Putnam, Barbara
Armenian Lamb Casserole
Serves 4 with a fresh salad
This was my father’s favorite dish; it adapts well to herbs fresh from the garden. The
recipe came from a cookbook given to my mother from her father.
INGREDIENTS
3 beef boullion cubes dissolved in 2 cups hot water
2 cups water
2 cups diced cooked lamb, 1/2” cubes (great use of leftovers)
1 small chopped onion
2 or 3 sticks of celery, chopped
1/2 cup long grain white rice (not instant)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
a really good dash of tobasco
1 pound can of whole, peeled tomatoes or 2 -3 whole
fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 350º. Dissolve boullion in 2 cups hot water and
add lamb, onions, celery, and simmer 15 min. Meanwhile, melt
butter and add rice, and stir until light golden brown over low heat.
Season rice mix with pepper and tobasco. Stir in lamb mix. Divide
mixture and place 1/2 into greased 2-qt casserole. Cover this layer
with tomatoes, sliced with a spoon as you remove them from the
can. Save any left over juice to use if needed later. Sprinkle with
thyme and top with remaining half of the ingredients. Cover and
bake at 350º for 25 min. Remove lid and check to be sure rice is
moist. If needed add extra tomato juice by the tablespoon on top
of the rice. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 25 min.