Baked Lamb with Guava

“Lamb on its own is delicious but pair it with a fruit like guava and you have a flavourful dish that is beyond description. It is Caribbean in every sense of the word – vibrant, sunny, sweet and sassy.” – Felix Padilla, Simply Trini Cooking

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Baked Lamb with Guava
Cuisine: Caribbean
Author: Felix Padilla
Ingredients
For Lamb:
  • 2 pounds lamb shoulder chops
  • 1 lime
  • 2 Tbsp. green seasoning
  • 1 tsp. chopped parsley
  • 1 onion chopped, (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups water
For Guava Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup heated lamb stock or vegetable stock
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg preferably freshly grated
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. fine leaf thyme
  • 1 tsp. pepper sauce or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp. guava cheese 4 packets Tricopilia guava cheese
  • 6 leaves chadon beni finely minced
Preparation
  1. Prepare the lamb: cut and squeeze lime juice over the lamb and wash/rinse well with water. Drain well, pat dry and place lamb in a bowl.
  2. Season the lamb with the green seasoning, parsley, onion, garlic, paprika and salt. Set aside.
  3. Add the lamb and 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker. Cover and bring up to pressure; cook for 30 minutes.
  4. Make the guava sauce: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a deep bowl, mix together hot lamb or vegetable stock, salt, garlic, nutmeg, parsley, thyme, pepper sauce, tomato paste and guava cheese. Mix well with a fork until the guava cheese melts completely. Set aside.
  5. Place chops side by side in a deep baking dish (such as a 9 x 13 Pyrex or casserole dish). Spread guava mixture on top of lamb and sprinkle with chadon beni.
  6. Bake 20 minutes or until the topping caramelizes. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Cook's Notes
  • If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook the lamb in a Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight lid. The cooking time will be longer, as will be the amount of water needed to cook the lamb. Add 4 cups of water, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. When the lamb is tender, drain off any remaining liquid and reserve it to use in place of the stock to make the guava sauce.
  • Use your favourite brand of guava cheese if you cannot find Tricopilia.

This recipe was published in the June 2015 edition of Cooking Sense Magazine