The Gerudo, like other peoples living in Hyrule, have their influence on the culinary landscape of the kingdom. Each race living in the kingdom uses the ingredients of their region in their own way to produce a number of delicious dishes. The Gerudo offer pilafs, soups, and drinks that make use of poultry and the various fruits that are indigenous to the desert and highlands of their region.
One thing we do not see much of in the Era of the Wild is the Gerudo’s use of meat in dishes. Much of their protein use is poultry, though meat can be purchased from the merchants in the central square of Gerudo Town. This got me pondering. What meat dishes might the Gerudo have in their culinary repertoire?
The Gerudo have influences that bring Moroccan, Arabic, and Spanish influences to mind with their recipes. So, I wanted to create a meat dish that pulled from some of these influences. I decided that a meat stew seemed very appropriate for the Gerudo. This meat stew would involve gamey meat and spices. Building from these influences, I created the Gerudo Meat Stew.
The Gerudo Meat Stew uses chunks of lamb which are stewed down until soft and enhanced with aromatics, such as onion, garlic, and Gerudo Spice. Carrots, potatoes, and little tomato are also incorporated into the stew.
The dish is very similar to the traditional meat stew of Hyrule, but with a Gerudo twist. It makes use of common Hyrulean ingredients such as carrot, tomato, and stambulb, and enhances them with Gerudo spices, wine, and gamier cuts of meat. Overall, it’s a delicious and hearty meal. This would definitely be a perfect belly warming bowl on a cold, Gerudo desert night.
Ingredients
2 lbs lamb shoulder cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3-4 cups chicken broth
½ cup red wine
2 bay leaves
2 tomatoes, diced
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 small sprigs rosemary
1 cup peas
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Gerudo spice
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
2-3 tbsp parsley, diced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Place a pressure cooker over medium-high heart. While it warms, salt and pepper the lamb cubes generously. Once the pressure cooker is warm add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and add the lamb cubes. Brown the pieces completely, which should take 3-5 minutes. Brown the lamb in batches. You will probably need two or three batches to brown all of the lamb.
Once all of the lamb has been browned, reduce the heat to low-medium, and add the onion. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about one minute or until fragrant. Return the lamb cubes to the pot, followed by the chicken broth. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary to the pot. Scrape and brown bits off the bottom of the pressure cooker and stir. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker, set it to high, and allow pressure to build. Cook for 30 minutes.
Once 30 minutes have passed, turn off the heat, and release the pressure. Once the lid lock releases, remove the lid, and remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves from the stew.
Turn the heat back on to medium-low and add the red wine and Gerudo Spice. Stir into the stew until they are fully incorporated. Add the potatoes and carrots and stir. Allow to cook for 5-10 minutes, or until soft.
Add the tomato paste and stir to fully incorporate. Add the peas, and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
Finally, in a small bowl, add the cornstarch and the two tablespoons of water. Stir or whisk well until the cornstarch and water create a paste and are fully blended. Add the cornstarch slurry to the stew and stir to incorporate. Allow the stew to cook 5 minutes more to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste, and the stew is ready.
To serve, place a portion of the stew in a bowl and garnish with parsley.