A central part of every grand Arab feast is lamb—shoulder or leg—cooked à la cuillère (to such tenderness that you can eat it “with a spoon”), accompanied by rice with ground meat and nuts. This recipe comes from the caterer Nazira Bitar, who is the queen of wedding cakes all over the Arab world. She prepared a banquet in Stockholm that was hosted by the King of Jordan for King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　1 leg of lamb (weighing about 5 pounds) or 2 shoulders

　　1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

　　Salt and black pepper

　　2 tablespoons sunflower oil

　　1 onion, cut in quarters

　　1 head of garlic, cut in half

　　

For the Rice

2 1/2 cups basmati or long-grain rice

　　1 large onion, chopped

　　3 tablespoons sunflower oil

　　1/2 pound ground beef

　　Salt and black pepper

　　1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

　　1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

　　4 1/4 cups lamb or chicken stock (use 2 bouillon cubes)

　　1/3 cup sliced almonds

　　1/3 cup pistachios

　　1/3 cup pine nuts

　　

Step 1

Rub the leg of lamb all over with the spices, salt, pepper, and oil. Place it in a large roasting pan and put it into an oven preheated to 425°F. After 20 minutes, take the pan out of the oven, pour in 4 1/4 cups water, and add the onion and garlic. Cover the meat with a large sheet of foil and put it back in the oven. Lower the heat to 300°F, and cook for 3 hours.

　　

Step 2

While the meat is cooking, prepare the rice. If using basmati, wash the rice in cold water, rinse in a strainer under cold running water, and drain. In a large pan, fry the onion in 2 tablespoons oil until it is soft and beginning to color. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, turning it over and crushing it with a fork to break up any lumps, until it has changed color. Add salt and pepper and all the spices: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir well and add the rice, then stir again.

　　

Step 3

Pour in the boiling stock, mix well, and simmer, covered, for about 10 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender. (Some brands that claim not to be parboiled or precooked now take as little as 8 to 10 minutes, so read the information on the package.) Add a little stock or water if it becomes too dry. Drain and keep it on the side until you are ready to serve.

　　

Step 4

Fry the almonds, pistachios, and pine nuts separately in the remaining oil until they just begin to color. When the leg of lamb is ready, place it on a serving dish with the rice. You can cut the meat off the bone into slices, if you wish. Sprinkle the fried nuts all over the rice. Serve the flavorsome meat broth produced at the bottom of the roasting pan as a sauce. Heat it through and serve it in a jug, first pouring off as much of the fat from the top as you can.

　　Arabesque