Lamb Pilaf (Plov)

Method8 steps · about 1 hr 50 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Put all the raisins (50 g) and pitted prunes (115 g) in a small bowl, pour over enough water to cover and add the fresh lemon juice (1 tbsp). Soak for at least one hour; start the lamb preparation while the fruit soaks.

   Minimum fruit soaking, overlapping lamb preparation · 60 minUses 50 g raisins · 115 g pitted prunes · 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice · Water to cover raisins and prunes for soaking

2. 2

   Step 2: After the full one-hour soak, drain the actual raisins and prunes and discard the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the drained prunes and hold all the drained fruit ready for the final pilaf.

   Uses All soaked fruit after its full one-hour soak

3. 3

   Step 3: While the fruit soaks, peel and chop the large onion (1 large); peel and crush both garlic cloves (2). Trim and cut all the raw boneless lamb (450 g) into one-centimetre cubes. Melt all the unsalted butter (2 tbsp) in a large pan and cook all the prepared onion for five minutes. Add all the actual cubed lamb (225 g), the separate raw ground lamb and crushed garlic.

   Soften onion before adding both raw lamb preparations · 5 minUses 2 tbsp unsalted butter · 1 large onion, chopped in step 3 · 450 g raw boneless lamb, trimmed and cut into 1 cm cubes in step 3 · 225 g raw ground lamb · 2 garlic cloves, crushed in step 3

4. 4

   Step 4: Fry the complete lamb-onion mixture for five minutes, stirring constantly until browned and breaking the ground lamb into small pieces.

   Brown cubed and ground lamb together · 5 minUses The complete assembled lamb-onion pan

5. 5

   Step 5: Pour the first 150 ml prepared vegetable stock into the actual browned lamb pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for one hour or until the lamb cubes are tender. Continue as needed for tenderness, and check the mixture containing ground lamb reaches at least 71°C / 160°F.

   Simmer both lamb preparations until tender and cooked · 60 minUses All browned lamb and aromatics · 150 ml prepared vegetable stock for lamb braise

6. 6

   Step 6: Rinse all the dry long-grain white rice and drain it. Add the remaining 450 ml prepared stock to the actual tender lamb pan and bring to a boil. Stir in all the actual rinsed drained rice and the large pinch saffron.

   Uses All tender lamb and retained braising liquid · Remaining 450 ml prepared vegetable stock for rice · 350 g (2 cups) dry long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained in step 6 · Water for rinsing dry rice · 1 large pinch saffron

7. 7

   Step 7: Stir the complete mixture, cover and simmer gently for about fifteen minutes or until the rice is tender. Check the grains and continue as needed without repeatedly uncovering the pot.

   Cook rice in actual lamb-stock pot until tender · 15 minUses The complete assembled rice-lamb pot

8. 8

   Step 8: Wash the flat-leaf parsley sprigs. Add all the actual drained raisins and chopped soaked prunes to the actual cooked pilaf. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, heat through for a few minutes, then turn onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with the prepared parsley. Serve as six portions.

   Uses All cooked pilaf · All held drained fruit · Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs for garnish, as desired · Salt for final pilaf seasoning, to taste · Freshly ground black pepper for final pilaf seasoning, to taste