Lamb breast with buckwheat porridge

8 servings

120 minutes

Lamb brisket with buckwheat porridge is a traditional dish of Georgian cuisine that combines the rich aroma of lamb with the tenderness of buckwheat soaked in wine and mint sauce. The origins of the recipe date back centuries when simple yet hearty dishes formed the basis of home cooking. Buckwheat porridge cooked with bacon and chicken liver acquires a rich flavor enhanced by sweet notes of sugar and the freshness of mint. The brisket, stuffed with porridge and baked to a golden crust, becomes juicy and aromatic. Served with residual meat juice or refreshing mint sauce, it makes the dish perfect for a festive table. It is a harmony of flavors that blends tradition and culinary mastery, conveying the spirit of Georgian cuisine.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 941.9
• Proteins: 53.7g
• Fats: 69.8g
• Carbohydrates: 25.5g

Ingredients

• Smoked bacon: 200 g
• Lamb breast: 2 kg
• Buckwheat groats: 250 g
• Onion: 200 g
• Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Dry white wine: 100 ml
• Dried mint: 0.5 tsp
• Chicken liver: 200 g
• Olive oil: 20 ml
• Salt: to taste
• Ground black pepper: to taste

Cooking steps

1. In a skillet, fry diced bacon in olive oil until crispy, then add chopped onion and chicken liver cut into small pieces, and sauté for five minutes until golden brown. After that, add sugar and dried mint, pour in white wine, and let it evaporate completely.

   Required ingredients:

   • Smoked bacon: 200 g
   • Onion: 200 g
   • Chicken liver: 200 g
   • Sugar: 1 tablespoon
   • Dried mint: 0.5 teaspoon
   • Dry white wine: 100 ml
   • Olive oil: 20 ml
   • Salt:  to taste
   • Ground black pepper:  to taste

2. Pour buckwheat into a saucepan, mix with bacon and the rest, and add water about a finger's depth. Cover the saucepan and cook on low heat for ten minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it sit for a while, allowing the buckwheat to fully absorb the remaining liquid.

   Required ingredients:

   • Buckwheat groats: 250 g

3. Carefully separate the meat from the bone on one side of the brisket with a sharp knife to form a pocket. Fill the pocket with cooked buckwheat and securely close the opening with wooden skewers.

   Required ingredients:

   • Lamb breast: 2 kg

4. Make several cross cuts in the breast. Place it on a baking sheet and put it in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about an hour.

5. Slice the cooked brisket into pieces and serve with the sauce left in the pan. Or make a mint sauce from a mixture of white wine vinegar, sugar, chopped fresh mint, and water.

   Required ingredients:

   • Sugar: 1 tablespoon
   • Dry white wine: 100 ml
   • Dried mint: 0.5 teaspoon
   • Salt:  to taste
   • Ground black pepper:  to taste