Lamb Braised in Milk with Fennel

Ingredients

• 2 cups farro (can substitute brown rice)
• 1  fennel bulb diced
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds with a chef's knife) crushed finely
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 0.5 cup heavy cream 
• 2.5 pounds lamb shoulder boneless trimmed cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups milk 
• 0.3 cup olive oil 
• 0.5 cup parsley finely chopped
• 1 sprig rosemary 
• 5 servings salt 
• 5 servings salt and pepper 

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• pot
• sieve
• blender
• dutch oven
• immersion blender

Directions

1. In a large (5 to 6 quart) thick-bottomed Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil on medium high. Pat dry the lamb pieces. Season well with salt and pepper. Working in batches, place lamb pieces in the pan (do not crowd). Do not stir. Turn only once a side has browned. Brown all sides.
2. Remove from pan and set aside.2 Reduce heat in pan to medium.
3. Add remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil.
4. Add the diced fennel and cook a few minutes until softened, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
5. Add the garlic and crushed fennel seeds.3
6. Add the meat back into the pot.
7. Add the milk and cream. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, add the sprig of rosemary, cover. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until meat is tender. 4 While the lamb is cooking, prepare the farro (or brown rice). The farro will take about 45 minutes to cook, after which it can be kept warm, so time accordingly. Rinse farro through a sieve until the water runs clear.
8. Add it to a large, thick-bottomed saucepan. Cover with about two inches of water and add about a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, partially cover and let cook for 45 minutes or until tender.
9. Drain of excess water and set aside until you are ready to use it.5 Once the lamb is tender, remove the pieces from the pot and set aside. Discard the rosemary. Bring the milk cream sauce to a boil over high heat and reduce to about 2 cups. Working in batches, purée in a blender (or with an immersion blender) until smooth. (When puréeing hot liquids in a blender it's best to work with relatively small amounts, filling just maybe a quarter of the blender. Otherwise the pressure can blow the top off the blender and make a hot mess.) Return the sauce and the lamb to the pot and if needed heat until warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Before serving, stir in the fresh chopped parsley.
10. Serve the braised lamb over warm farro.