High end Lebanese isn’t an easy cuisine to find in NYC, but thanks to Chef Philippe Massoud we can experience traditional Lebanese meets modern Mediterranean at his acclaimed restaurant ilili. What’s also notable: ilili just started serving NYC’s first Lebanese brunch. You can find out more about Massoud in my Q & A with him in Haute Living.
Here, he shares a recipe with us:
Lamb Fatte (Fa Teh) for two
Ingredients
1 Large Lamb Shank (1 LB approximately); Check weight
Medium Dice:
1 Cup Spanish Onion
1/2 Cup peeled Carrots
1/4 Cup celery
Spices
Shank Spice Mix
1/2 Tsp of Ground All Spice
1/8 Tsp Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp Nutmeg
Shank Braising Spices
3 Each Cloves
2 Springs of Fresh Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
Liquids
3 Tsp EVOO
1/2 Inch Cube of Unsalted Butter
16 Oz of Lamb or Veal Stock
8 Oz of Water
12 Oz of 6 Hour Strained Yogurt
1 Tsp of Minced Garlic
Other
1/4 Cup of Pita Chips cut diamond Shape and fried or toasted in the oven.
3 ea slices 1/4 inch aubergines salted for 2 hours and then fried until dark brown
1/4 Tsp of Aleppo Pepper
1/4 Tsp of chiffonade of Fresh Mint
1 Tb of Pine Nuts
Make the lamb shank
1. Rub the shank with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle all the mixed spices on it.
2. Poke the shank in three places where the meat is deep and insert the 3 cloves of garlic in each whole.
3. Sear the shank on high heat until all sides are brown, and remove from the pan.
4. Add a bit of olive oil and add the onions, carrots and celery, and sweat until semi-translucent.
5. Add the shank, bay leaves, thyme, water and stock on top of the vegetables.
6. Cover and cook for 3.5 hours in the oven 350 degrees.
7. Remove from the oven and remove lamb meet of the bone, reserve for service
Plating
1. Layer in a bowl: fried aubergines (optional), pulled lamb shank, toasted/fried pita. Sautee the pine nuts in butter while also gently
heating the yogurt (stir constantly).
2. Once pine nuts are light/mocha brown, place the yogurt on top, and garnish with the butter and pine nuts, finish with the chiffonade
of mint and Aleppo pepper.
