Lamb Stew from Spain

Jennifer Brizzi's Recipe Pages

Lamb Stew from Spain, or Caldereta de Cordero

Caldereta means cauldron, and in Spain they've been cooking this sumptuous lamb dish for centuries in big cast iron pots. Make a day ahead for fullest flavor. Serves 4.

3 pounds lamb shoulder or neck, on the bone, in 2-3 inch chunks
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and trimmed
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
1 small or 1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 2-inch slice from day-old crusty baguette, crust cut off, torn or cut into a few pieces
5 peppercorns

The day before serving, toss the lamb chunks with the salt and set aside about 30 minutes.

Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in large heavy casserole and sauté garlic cloves, onion and bell pepper until soft. Remove from pot with slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Brown all sides of meat in batches, then return all pieces to pot. Add sweet and hot paprika and cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes. Do not let paprika burn.

Add wine, water and bay leaves and bring to a brief boil. Then cover and cook at barest simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until lamb is very tender.

Meanwhile, make the picada to thicken the stew. Sauté bread pieces in remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small skillet until crispy and golden. Crush peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, then add bread and reserved sautéed garlic, onion and pepper. If your mortar and pestle is too small, transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse to a coarse purée. Once lamb is tender, cool and skim off fat before adding picada, or just add it to straight to the stew. Simmer 20 minutes more.

Chill overnight and remove fat from top of stew if you haven't already. Reheat, season with salt and pepper to taste and remove bay leaves. Pull meat off bone to serve, if you wish.

Jennifer Brizzi | P.O. Box 48 | Rhinecliff, New York 12574 | U.S.A.

jenniferbrizzi@yahoo.com