Braised Lamb with Hummus and Lemon Yogurt Sauce

My parents stopped by our house and I wanted to whip up dinner for one of their birthdays. I decided to do Middle Eastern inspired dishes which turned out to be a great hit. I've cooked for my parents 100's of times and they told me this was by far the best meal I've cooked for them. I tend to agree.

Our Menu
Clementine, Walnuts, and Red Onion Salad
Clementines are in season right now and super sweet, so I wanted to do something with them in salad form. The salad was dressed simply with a mayo, rice wine vinegar (for some sweet), and a little sriracha hot sauce which played nicely with the sweet clementines. Delicious and even more fun combined with the lamb.

Braised Lamb with Hummus and Lemon Yogurt Sauce
I've been playing with textures and acidity in my cooking, so I wanted to combine some of my favorite things together - hummus, braised lamb, and a garlicky lemon yogurt sauce. The richness of the uber tender lamb (basic red wine/tomato braise scented with cumin, coriander, and cinnamon cooked for 2 1/2 hours) worked well with the creaminess and earthiness of the hummus. Top that with the bright and acidic yogurt dressing with a sprinkle of mint leaves and you have a really rich dish that you want to keep on eating. I served this with a side basmati rice flavored with carrots, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts (more texture and flavors) and sauteed escarole. Buono appetito!