Lamb Mafé
Known as mafé yapp in Senegal, this rich, meaty peanut stew will feed and delight a crowd.
- Serves
6
- Time
3 hours 30 minutes
“This is the ultimate comfort food that I remember my mother feeding me on colder days,” says Bintou N’Daw, the Senegalese-born chef behind Charleston’s Bintü Atelier, of this West African peanut stew. “It’s sweet and tangy, and the okra makes the sauce so velvety and creamy without using flour to thicken, so it’s perfect for anyone sensitive to gluten.” It’s also super adaptable: You can swap out the lamb for chicken or beef, or go meatless with root vegetables or fried tofu.
Dawadawa, also known as iru or ogiri, is a fermented locust bean product that brings a deep umami and caramel-like chocolate undertone to soups and stews like this lamb mafé. It’s available as ground powder or whole beans at African grocery stores; N’Daw sources hers from Burlap & Barrel but notes that you can achieve a similar flavor with balsamic vinegar in a pinch. While N’Daw served this dish with Carolina Gold middlins, or broken rice, at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, you can substitute any white rice with small to medium grains, such as jasmine.
Featured in “The Women Carrying the Torch of Gullah Geechee Cuisine” by Shane Mitchell.
Order the SAVEUR Selects Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven here.
Ingredients
- 3 lb. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2-in. cubes
- Kosher salt
- ¾ cup peanut oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- ¼ leek or 5 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1½ tsp. dried thyme
- 6 bay leaves
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice mixed with 1 Tbsp. ground dawadawa (or ½ cup balsamic vinegar)
- 8 cups beef stock
- 3 large carrots
- 1 habanero, coarsely chopped or left whole for milder heat (optional)
- ¼ head green cabbage, cored
- 3 cups roasted peanuts (or 1½ lb. smooth or chunky unsweetened natural peanut butter)
- 8 oz. fresh or frozen okra (optional)
- Steamed white rice, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
- Sprinkle the lamb with 1 tablespoon of salt. To a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, add ½ cup of the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add half of the lamb and cook, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining lamb; set aside. Reserve the oil in the pot.
- To the pot, add the garlic, onions, bell pepper, celery, and leek and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and remaining oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the paste begins to stick to the bottom and darkens, 7–9 minutes. Add the lemon juice mixture, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, then add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Add the carrots, habanero if desired, cabbage, and reserved lamb with any juices and season to taste with salt. Bring back to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is nearly tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using a spider skimmer, transfer the carrots and cabbage to a bowl and keep warm.
- To a food processor, add the peanuts with 1½ cups of the cooking liquid and process, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until creamy. Add the peanut cream to the pot (or if using the peanut butter, add it here). If using the okra, pulse in the food processor to small chunks, then add to the pot. Stir until the peanut cream melts into the sauce, about 1 minute. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the lamb breaks apart easily when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until a red oil forms on top, about 30 minutes.
- Serve the stew with rice and portions of the carrots and cabbage on the side or in the sauce.
Keep Reading
Continue to Next Story
