Awarma Bil Hummus (Hummus with Spiced Lamb)
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© 2022 Alanna Hale
It’s hard to keep from snacking on the choicest shreds of this gorgeous confit of crispy lamb breast. That cut is the fattiest part of the lamb, and slow-roasting it allows it to cook in its own fat and become moist and tender. Harvest the spice-steeped lamb fat into a glass jar to use later for spectacular home fries or roasted vegetables.
Lamb breast is a specialty cut of meat, but it’s well worth it. The most flavorful parts of the lamb lie between the tissue of the breast. You will most likely have to special order it from the butcher. If you have a hard time sourcing breast, lamb shoulder chops make a great substitute, either bone-in or deboned. You may need to extend the cooking time if the shoulder is cut more than 1 inch thick.
Reprinted with permission from Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora by Reem Assil, copyright © 2022. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Find this recipe and others like it in Sunset's story from the 2022 Home Issue, “How to Level up Your Mezze-Making Skills, with Help from Chef Reem Assil.”
How to Make It
1
In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, spice mix, and olive oil to make a viscous paste. On a small sheet tray, rub the lamb with the rub and let it sit, covered, at room temperature for 2 hours or marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2
If the lamb has been marinated overnight, remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
3
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4
Pour the neutral oil into a cast-iron skillet or heavy pan and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the lamb, browning each side for about 3 minutes or until a deep golden char is achieved. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1½ hours or until the meat softens and easily pulls away from the bone.
5
Once cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bone, coarsely chop it into bite-size pieces, and shred the pieces into strands. Reincorporate the juices and rendered fat into the pulled chopped meat.
6
Just before serving, reheat the cast-iron skillet and crisp the lamb, pressing the strands with a spatula, browning the bottoms and then flipping the meat to do the same on the other side. You should have a varied texture with a mix of crispy and soft pieces.
7
When ready to serve, scoop the Chickpea-Tahini Spread onto a plate or into a shallow bowl. Use the back of a spoon to form a moat between the outer edge and the center. Spoon the hot crispy lamb, along with its juices, into the well and garnish with a bit more oil and spice mix.
8
The lamb can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp Chile-Spice Mix, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 ½ lbs lamb breast or shoulder, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
2 tbsp neutral oil, such as sunflower
1 ½ cups Chickpea-Tahini Spread
Directions
1
In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, spice mix, and olive oil to make a viscous paste. On a small sheet tray, rub the lamb with the rub and let it sit, covered, at room temperature for 2 hours or marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2
If the lamb has been marinated overnight, remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
3
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4
Pour the neutral oil into a cast-iron skillet or heavy pan and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the lamb, browning each side for about 3 minutes or until a deep golden char is achieved. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1½ hours or until the meat softens and easily pulls away from the bone.
5
Once cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bone, coarsely chop it into bite-size pieces, and shred the pieces into strands. Reincorporate the juices and rendered fat into the pulled chopped meat.
6
Just before serving, reheat the cast-iron skillet and crisp the lamb, pressing the strands with a spatula, browning the bottoms and then flipping the meat to do the same on the other side. You should have a varied texture with a mix of crispy and soft pieces.
7
When ready to serve, scoop the Chickpea-Tahini Spread onto a plate or into a shallow bowl. Use the back of a spoon to form a moat between the outer edge and the center. Spoon the hot crispy lamb, along with its juices, into the well and garnish with a bit more oil and spice mix.
8
The lamb can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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