This recipe is for the classic Greek lamb casserole Youvetsi You need to start with a pan on the heat, to which we're going to add a little olive oil
We're going to brown the lamb so you need to make sure you've got some good heat – you can try by testing one piece of meat, make sure you've got a good bit of sizzle Then drop those pieces in Let them seal on the bottom, then turn and make sure they're really nicely browned all over Once the lamb is nicely browned, pop it into a bowl and then set aside for a moment Then we're going to add some chopped to the hot pan with all those lovely meat juices
Give that a good stir around because we want the onions to soften and absorb all those lovely flavours While that's happening I'm going to chop some fresh rosemary Pull it back off the stalks and give that a rough chop Once the onions have softened we'll add those into the pan
Also got a couple of bay leaves, you can use fresh or dried, in they go I've got some all spice – you only need about half a teaspoon because it's pretty pungent And then we'll just stir this round for a few seconds, just to make sure everything is blended, and coat the onions in the spice mixture I'm going to add some stock And some tomatoes We're going to return the lamb back to the pan Then for a touch of sweetness, a little squeeze of clear honey
That just needs to all cook together now quite gently for about 15 minutes Because we're using the leg of the lamb which is a tender cut, that's why we don't need to overcook it After the lamb has had its 15 minutes it's time to add the orzo Now I've cooked this separately and cooled and drained it Just pop that into the pan, along with some spinach
I've got lovely baby leaves here, and just give it a stir and then all you need to do is pop the lid on, leave to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts and it's piping hot Then ladle into bowls and serve with a little sprinkle of feta cheese For more delicious recipes, don't forget to subscribe
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