Braised Lamb With Orange And Fennel

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seed
• 3 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 slices peeled fresh ginger (1/2-inch-thick)
• 2 slices fresh orange zest
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup medium-dry
• 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (20 fl oz)
• 3 fennel bulbs, stalks cut off and discarded, then bulbs sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Recipe

• 1 put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°f
• 2 wrap cinnamon stick and anise seeds in a small square of cheesecloth and tie bundle closed with string.
• 3 pat lamb dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• 4 heat oil in a deep 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown lamb in 3 batches, turning, about 4 minutes per batch. transfer to a bowl as browned.
• 5 pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and cook onion and garlic over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 6 add ginger, zest, and sugar and cook, stirring, 1 minute. stir in soy sauce, rice , broth, lamb with any accumulated juices, and cheesecloth bag.
• 7 braise mixture, covered, in oven 1 hour.
• 8 stir in fennel and braise, covered, in oven until fennel is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. discard cheesecloth bag, then season lamb mixture with salt and pepper and stir in cilantro.