy and some bits that are soft in the middle – this can take anything between 8-12 minutes.
Drain the lamb in a colander and discard the excess fat.
To serve divide up the yoghurt into individual bowls or into one big bowl for the table. Place the lamb on top, pour over as much sauce as you like and sprinkle over the herbs.

oklava.co.uk