Name: Ottoman Baked Lamb
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 6 lb leg of lamb – trimmed of all fat and the two complicated bones at the body end removed; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves; ½ pint yoghurt; 2 dry bay leaves – crumbled; 8 tablespoons rough red wine; 4 heaped tablespoons tomato purée; 6 cloves garlic – peeled and minced

Preparation info

serves
8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Independent Cook

By Jeremy Round

Published 1988

About

My version of an Ottoman palace favourite, hünkâr beğendi, which is braised lamb served on a pile of hot aubergine purée thickened with cheese and bechamel. Here the large leg of lamb is tenderised in a yogurt marinade then baked rather than roasted, although it should take on a nice brown tomato-flavoured crust in the last 45 minutes of cooking. By itself it is good served with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.

However rude and rustic this dish, I have a lingering affection