Lemony Lamb with Cous-Cous

Hungry? I still have a whole lot of lamb in the freezer (after buying half of one earlier this fall) so I have to think of creative things to do with it. This is what happened with some of the mystery pieces lately. The basic idea comes from a cookbook compiled by the Swedish grocery chain ICA, with modern "husmanskost" which is.. oh, traditional Swedish food I suppose. This is not so traditional, but definitely a modern take on lamb cooked in stock and then served with a creamy sauce. The cous-cous is all mine. And oh yes, it's delicious.

Lemony Lamb with Cous-Cous
Serves 4

1 kg lamb - any piece really, but with bone. (It might have been about 6-700 g pure meat)
water
2 tsp sambal oelek (or other hot chili paste)
2 chicken stock cubes or concentrated stock
1 bay leaf
black pepper

For the sauce:
1/2 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove
3-400 ml of stock from the lamb
1-2 tbsp flour (I use a kind that won't clump in sauces, very convenient)
250 ml cream (I use cooking cream, a 15% fat variety)
1/2 lemon - the zest and the juice
salt, finely ground white pepper

Cous-cous:
3-400 ml cous-cous
boiling water
some of the stock from the lamb
cayenne pepper
cumin
salt

Place the lamb into a pot, not too large, it should be quite snug. Cover with cold water, and bring to the boil. Remove any scum that rises to the surface, and bring to boil again. Add sambal oelek, chicken stock cubes, bay leaf and a little black pepper, cover with a lid and lower the heat. Boil for 1,5-2 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Let the meat cool a little, and then pick it off the bones. Shred it into bite-sized pieces. Sieve the stock.

Start the sauce: chop the garlic finely and fry in butter until slightly golden. Add the flour and 3-400 ml of the lamb stock. Add cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and leave to reduce for a few minutes. Season with salt and white pepper, and when it tastes nice, add the lamb. Let it heat through.

For the cous-cous, don't worry about these instructions - just wing it. It will work! Place the cous-cous with the spices in a bowl with plenty of space. Pour on some of the lamb stock (maybe.. 250 ml/a cup or so?) and then boiling water to cover the cous-cous with 4-5 cm. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to steam for five minutes. Fluff with a fork, and serve.

Recipe in Swedish:
Lamm i vitlöks- och citronsås