Limniona Recipe

Prepare the marinade

In a large bowl combine olive oil, red wine, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, grated onion, oregano, thyme, rosemary, brown sugar (or honey), salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Add the bay leaves.

Marinate the lamb

Place the lamb pieces in a large sealable container or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the lamb ensuring each piece is coated. Press out excess air, seal, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 36 hours — turn the meat once or twice while marinating so flavors penetrate evenly.

Remove the marinated lamb from the refrigerator about 30–45 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Reserve the marinade (do not discard).

Preheat and prepare roasting pan

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Spread carrots, celery and potatoes in a single layer in a large Dutch oven or deep roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Sear the lamb

Heat a large heavy skillet or the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1–2 tablespoons olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, remove lamb from the marinade (reserve solids and liquid) and sear pieces on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer seared lamb onto the vegetables in the roasting pan.

Deglaze and assemble braise

Pour the reserved marinade through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract liquid but leaving most solids behind. Add tomato paste to the strained marinade and whisk until incorporated. Deglaze the skillet with the optional extra 1/2 cup red wine, scraping up browned bits, then pour the deglazing liquid into the braising pan. Add stock and up to 1/4 cup water to ensure there is about 2–3 cm (1 inch) of liquid in the pan — the liquid should come up about one-third the height of the lamb pieces. Nestle bay leaves among the lamb and vegetables.

Cover and slow-roast

Cover the Dutch oven tightly with a lid or seal the roasting pan well with foil. Place in the preheated oven and roast low and slow for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. Check once at the halfway point: if the liquid is evaporating too quickly, add a splash more stock or water.

Finish roasting uncovered (optional)

For a more caramelized finish, remove the lid for the last 20–30 minutes of cooking and increase oven temperature to 190°C (375°F) to brown the top. Baste meat and vegetables with braising juices once or twice during this stage.

Rest and skim fat: Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer lamb pieces to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil to rest for 10 minutes. If desired, skim excess fat from the braising liquid using a spoon or a fat separator.

Reduce sauce (optional): Place the braising liquid (and strained solids, if you like a heartier sauce) on the stovetop over medium heat and simmer 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten.

Serve: Spoon the vegetables and reduced sauce over and around the lamb. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and (if using) crumbled feta or grated kefalotyri. Serve with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over the meat.