PlumpJack Merlot + Lamb Ragout Bruschetta

3 pounds lamb shoulder (deboned, fat trimmed, and cubed)

Grapeseed oil or other high-heat oil

1 small onion, chopped

6 baby portabella mushrooms, chopped

1 large onion, diced

2-3 carrots, diced

2-3 stalks of celery, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons tomato purée

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef or chicken stock

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 can (6 ounces) pitted black olives, halved

Salt

Pepper

Fresh parsley

French bread, sliced

Preheat Oven to 350°F

Make Sofrito

• Dice the large onion, carrots, and celery stalks. You can also do this in a food processor, but be careful not to purée it. You want the vegetable mix to be very fine but not watery. Set aside for later.

Brown the Lamb

• Heat your Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat.

• While that’s heating, pat your lamb shoulder chunks dry to allow for prime browning.

• Add enough oil to coat the bottom surface of the Dutch oven and heat for 30 seconds.

• Place lamb shoulder chunks in oil and listen to that sizzle! Flip as needed to sear all sides without burning—getting a nice brown crust can take a minute or two.

• Remove from the Dutch oven and set the seared lamb aside.

• *Keep any brown bits left in the pot, if not burned, as this adds flavor.

Onions and Mushrooms

• After removing the lamb from the Dutch oven, reduce the heat to below medium.

• Add the chopped small onion and a pinch of salt.

• As the onion begins to caramelize, add chopped mushroom and a pinch of salt.

• Shrink the mushroom to at least half its original size.

Cook Sofrito

• With the onion and mushroom mixture still in the pot, add the sofrito and cook for a couple of minutes until the moisture is out.

• Add tomato purée and cook for another couple of minutes.

Deglaze

• Add the cup of wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to release the flavorful brown bits (fond).

• Reduce the wine to half of its original volume.

Braise

• Once the wine is reduced, add the seared lamb back into the pot and stir in 2 cups of beef/chicken stock. The liquid should barely reach the top of the meat, so add more or less, depending.

• Top with minced rosemary.

• Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and cook at 350°F for 3 hours. Check periodically for evaporated liquid and add more if needed (it’s okay if it reduces a little bit).

• Add chopped tomatoes and black olives in the last 30 minutes of braising.

• Remove from the oven, let rest, and season with salt to taste.

Bruschetta

• Brush olive oil on one side of the French bread slices and grill with olive oil side facing down until char lines develop.

Enjoy!

• Spoon ragout on top of the grilled bruschetta. Garnish with parsley if desired. Cheers!