A flavorful second course of braised lamb in aromatic beer and spices, served with a fresh and spicy ginger sauce that balances the richness of the meat.
Prepare the ingredients: cut the lamb into regular pieces if necessary. Finely chop onion, garlic, carrot, and celery (soffritto).
In a large pot, heat olive oil and brown the pieces of lamb over high heat until browned on all sides. Set the meat aside.
In the same pot add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery; sauté until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized.
Add the tomato paste and stir for 1-2 minutes, then return the lamb to the pot.
Pour the beer until partially covering the meat, add the hot broth, bay leaves, cloves, juniper berries, and a few black peppercorns. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer gently for about 60-75 minutes, or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has reduced. Check occasionally and adjust with salt and pepper.
If the sauce is too liquid, uncover towards the end of cooking and slightly raise the heat to thicken it; alternatively, reduce some of the liquid separately and incorporate it.
Prepare the ginger sauce: in a bowl combine grated ginger, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. Emulsify with a drizzle of sesame oil if using. Taste and adjust the sweet/sour/salty balance.
Serve the lamb hot drizzled with the ginger sauce on the side or poured over. Garnish with finely chopped fresh spring onion.
Large pot
Ginger grater
Wooden spoon
In the refrigerator, 2 days in an airtight container; do not freeze the fresh ginger sauce for long periods
The longer the meat cooks slowly, the more tender it will be. The beer imparts bitter and caramel notes; use a quality beer for better flavor. The ginger sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Italy, Campania
| Energy (kcal) | 143.42 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 3.36 |
| of which Sugars (g) | 1.99 |
| Fat (g) | 8.17 |
| of which Saturates (g) | 3.48 |
| Protein (g) | 11.76 |
| Fiber (g) | 1.17 |
| Sale (g) | 0.09 |
