Lamb And Orzo Stew Youvetzi Recipes

GREEK LAMB WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cut the lamb into 4cm chunks, then spread over the base of a large, wide casserole dish. Add the onions, oregano, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon and olive oil, then stir well. Bake, uncovered, for 45 mins, stirring halfway.
• Pour over the chopped tomatoes and stock, cover tightly, then return to the oven for 1½ hrs, until the lamb is very tender.
• Remove the cinnamon sticks, then stir in the orzo. Cover again, then cook for a further 20 mins, stirring halfway through. The orzo should be cooked and the sauce thickened. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve with crusty bread.

BAKED LAMB AND ORZO (ARNI YOUVETSI)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb with olive oil and sprinkle very liberally with salt and pepper. Sear the lamb in a heavy bottomed skillet. Transfer to a casserole dish.
• Add a little olive oil to the skillet, then add the onions. Cook until tender, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until they start to become incorporated with the onions. Add the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the liquid to the lamb casserole. Cover it and bake until the lamb is very tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Add the orzo and stir. Add some hot water if it starts to look dry and continue to bake, uncovered, until the orzo is cooked, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serve pieces of the lamb alongside the orzo and top generously with your choice of cheese.

GREEK LAMB STEW WITH ORZO PASTA RECIPE (LAMB GIOUVETSI)

Steps:

• To prepare this lamb giouvetsi recipe, start by cutting the lamb into chunks. Wipe the lamb with paper towels. Heat 1/2 of a cup of olive oil into a pan, add the chopped onions and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes in medium-low heat. Turn up the heat and add the lamb; brown the meat on all sides until crusty.
• Stir in the tomato paste and pour in the red wine. Wait for the wine to evaporate. Add the tinned tomatoes, a glass of water, the nay leaf, sugar and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
• Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for at least 45 minutes.
• In the meantime into another pan heat 3 tbsps of olive oil and the orzo pasta. Sauté, until golden.
• Place the orzo pasta along with the meat and sauce in an oven tray (remove the bay leaf) and mix with a spatula. Cover the tray with some aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, add a glass of water if needed, and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with some grated hard yellow cheese (kefalotyri) and enjoy!

GIOUVETSI RECIPE (GREEK BEEF STEW WITH ORZO PASTA)

Steps:

• Pat dry your Giouvetsi meat with paper towels.
• Heat 1/2 of a cup of olive oil into a pan, add the chopped onions and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes in medium-low heat. Turn up the heat and add the veal; brown the meat on all sides until crusty.
• Stir in the tomato paste, sauté for a minute then pour in the red wine. Wait for the wine to evaporate. Add the tinned tomatoes, the sugar, the cinnamon stick and a good pinch of salt and pepper and enough water to cover the meat.
• Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 45 minutes or until the beef is tender and fully cooked. Occasionally stir and top up with water if the sauce starts to dry out.
• In the meantime, heat another pan, add 3 tbsps of olive oil and the orzo pasta and sauté, until golden.
• Once your meat is done simmering, place the orzo pasta in an oven tray along with the meat and sauce (remove the cinnamon stick) and mix.
• If needed, add enough water so that the pasta is just covered. As a rule of thumb you'll need about 3 cups of liquid for 1 cup of orzo pasta.
• Cover the tray with some aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, add a splash of water if it has dried out, and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle with some grated kefalotyri or any hard yellow cheese and enjoy!

LAMB AND ORZO STEW (YOUVETZI)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add lamb and brown well on all sides.
• Add tomatoes, onion,garlic,tomato paste, cinnamon, sugar and salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt butter in large heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Add orzo and saute until completely coated; stir into lamb mixture.
• Add water, cover and bake 1 hour;remove onion.
• Sprinkle mixture with cheese; bake 5 minutes.
• Transfer to platter and serve immediately.

GIOUVETSI (GREEK LAMB STEW WITH ORZO)

Steps:

• Cut the veal into 2-inch cubes; do not debone. In a large stockpot, pour in sufficient water to cover the meat. Toss in 2 to 3 dashes of salt, and drizzle in a touch of vinegar. Boil for 10 minutes. Skim the froth with a slotted spoon, then remove the meat and place into a bowl. Rinse the pot.
• Pour the olive and vegetable oils into the stockpot.
• Chop the onions into 1⁄2-inch cubes, toss in, and sauté over medium-high heat.
• Add the veal cubes, and cover the meat with hot water from a boiling kettle. Partially cover the pot, and stir. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to medium- high heat. Feed the pot with boiling water, if needed.
• Continue cooking for 45 minutes, then mix in the tomato juice, salt, and pepper.
• Stir, partially cover the pot, and cook for another 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 395°F (200°C).
• Add the kritharaki (orzo) to a large baking dish (ideally, a round clay baking dish), spreading the pasta around with your fingers.
• Mix in 4 cups of hot water from a boiling kettle, and bake. Stir occasionally, making sure the kritharaki doesn't stick to the dish, while allowing the pasta and water to reach a boil (about 15 minutes).
• Then, mix in the tomato juice, and combine the veal and its broth. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, and let the giouvetsi stand in the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the pasta thickens.
• Remove from oven. Let cool, then top with grated Romano cheese. Serve with bread and red wine.

ARNI YOUVETSI (LAMB AND ORZO)

Steps:

• Preaheat oven to 375F (190C).
• Wash and pat dry the leg of lamb. In a large baking pan (if you have an earthenware casserole - even better!), rub lamb with the lemon juice and olive oil over. Season generously with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Pour in wine, water, tomato puree, minced onion, garlic and cinnamon around meat. Give the sauce a stir and roast, turning meat over occasionally when you see a crust forming (to brown all sides) for 2 to 3 hours (note: Greeks like their lamb well-done, if you prefer a shorter cooking time, cook to your personal preference).
• In a large saucepan, bring plenty of water to the boil, salt generously and boil the orzo pasta for 8 minutes. Remove and drain - retain a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the lamb casserole and give everything a stir to distribute orzo throughout the pan.
• Increase heat to 400F (200C) and continue to bake another 15-20 minutes, or until pasta is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid in the pan (it should still be fairly 'juicy' - not dry). If the pasta is too dry, stir in enough of the pasta cooking water you've retained to keep it saucy.
• Have lots of freshly-grated parmesan or kefalotiri cheese to sprinkle over pasta at table.

YOUVETSI: GREEK LAMB STEW WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Pat the lamb dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
• In a large, ceramic braising pan or heavy pan with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the lamb and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, tossing regularly, until browned. Transfer the lamb to a large plate for now.
• In the same pan, add the onions and garlic. Season with kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
• Return the lamb to the pan. Add the red wine, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg and bay leaf. Cook until the wine has reduced by at least ½, then add 1 cup of water and the tomatoes. Break the tomatoes up using a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the lamb is cooked through.
• Stir in the orzo and cover the pan. Let cook for another 20 minutes or until the orzo has cooked through and most of the moister has been absorbed.
• Garnish with parsley and crumbled feta, if you like, before serving.