Greek-Style Leg of Lamb and Orzo Pasta

I've made this recipe dozens of times using a bone-in leg of lamb. The last time I made it, I used a boneless shoulder roast and regretted it--it just wasn't as flavorful, nor was it as tender. So--let me make the mistakes here--please don't be tempted to use a boneless shoulder roast--it just won't turn out as good :)

With that said, this is a lovely way to prepare a leg of lamb in a "one-and-done" kind of a meal. At the end of the braising, you use the braising broth to flavor orzo that has been tossed with onions, garlic and eventually, lemon juice--and it's really very special.

Enjoy with a nice merlot that will compliment the earthy flavors of this dish. Or--if you'd like a little more acid to cut some of the richness, try a nice medium body pinot noir--we are loving Picayune Cellars Pinot Noir right now!

Ingredients
  • 3-4 lb bone-in leg of lamb
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups orzo pasta
  • 1 large onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 large tomatoes (chopped)
  • 4 tbsp fresh dill (chopped fine)
  • juice of one lemon
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. 1
    Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large, heavy (preferably cast iron) Dutch oven until shimmering, but not smoking. Generously sprinkle course salt and freshly ground pepper on all sides of the lamb. Place lamb in the pot and brown on all sides.
  2. 2
    Once the lamb is nicely browned, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Simmer, checking and stirring occasionally, just to make sure the lamb is not sticking, for about 2 hours. The meat should be very tender--if not, simmer for another 20-30 minutes.
  3. 3
    Once the meat is nice and tender, remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside, covering with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Reserve the broth in a separate bowl or pitcher (I use a large measuring cup) and set aside. Heat the empty pot to evaporate off any leftover liquid ( don't scorch it--you just don't want to add the olive oil to the pan when there's still excess liquid in there). Add the 1/2 cup olive oil and heat to shimmering, but not smoking.
  4. 4
    Add the orzo pasta and stir until the pasta is nice and glossy and starting to turn translucent.
  5. 5
    Add the onions, garlic and saute until the onion is starting to turn translucent and the garlic is very fragrant. Add the tomatoes and dill and stir until combined.
  6. 6
    Add 4 cups of the broth to the mixture and set aside the rest of the broth in case the orzo needs a little extra liquid. Add the meat back into the pot, cover and simmer for another 20-25 minutes, until the orzo has absorbed the liquid and is very tender. Taste for doneness and seasoning and add as needed.
  7. 7
    Serve with a nice squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Note

This is a lovely dish to have in the spring and particularly for Easter dinner--it makes a lot and is a crowd-pleaser. Serve with a side of asparagus and/or artichoke for a celebration of spring dinner!

Read it online: https://thestonesoupcook.com/recipe/greek-style-leg-of-lamb-and-orzo-pasta/

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