Braised American Lamb & Cavatelli with Castelvetrano Olives and Whipped Herby Chèvre

January is full of snow, short days, and cozy comfort meals. Braising the leg meat of American lamb is a beautiful, easy, and affordable way to start incorporating lamb into your family’s diet.  Using the leg meat the same way you’d use a beef roast is simple and unintimidating. My kids love this dish, and they love the savory, jammy tomato sauce paired with the chewy cavatelli noodles. This recipe is brought to you by the American Lamb Board, but, as always, the opinions expressed are my own. I wish you a happy and healthy new year full of new experiences and delicious dishes!

Prep time 15 minutes

Bake time 2-3 hours

Serves 4-6 people

Braised lamb & cavatelli with Castelvetrano olives

2-3 pounds of American lamb leg, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, finely diced

1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives

3 cloves minced garlic

1 27-ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes in juice

1 cup water

12 ounces cavatelli pasta (3/4 of a 1 pound box)

1/2 cup chopped basil

Whipped Herby Chèvre

8 ounces soft chèvre

1/2 cup basil leaves

A few leaves of flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small clove garlic or 1/2 clove (you want soft garlic flavor, nothing too strong)

Salt and pepper to taste

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a pan suitable for braising, brown the meat in the olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. 

2.     Add the vegetables and tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes with a spatula, making a sauce.

3.     Stir, cover with a lid, and braise 2-3 hours in the oven. Check every 45 minutes for dryness. Add water in 1/2-cup increments if needed. Check for doneness at two hours and allow to cook up to 3 hours, if necessary. Once the sauce is finished, remove from the oven and let stand. (USDA recommends lamb reach an internal temp of 145F with a 3 minute rest)

4.     Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then mix with the cooked sauce.  Top with chopped basil.

5.     Add all ingredients for the whipped chèvre to the work bowl of your food processor and whirl it until smooth.

6.     To serve, swipe 1-2 tablespoons of the chèvre onto the bottom of your bowl, then spoon the hot pasta over the top and garnish with more basil. Enjoy!