Kuzu Güveç
Turkish cuisine is a well guarded by an army of Turkish grandmothers. A secret like Güveç (pronounced “Gyuvetz”), could cost you an arm or a leg. But we’re going to post it here for free because we are nice people.
The word “Güveç” defines an earthenware pot, in which the stew itself is made. “Kuzu” means lamb or mutton. So there are also versions with other ingredients such as Türlü güveç with vegetables, Dana güveç with veal or beef, Karides güveç with shrimp, and Patlıcan güveç with only eggplant.
The names of the dish Đuveč in ex-Yugoslavia, Gyuvech in Bulgaria and the Greek dish Giouvetsi derive from güveç, although they are not always cooked in earthenware güveç pots.
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, chopped thick, in rings or wedges
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 medium potatoes, chopped into chunks
- 2 zucchinis, chopped into chunks
- 2 eggplants, chopped into chunks
- 2-3 chili peppers (any medium-hot pepper will do)
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or one diced tomato)
- 500 gr boned lamb
- 0.7 Lt. beef broth or water
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
Preparation
First thing you will need is an earthenware pot with a lid, the taller the better. Then there are some optional steps, that will make the stew better, but are not obligatory.
Optionally, put the meat and the onions in a pan with a teaspoon of olive oil, and seal the meat while cooking the onions, let everything brown a bit.
Put a bottom layer of onions at the bottom of the pot. Next a layer of eggplant, and a layer of zucchini after that.
On the fourth layer add the meat and the potatoes and on top of them the chili peppers, cut in slices, and the garlic. Then repeat the layer business adding, onions, eggplant and so on until you run out of space or ingredients.
Turn on your oven to medium heat.
Put the broth or water in a small pot and bring it to a boil. Just after turning it off, add the butter, the tomato paste (or tomato), black pepper, the thyme, the cumin and salt. Make sure it is all well mixed in and pour it in the main pot.
Slam the lid on your güveç pot and put it in the oven for approximately 120 minutes.
Be extra careful when taking it out of the oven, because hot earthenware will crack or burst if you so much as look at it funny.
This stew will serve 4 hungry stew lovers.