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Brav u mlijeku
Brav u mlijeku: Montenegrin lamb slow-cooked in milk with garlic, rosemary and potatoes
Highland shepherds in northern Montenegro cook young lamb this way when the flocks come down from summer pastures, slowly in a covered pan with milk, garlic and rosemary until the meat comes off the bone and the milk has reduced to a savoury, slightly curdled, golden sauce over the potatoes. It sounds unusual but tastes wonderfully mellow, sweet and garlicky. Serve it with bread and a green salad. The usual slip is cooking it uncovered from the start, so the milk scorches before the lamb is soft. Chef's tip: uncover only for the last half hour, so the top browns while the sauce underneath stays creamy.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ⅛ lb lamb shoulder on the bonecut into 6–8 large pieces
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoespeeled, cut into chunks
- 1 head garliccloves peeled
- 3 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 oz unsalted butter
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Season the 3 ⅛ lb lamb shoulder on the bone all over with the 1 ½ tsp salt and ¾ tsp black pepper.
2 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat and brown the lamb for 8–10 minutes, until golden on all sides.
10 minStep 3: Tuck the 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoes, 1 head garlic, 3 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves around the meat and pour over the 3 ¼ cups whole milk; it should come about halfway up. Dot with the 1 oz unsalted butter.
5 minStep 4: Cover tightly with a lid or foil and cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the lamb is tender when pierced.
90 minStep 5: Uncover and cook for 30 minutes more, basting once, until the top is golden, the milk has reduced to a thick sauce and the lamb pulls easily from the bone.
30 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes and serve straight from the pan.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does brav u mlijeku take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 130 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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