Spanish Lamb Hotpot

Spanish lamb hotpot or ‘Olla de Cordero’ is a popular dish in rural Granada where the famous ‘cordero segureno’ lambs are bred. The quality of the lamb makes a dish like this very special indeed and cooked simply it lets the flavour of the lamb do the work. A lovely winter warmer cooked in typically Andalucian rustic style using a natural terracotta casserole. For this recipe we cooked the lamb in the oven but it can also be cooked on the hob.

You will need (serves 6)

1.5kg Lamb, cubed

2 Sticks of celery, chopped

2 Carrots, sliced

4 Vine ripened tomatoes, chopped

2 Onions, chopped

1 Red bell pepper, chopped

4 Garlic cloves, cracked

2 Sprigs of Thyme, leaves chopped

Black peppercorns

70cl Rioja

Salt

1 tbsp Plain flour

Olive oil

Equipment: Terracotta ‘olla’ or earthenware casserole.

How to cook:

1. Firstly heat a good drizzle of olive oil in the casserole, add the lamb and the flour and brown for 2 minutes then remove from the heat.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the lamb and mix together.

3. Pour in the red wine and season well with salt and pepper.

4. Slow cook at 140 degrees for 3 hours topping up with water if required.

5. Serve with mashed potatoes and green vegetables.