Paprika Spiced Lamb (New Zealand)

This recipe is being posted for ZWT II, but will definitely be on our table very soon. The recipe appears to span 2 continents. While discovered on an on-line search for New Zealand recipes at www.recipes.co.nz, it is then described as “an adaptation of the traditional Hungarian Goulash”. The meat & sauce are prepared separately & combined at the end to protect & enhance the flavours of the lamb & sauce. (Note: The recipe strangely combined the use of metric & US standard measurements. I felt that was confusing & converted to all US style as I suspect there are more of “you” on RZ than “us”.)

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  lbs lamb (fully-trimmed loin, rump or cutlets)
•  salt & pepper (to taste)
•  cooking oil (to sear lamb meat)
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons  cooking oil
• 8  slices bacon
• 3  medium onions (thinly sliced)
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 3  garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 -3  teaspoons paprika
• 2  lemons, juice of
• 2  cups  veal stock or 2  cups  vegetable stock
• 10  ounces  cream
• 1 1⁄2 lbs potatoes (diced & par-boiled)
•  sea salt (to taste)
•  fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Potatoes - Par-boil, drain & set aside. Do not overcook.
2. Paprika Sauce - Heat oil in a lrg saucepan over mod heat. Add bacon & onion & sauté till golden brown. Add tomato paste & cont to fry for 2 min, stirring well. Add garlic, thyme & paprika & combine well. Fry for 30 seconds, then add lemon juice & stock. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to a slow simmer for 15 min (don't simmer too hard or the sauce will reduce too much). Remove from heat & adjust seasoning to taste. The sauce should be a thick coating consistency. If too thick, add a little extra stock to dilute.
3. Lamb - Season lamb & sear in hot oil till cooked to your liking. Set aside, covered & in a warm place to rest before carving.
4. To Serve - Just before serving, add the cream & bring the sauce back to a simmer. Add the potatoes to complete their cooking (be careful not to overcook the potatoes or allow them to break up - they will heat through & finish cooking very quickly). Place 6 portions of sauce & potatoes on dinner plates & arrange sliced lamb over the top.
5. Notes: Sautéed onion w/pitted chopped olives was suggested as an optional garnish, but the picture of sautéed fresh mushrooms on the side kept flashing before my eyes. :-).
6. Recipe Tips: (found at the end of the recipe) 1) If using lamb loin or rump, sear the pieces whole & then slice to serve. For cutlets, sear & put aside till required. 2) Paprika varies widely in quality & freshness. Good paprika will thicken the sauce in a similar way to flour & will require time to cook out the raw, grainy texture.