Lamb with Muscari

Agnello con Muscari

Lamb browned and cooked with grape hyacinths, for a decisive balance between the tender meat and the bitterness of the bulbs.

4 servings

Easy

Basilicata

EasyBasilicata

Lamb with grape hyacinths is a rustic, bold Lucanian dish, perfect for a hearty lunch where the meat takes center stage. Its balance comes from the combination of the lamb's natural sweetness and fatty flavor with the bitterness of grape hyacinths, bulbs with a distinctive texture that require preliminary treatment to achieve a more harmonious result. Cooking in baking pan It highlights both elements: the meat is flavored with oil, garlic, rosemary, and white wine, while the grape hyacinths complete the dish by absorbing some of the aromatic essence. The result should remain moist, fragrant, and rich, with tender lamb and soft but not mushy bulbs. This recipe is part of the culinary tradition of Basilicata. A variation using eggs is also available. pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano and parsley, to keep creamy and not dry.

Instructions

Voice reading

9 steps · natural Italian voice

Clean the grape hyacinths

Using a knife, remove the outer skin of the grape hyacinths and make a cross-shaped incision in the bottom of each bulb. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water and let them soak for a few hours: soaking helps reduce the bitterness and stickiness they release.

Blanch the grape hyacinths

Drain the grape hyacinths from the soaking water and boil them in lightly salted water until half cooked. Check that they begin to soften, but still have a firm consistency; then drain carefully and set aside.

Prepare the lamb

Cut the lamb into small pieces, keeping the bones, and arrange it in a baking pan. Drizzle it with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, then add the clove of garlic and the sprig of rosemary to flavor the cooking base.

Brown the meat

Gently sauté the lamb over medium heat, turning the pieces so they brown evenly. Continue until the surface is golden brown and the bottom releases the aroma of garlic and rosemary, without letting the herbs burn.

Deglaze and flavor

Pour the white wine over the browned meat and let it evaporate over medium heat. When the alcoholic smell has faded and the base appears concentrated again, season with salt to taste and pepper to prepare the lamb for cooking with muscari.

Combine the muscari

Add the blanched muscari to the baking pan, distributing them among the lamb pieces. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat: the heat should finish cooking the bulbs and tenderize the meat, without overdrying the bottom.

Complete cooking

Let it cook over medium heat until the lamb is tender and the grape hyacinths are soft. Make sure the base remains moist and well-blended; the bitterness of the bulbs should be balanced by the sweet, fatty flavor of the meat. Serve hot.

Prepare the variant

For the egg and cheese variant, beat the eggs with the pecorino and the Parmigiano Reggiano grated. Add chopped parsley and mix the mixture until you obtain a uniform mixture, ready to be added to the meat and muscari.

Vigorously stir with eggs

Pour the mixture of eggs, cheeses and parsley on the lamb with muscari. Put the baking pan over low heat and bring back to the boil, stirring carefully to distribute the seasoning, prevent it from sticking to the bottom and keep it quite moist.

Chef's Tips

The editorial staff recommends blanch the muscari after soaking and add them only halfway through cooking, so that the bitterness is reduced without losing consistency during cooking of the lamb.