What to Cook This April — Spring Lamb Stew for the Season That Finally Arrived

Spring market is here in full force. The phone has not stopped ringing in three days. Buyers are calling from New York, Chicago, Boston — everyone wants to be in Tampa Bay, everyone wants a pool, everyone wants to know if the flooding is really as bad as the news says. I tell them the truth: some neighborhoods flood, some do not, and I will not sell you a house that floods without telling you it floods. This honesty costs me sales sometimes. It also builds the kind of reputation that money cannot buy and competitors cannot replicate.

I closed on four properties this month, which is my personal best. Four families with keys in their hands, four front doors opening to new chapters. I stood on the porch of the last one — a colonial in Westchase — and handed the keys to a woman about my age, also divorced, also rebuilding. She looked at those keys like they were made of gold. I know that look. I wore that look in 2012 when I got my real estate license and held it in my hands and thought: this is mine. Not Mark's. Not Nikos's. Mine.

Easter is approaching — Orthodox Easter falls in April this year, and the preparations have begun. Mama is already ramping up tsoureki production at the bakery. The sweet braided bread is everywhere — on the counter, on the shelves, on the rack where it cools and fills the bakery with the scent of mahlepi and mastic and the particular sweetness that means Easter to every Greek who has ever walked through these doors.

Alexander has been studying for the SAT, which he treats with the same gravity other people reserve for heart surgery. He bought two prep books and a set of flashcards and he studies for an hour every night after homework. I told him his grandfather never took a test in his life and ran a successful business. He said Papou also got up at 4 AM every day, which I do not plan to do. I said you might be surprised what you plan to do. He looked at me. He understood. Plans change. The SAT stays the same.

I made a spring lamb stew tonight — chunks of lamb braised with artichokes and dill in an avgolemono sauce. It is one of the great dishes of Greek spring cooking, earthy and bright at the same time, the artichokes adding a nutty bitterness that plays against the lemon of the sauce. I served it over rice and we ate with the windows open because spring in Tampa means the windows can finally be open and the air smells like jasmine and possibility and the honest sweat of a city getting ready for summer.

Four closings in one month, windows open for the first time since fall, and Easter just around the corner — April asked for something worthy of it, and this lamb and artichoke stew in avgolemono delivered exactly that. I have made this dish every spring since Mama first walked me through it, and every year it tastes like a reward: earthy from the artichokes, bright from the lemon, and rich in the way that only a long, slow braise can manage.

What to Cook This April: Spring Lamb & Artichoke Stew with Avgolemono

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min | Total Time: 1 hr 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken or lamb broth
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3 tbsp juice)
• 1 package (9 oz) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, or 4 whole fresh artichoke hearts, quartered
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, plus extra for serving
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Season and sear the lamb. Pat the lamb pieces dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the lamb on all sides until deep golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Build the base. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Deglaze and braise. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the broth and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, until the lamb is nearly tender.
4. Add the artichokes. Nestle the artichoke hearts into the pot around the lamb. Cover and continue to simmer for 20–25 minutes more, until the lamb is very tender and the artichokes are cooked through.
5. Make the avgolemono. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cornstarch, and lemon juice until smooth and slightly frothy. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot braising liquid into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper it. Pour the tempered mixture back into the pot and stir gently to combine. Do not boil after this point or the sauce will curdle.
6. Finish and serve. Stir in the fresh dill. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve over white rice with extra dill scattered on top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 410 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 520mg