Guvec (Turkish Lamb Casserole)
Kuzu Guvec is a Turkish Lamb Casserole dish made with lamb meat and vegetables slowly cooked in a clay pot.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 304kcal
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 measuring spoons
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 guvec
- 1 Lodge Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lbs diced shoulder of lamb (800 grams)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 10 button onions (or 2 large onions cut in chunks)
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 Turkish green peppers (or 1 bell pepper or 1 red Romano pepper)
- 1 cup trimmed and cut green beans (150 grams)
- 1 cup tomatoes (grated or blitzed) (200 grams)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, use it if your meat is lean)
- ⅔ cup vegetable stock or chicken stock (150 ml)
Instructions
Prepare Your Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
- Peel the button onions (or small shallots) and garlic, and leave them whole.
- Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers and slice them roughly.
- Peel the aubergines in a zebra pattern and cut them into two-centimetre cubes, similar in size to your lamb.
- Grate the tomatoes or finely blitz them.
Layer the Clay Pot or Dutch Oven
- Place the lamb at the bottom of the dish and sprinkle on ⅓ of the seasoning and spices.
- Mix the vegetables and arrange them on top of the lamb, sprinkle on ⅓ of the spices and seasoning.
- Combine the rest of the seasoning&spices, tomatoes, tomato & pepper paste, stock and olive oil (if using) in a bowl and pour it over the vegetables.
Cook the Lamb Guvec
- Cover the dish with a lid. If it doesn't have a lid, cover it first with silicone paper and then tin foil.
- Place the dish in the oven and cook for an hour.
- Remove the lid and cook for another hour, until the meat is soft and tender. Do not stir the dish while cooking.
- Take the Güveç out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before serving. Check the seasoning and adjust it to your taste.
Video
Notes
- Although lamb is traditionally used to make this delicious stew, you can also use chicken, beef, or fish.
- Do not stir the dish while cooking.
- The leftovers will keep for up to five days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Or you can freeze them for up to three months if you want to keep them longer.
- There is only 304 kcal in one portion of this delicious lamb casserole dish!
- You can make this authentic dish a couple of days ahead. It tastes even better when reheated.
Nutrition
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1154mg | Potassium: 1109mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1074IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg