Greek cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Gamopilafo

Cretan wedding rice, cooked in a rich lamb broth and finished with browned butter and lemon.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1 kg lamb shoulder, bone-in
• 400 g short-grain rice
• 150 g butter
• 1 onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 lemons
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the lamb shoulder under cold water, place it in a large pot with the halved onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and cover with 2.5 l water.
2. Bring to a boil once, carefully skim off the gray foam, and simmer the meat covered gently for 90 min., until it falls off the bone.
3. Lift out the meat, strain the broth through a fine sieve, and measure out 1.2 l of it – it carries all the flavor of the dish.
4. Bring the broth to a boil, season generously with salt, sprinkle in the rice, and simmer uncovered over low heat for 15–18 min., until it's creamy and barely any liquid remains.
5. Brown the butter in a small pan over medium heat for 3–4 min., until it smells nutty, and fold it into the rice with the juice of one lemon.
6. Arrange the lamb in large pieces on top of the rice, season with pepper, and serve with wedges of the second lemon.