(or Filipino Almond Butter & Lamb Stew)

Hey everyone! It’s my first ever recipe-only post, something I’ve planned on starting for so long now but have not had the time (or actually, the inspiration) to do. I thought I’d start with two things very close to my heart: kare kare and lamb. Kare kare is actually a peanut-based stew, usually made with oxtail, beef, or a variety of seafood, and eaten on top of rice with a side of bagoong (shrimp paste).

I had a very intense craving for it a few weeks ago as I was undergoing a cleanse, but I couldn’t have eggplant, peanuts, beef, or shrimp, so I had to make a few changes. I replaced oxtail with lamb shoulder, eggplant with broccoli, and shrimp paste with fish sauce. I also had to use specific types of oils (olive and coconut oils) and sugar (coconut palm sugar).

A few hours ahead of time, I made the annatto oil by heating up the olive and coconut oils in medium heat and cooked the annatto seeds in it for about 5 minutes.

I let it steep for a few hours and strained the seeds from the oil.

Then about 4 hours before serving the kare kare I started washing and cutting up my vegetables. This made me remember my grandma, who always had her vegetables cut up and ready ahead of time on the table a few hours before dinner. Cut the broccoli into florets, the green beans into pieces about 2 inches long, the bok choy leaves from the stems and chop the stems into 2 inch long pieces. Also chop the onions into large pieces.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over the lamb and place in a roasting pan. Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes. Rotate or flip the lamb and roast for another 15 minutes to cook all sides evenly. Remove the lamb from the roasting pan, leaving behind the rendered fat.

While the lamb is roasting,  Add the vegetables to the roasting pan and mix around to let the rendered tail fat coat the vegetables. Roast the vegetables at 400F for about 12 minutes. Remove from the roasting pan and cover.

Transfer the roasted lamb to a large pot and cover with enough water so the water level is about 1 inch higher from the surface of the meat. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring the pot to a boil on high heat, cover then turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 2 hours until the lamb is super tender.

Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon onto a plate and filter the broth into a large bowl. Measure about 4 cups of broth for later. Save the rest of the delicious broth for another time.

Heat the large pot to medium high and add the annatto oil/cooking fat. Add the garlic and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the 4 cups of broth reserved from the previous step.

Lower the heat to medium, and add the almond butter, fish sauce, chili paste, lime juice, and coconut sugar. Mix until the sauce is creamy and smooth.

Cut the lamb into pieces and to the pot and increase the heat to medium high. Boil for another 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and boil for another 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Paleo & Clean Lamb Kare Kare

Adapted from platedwithstyle.com

Duration: 4 hours 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs
    lamb shoulder, thick cut (about an inch)
  • 1 tbsp
    salt
  • 1 tbsp
    black pepper
  • 1 large
    yellow onion, thickly sliced
  • 1 head
    broccoli
  • 4
    baby bok choys (or 1 large bok choy)
  • 3
    bay leaves
  • 10 oz
    green beans
  • 1 tbsp
    black peppercorn
  • 1 tbsp
    annatto oil
  • 6
    garlic cloves
  • 2/3 cup
    nut butter (I used almond butter)
  • 2 tbsp Filipino fish sauce/patis (Plus more in lieu of shrimp paste)
  • 1 tbsp
    lime juice
  • 1 tbsp
    coconut palm sugar
  • For annatto oil:
  • 1/2 cup
    light olive oil
  • 1/2 cup
    coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup
    annatto seeds

Cooking Directions


  1. For Annatto Oil: 
    Heat the olive and coconut oil to medium and add the seeds.
    Cook for about 5 minutes and remove from heat.
    Let steep for a few hours, then strain the seeds from the oil.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  3. Cut the broccoli into florets. Cut the green beans into pieces about 2 inches long. Cut the bok choy leaves from the stems and chop the stems into 2 inch long pieces. Also cut the onions into large pieces.
  4. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the lamb and place in a roasting pan. Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes. Rotate or flip the lamb and roast for another 15 minutes to cook all sides evenly. Remove the lamb from the roasting pan, leaving behind the rendered fat.
  5. While the lamb is roasting,  Add the vegetables to the roasting pan and mix around to let the rendered tail fat coat the vegetables. Roast the vegetables at 400F for about 12 minutes. Remove from the roasting pan and cover.
  6. Transfer the roasted lamb to a large pot and cover with enough water so the water level is about 1 inch higher from the surface of the meat. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns.
    Bring the pot to a boil on high heat, cover then turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 2 hours until the lamb is super tender.
  7. Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon onto a plate and filter the broth into a large bowl. Measure about 4 cups of broth for later. Save the rest of the delicious broth for another time.
  8. Heat the large pot to medium high and add the annatto oil/cooking fat. Add the garlic and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the 4 cups of broth reserved from the previous step.
  9. Lower the heat to medium, and add the almond butter, fish sauce, chili paste, lime juice, and coconut sugar. Mix until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
  10. Cut the lamb into pieces and return to the pot and increase the heat to medium high. Boil for another 10 minutes.
    Add the vegetables and boil for another 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Serve warm on top of rice with some fish sauce or shrimp paste if  you can have it. Enjoy!

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