Cretan Lamb Gamopilafo | Greek Festive Rice

Rinse the lamb, pat dry, and cut into larger pieces. Heat 30 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot, then sear the lamb all over for a few minutes. Add the peeled and halved onion, sprinkle with 5 g of fine salt and 2 g of ground black pepper, then pour in about 1.5 liters of water so that the meat is generously covered.

Bring the broth to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer gently, covered, for 1.5–2 hours until the lamb becomes completely tender and easily shreds with a fork. Once cooked, transfer the meat to a bowl and cover to keep warm, then strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot.

Measure out 900 ml of the strained hot lamb stock (top it up with a little hot water if needed). Pour the broth into a clean pot, bring to a boil, then add the thoroughly rinsed 300 g of rice and the remaining 5 g of fine salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 15–18 minutes until the rice becomes tender and reaches a creamy, velvety risotto-like consistency.