It’s always extra special to plan your menu around a theme or vice versa. It turns a dinner party into a special evening. This delicious recipe was created by our favorite Aspen Private Chef, Michael Rueggeberg!
We served this at my Dad’s Spicy Soirée
Ingredients
For Lamb Stew
- 2-1" chunks fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 ½ cups water
- 10 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 ½ pounds boned lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 whole cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 whole cloves
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 2 medium red onions, peeled, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 teaspoons bright-red paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoons tomato puree
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 cups green beans, trimmed
- 2 cups red bliss potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Saffron Rice
- cups basmati rice
- teaspoon saffron threads
- tablespoons plus 4 cups boiling water
- tablespoons ghee (clarified) or butter
- cinnamon stick
- whole cloves
- cup finely chopped shallots
- kosher salt to taste
- teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
For Lamb Stew
- Put ginger, garlic and 4 tablespoons of water into electric blender. Blend well into a smooth paste.
- Heat 8 tablespoons oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium-high flame.
- Brown meat cubes in several batches and set aside in a bowl.
- Heat up remaining oil in a small sauté pan and add cardamom, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns. Stir once and wait until cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on color. This just takes a few seconds.
- Place spices in cheesecloth and make a sachet and add to pot.
- Add the onions into the heavy pot stir and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions turn a medium-brown color.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and season with salt. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds then add browned meat cubes and meat juices.
- Add tomato puree and stir and fry for about 30 seconds until well blended.
- Stir and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the remaining water and bring contents of pot to a boil, scraping in all browned spices on the sides and bottom of the pot.
- Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender.
- Every 10 minutes give the pot a good stir to prevent burning.
- Add more water if needed.
- When meat is tender, remove lid, turn fire to medium high and boil off some of the liquid, stirring all the time, until sauce is thickened.
- Meanwhile boil water in a medium stockpot and season with salt, make sure it has a salty taste like ocean water.
- Add beans to the boiling water and blanch until tender.
- Remove beans with a slotted spoon and cool in an ice bath.
- Add potato to the same water and blanch until tender.
- Remove from water and cool.
- Before serving, heat up the ghee in a medium sauté pan, add potatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes until caramelized, add beans and season with salt and a pinch of garam masala and cilantro.
- Sprinkle remaining garam masala over the rogan josh just before serving.
Saffron Rice
- Place saffron in a small bowl and cover with 3 tablespoons of boiling water.
- Soak for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat butter over moderate heat in a large 3 or 4-quart stockpot.
- Add cinnamon and cloves and stir well.
- Add shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir for about 5 minutes.
- Pour in 4 cups of boiling water, salt, and the cardamom.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the saffron and its soaking water.
- Stir gently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for 25 minutes.
- Fluff and serve hot.
Notes
Created for SW by | Michael RueggebergNutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8