These days, has lettuce left you downright skittish?
With the ongoing cyclospora outbreak, who can blame people for swearing off lettuces of all kinds?
However, there are actions you can take to minimize risks: Buy whole heads (particularly from local farmers at your farmers market), discard outer leaves, trim off any damaged or discolored areas, and wash and rinse leaves well.
Another great option? Cook your lettuce.
Indeed, heating it to at least 158°F will do the trick to keep you safe.
That’s one reason why this recipe for “Greek Lamb Fricassee” is your friend.
The other reason? It’s absolutely delicious, what with its tender pieces of lamb cooked in a citrusy, herbaceous sauce fortified with chopped romaine whose leaves turn naturally sweet and tender.
The recipe is from “Hungry Happens Mediterranean” (Clarkson Potter, 2025), of which I received a review copy.
It was written by Stella Drivas, a recipe developer, photographer, and creator of the website, Hungry Happens. The daughter of Greek immigrants, she makes her home on Long Island.
A mother of two children, she knows full well how time is often in short supply when it comes to cooking for your family. As such, she has come up with 100 straight-forward recipes that nourish and satisfy with bright Mediterranean flavors that often come with fun twists.
Savor everything from “Veggie Egg Bites with Feta & Olives,” “Spinach & Feta Cookies,” and “Crunchy Baked Beef Souvlaki Tacos” to “Sheet Pan Chicken Caponata,” “Lazy Spanakopita,” and “Lighter Baklava Cheesecake Bars.”
For this fricassee, Drivas calls for 3 1/4 pounds of bone-in leg of lamb, cut into large pieces about 4 inches by 4 inches. Feel free to make your life easier and just get boneless leg of lamb, which is often easier to come by in the poundage that you need. That’s exactly what I did, especially because you don’t end up using the bone in this recipe.
I also cut the lamb pieces smaller than she directed because a 4-by-4-inch piece is quite sizeable — probably more than one person would eat in one sitting. I cut mine into about 3-by-3-inch pieces. But honestly, you could cut them even smaller than that for greater serving options.
Season the meat with olive oil, and salt and pepper, then sear in a large pot, doing so in batches, if necessary. Although Drivas didn’t include this step, I removed the meat to a plate, then wiped out most of the rendered fat (there will be quite a bit) in the pot before adding in chicken broth and garlic powder. Add the lamb back to the pot, bring everything to a simmer, cover, and cook about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Uncover the pot, and lay chopped scallions, chopped fresh dill and the chopped romaine leaves on top of everything. Cover the pot again, and let cook for 15 more minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk three egg yolks with lemon zest and juice, plus cornstarch. Slowly pour in a little of the hot broth from the pot, whisking the entire time. Then, pour this yolk-lemon mixture into the pot, and stir to combine.
Garnish with more fresh dill, and serve.
You might think a meaty braised dish like this would be too heavy for this time of year. But it’s not a rich dish. In fact, it actually eats fairly light, thanks to the vibrant lemon taste that permeates it.
The meat is so tender and so comforting. The sauce is brothy and full of flavor. You’ll definitely want to serve this with plenty of crusty bread, rice or orzo to go along with all that sauce. Drivas says the recipe serves 4 to 6. But if you use 3 1/4 pounds of boneless leg of lamb as opposed to bone-in, you’ll end up with more meat, enough to probably serve 8.
As for the lettuce? It wilts for the most part, but retains a nice touch of crunch where the ribs are. Feel free to help yourself to as much as you like, too, knowing full well that you have nothing to worry about.
Greek Lamb Fricassee
(Serves 4 to 6 to 8)
3 1/4 pounds bone-in or boneless leg of lamb, cut into pieces about 3 by 3 inches (or smaller if you prefer)
1 1/2 tablespoons Greek olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 bunches of scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 large head romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 2 large lemons
1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch
Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Coat the lamb pieces in the oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Preheat a braiser or other large wide pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat until hot. Add the lamb pieces in an even layer. Sear until browned all over, about 4 minutes per side. Do this in batches, if necessary. Remove seared meat to a plate, and reserve.
Discard all except about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pot. Add the broth and the garlic powder, then the reserved lamb, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook untouched until the meat is tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Pile the scallions, romaine, and 1/4 cup of the dill over the meat and cover it again, without stirring. Cook for 15 minutes more.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, tapioca starch or cornstarch, the remaining 1 tablespoon dill, and a pinch or two of salt until smooth.
Slowly whisk about two ladlesful of hot broth from the pot into the lemon sauce to temper it. Remove the pot from the heat and pour in the lemon sauce all over. Carefully stir, gently swishing or swirling the pan back and forth to incorporate.
Serve right away, garnished with pepper and dill, with lemon wedges for squeezing on the side.
Change It Up: Swap the meat by substituting cubed chuck roast, beef stew meat, bone-in chicken thighs, or drumsticks for the lamb, adjusting cooking time as necessary.
Adapted from “Hungry Happens Mediterranean” by Stella Drivas
To Go With: Greek Yogurt Cake
