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Middle Eastern lamb pilaf
Serves: 6, with some tasty leftovers
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Laura Edwards
Middle Eastern lamb pilaf
Serves: 6, with some tasty leftovers
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time:
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
833Kcal
Fat
38gr
Saturates
13gr
Carbs
61gr
Sugars
15gr
Fibre
7gr
Protein
59gr
Salt
2.4gr
Allegra McEvedy
Classically trained chef and cookery author Allegra has headed up the kitchens of world-famous restaurants in England and the USA. She also co-founded healthy fast food chain Leon
See more of Allegra McEvedy’s recipes
Allegra McEvedy
Classically trained chef and cookery author Allegra has headed up the kitchens of world-famous restaurants in England and the USA. She also co-founded healthy fast food chain Leon
See more of Allegra McEvedy’s recipes
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1kg diced lamb shoulder (around 4x4cm)
- about 300g merguez sausages, or 250g mini cooking chorizo, cut into rough 3cm pieces
- 2 red onions, thickly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 125g dried apricots, halved
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 300g long-grain white rice
- 50g dried lentils (green or brown), rinsed
- a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Step by step
Get ahead
Prepare to the end of step 5 up to 2 days ahead; cool, cover and chill (or freeze for up to 3 months). Reheat on the hob (defrost first if frozen), covered; slowly bring to the boil and continue from step 6.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan 130°C, gas 2. Put an ovenproof casserole on the hob over a high heat with half the oil. When it's hot, thoroughly brown the lamb in 3-4 batches, roughly 4 minutes a time. Lift each batch out and set aside; wait for the pan to get smoking hot before doing the next batch.
- Once all the lamb is done, do the same with the sausages in 1 tablespoon of oil, until golden brown; set them aside too, but not with the lamb. When cool, chill them, as you don't need them for a couple of hours.
- Add the last of the oil to the pan and add the onions, garlic and carrots to the meat- infused oil. Reduce the heat to medium; gently fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add all the spices and stir to coat the veg for a few minutes more. Now tip the lamb plus its juices back in, along with the apricots, stock and plenty of seasoning.
- Put a lid on, bring to a simmer and then put in the oven for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, stir in the rice, lentils and sausages, then put the lid back on and put back in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Then remove from the oven, rest it for 10 minutes; season. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
Chef quote
I usually add merguez sausages to this pilaf, but smoky chorizo works well too. Serve with a crunchy chopped salad as a textural contrast, and some yogurt or tzatziki on the side