Lamb is much enjoyed by Greeks. I’ve always liked lamb and I’d eat more of it if weren’t so fattening and cost-prohibitive (yes I prefer lamb chops).
Lamb Fricasse was not a dish I enjoyed as a kid but I had an epiphany one late night on the Danforth, Toronto’s Greektown.
Back then I was the President of a Greek youth group and many evenings were spent at our associations’ center caught up with meetings and events.
This lifestyle was not conducive to enjoying home cooking but hey, I could have souvlaki and gyros each night right? Wrong! You get sick of the same thing each night and my soul cried for a Greek dish that would make me feel at home again.
The Old Byzantion restaurant came to the rescue. It was a restaurant with tables just like any other but what made this restaurant unique was it’s “open style” kitchen.
A patron walks into the eatery and then they are asked to come to back to see the day’s offerings…daily specials made with market fresh ingredients. Each day a different array was showcased.
Old Byzantion was also made great because the chef was and older Greek fella named Mihali, the dude worked most of his life cooking on cruise ships…the man was The Champ!
Mihali recommended that evening, Lamb Fricasse. This recipe resembles the French original but here it’s a stew.
This is a classic Greek dish made with lamb, Romaine lettuce, green onions, celery, and dill, which are stewed together. An Agvolemeno (egg-lemon sauce), is stirred in just before serving.
Lamb Fricasse With Avgolemeno
(feeds 4)
1kilo of lamb shoulder chops
3 heads of Romaine lettuce
(rinsed and hand-torn)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 bunches of scallions, chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
5 sprigs of fresh mint (2 Tbsp. dry)
salt and pepper to taste
Avgolemeno Sauce
2 large eggs
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. flour
- Place the lamb in a pressure cooker and cover with enough water to submerge the meat. Place the cover on your cooker, turn to high heat and when the seal has been made and you start to hear the whistle, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Take the pressure cooker off the heat and release the pressure by flipping the switch that releases the steam. Open the lid only when you no longer hear any steam escaping.
- In a large pot, add your oil and on medium heat, saute your onions and scallions for 5-7 minutes to soften.
- Add your lettuce in batches and cover with the lid and turn to high heat. As each batch of lettuce wilts, you will have room to add the next batch of lettuce to wilt (usually three batches). Boil down the lettuce until most of the liquid is gone.
- Take some lamb stock from the pressure cooker and add enough stock into the pot to cover the lettuce.
- Add your chopped dill and mint and stir in. Simmer for 30 minutes on medium with the lid slightly ajar. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add your pieces of lamb on top and allow to heat through for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a bowl, prepare your Avgolemeno Sauce by beating your eggs and flour and while still beating, add your lemon juice plus 1/8 cup of cold water.
- Take a ladle of stock from the the Fricasse and whisk into the Avgolemeno mixture. Continue whisking and add another ladle of stock.
- Remove the pot of Fricasee from the heat, add your Avgolemno Sauce to the Fricasee and gently shake the pot back and forth for the sauce to penetrate the entire stew. Check and adjust seasoning.
- Serve each plate with the stewed lettuce and lamb and pour over some Avgolemeno Sauce and serve with crusty bread.
Yummy Peter, although I am not a fan of lamb I would eat this dish.
Tell me, Peter – what is it with Greeks and lemon? Lemon sauce on food, and the famous egg and lemon soup are ingrained in my mind from my times in Greece. Other countries also grow lemons in abundance – but none of them are so nuts about lemons (as it were) as the Greeks! What’s it all about?
That is fantastic! Yum!
Avgolomeno is the food of the Gods :)
This lamb looks so comforting! And the Avgolemeno Sauce must make the difference with other stews! Lovely, Peter.
I LOVE lamb. I grew up with my grandmother making roast of lamb right on the farm. LOVE Greek food too (that’s why I’m here). Looks like I’ll need to try this one. I’ve never seen stewed lettuce… interesting. Is that in many Greek dishes?
Peter I love lamb too. i grew up sawing my father and grandfather roasting in BBQ every new year. Unfortunately this time is past…
Anyway I like the Avgolemeno Sauce a lot. And enjoying your recipes you inspired me to buy a book , called Greek specialties
I must venture out with my lamb cuisine. I am such a fan of lamb chops on the grill that I never try any other dish. And lemon, it is my favorite citrus fruit of all time as it perks up just about anything! Sounds and looks like it would be a great combination!
Ivy, make it for your family and watch!
Forkful, why Italians and tomatoes, why English and watercress, why Indians and tumeric, why Chinese and rice, why Irish and potatoes?
I’m thinking all cultures use what’s plenty and available and I’m just glad it’s lemons and not Twinkies!
Val, Manna brought down from the heavens!
Repicegal, Greeks will stew many different types of greens…more to come!
Sylvia, wait until I post of our Greek Easter and lamb on the spit.
Deb, many dislike the gameyness a lamb may have and the best solution is buy local and a marinade can often help. I heart lamb.
This looks amazing Peter! I would love this! I have grilled romaine, but never stewed it. Very cool.
I’ve never thought of a lamb fricasse before but it looks great. I’m around at my Greek friend’s this weekend, and I fully expect to be eating lamb of some kind. :)
@ivy.
You can do it without meat too. My favorite is with young goat and ‘wild” greens!
Lamb with dill, mint and Avgolemeno sauce sounds really tasty!
Is “perspicacity” a fancy way of calling me sweaty? XD
The trick is to buy a whole or half a lamb at a time. Of course, that doesn’t make it any less fattening, but if we must sup on the flesh of babes we pay the price, no?
Can you recommend how to cook the lamb w/o a pressure cooker? Slow, covered poach, maybe?
I believe I may have tried this once before, it it has a very lemony flavour. It looks delicious. YUM!
Jenn, stewed greens take on a whole new flavour this way.
Annemarie, impress them by bringing some Greek wine to the party.
Dimitri, katsiki, gida are great too!
Heather, buying lamb “en carcasse” is cheaper, yes “sweaty”!
Vicki, it’s probably best to saute the onions then sear & braise the meat in water for about an hour (lid On). After, start adding the lettuce, etc. as I did in my recipe.
Pixie, I had some leftovers and it was still delish.
Peter,
On our night out, I did tell you that this was hands down my all time favorite Greek dish. The ultimate in Greek comfort food..tastes even better the next day.. I don’t normally eat bread with my food but a nice crusty piece is a must to sop up all the delicious sauce..
Good on you for making this Peter bad on me..for salivating just the mere thought of it as I am trying to watch what I eat these days..not the most figure flattering meal (lamb + bread etc) I guess there is always portion control and considering the above tips..
Fricaseelicious
A~
This sounds delicious the lamb looks like it has been cooked so good.
Is romaine traditional? I have never had “cooked” romaine lettuce, have only used it in salads.
Anna, you’re da bomb..thx for visiting!
Jeena, the lamb was fork tender.
Pam, braising wild greens and Romaine is very traditional and one of the reasons the Greek cuisine is considered healthy.
We have a similarly sordid past with fricase, Peter. LOL. I didn’t think I liked it as a child, either, and then I also had it at Greektown (but in Detroit) and fell in love. Theirs also had artichoke hearts. Yours looks delicious.
I don’t have a pressure cooker. How long do recommend braising the meat in a slow cooker, if you know? I love this dish! Thanks.
Anon, a pressure cooker will cut your time to a third of the regular cooking time in a simmering pot. You’re looking at about 90 minutes.
Would it work if I substituted dandelion leaves for the lettuce or do you think they would be too bitter?