Estufado de Codero y Verduras: Farmhouse Stew with Lamb and Vegetables

Ingredients

• Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 pounds lamb loin and shin
• 1 cup peeled and thinly sliced carrots
• 1 cup celery, chopped with leafy tops
• 1/2 cup turnips, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 5-inch long chorizo sausage, sliced thinly
• 3-inch long black pudding sausage, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup pancetta, sliced (can use fatty smoked bacon as an alternative)
• 1 glass (about 5 ounces) dry white wine
• 1 pint fresh stock or water
• 1 teaspoon of saffron threads soaked in 2 teaspoons of water
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 whole bulb garlic, unpeeled

Directions

Place the cazuela over a medium flame. Add the olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the dish. Add the loin and shin meat and brown.

Layer by layer add all the vegetables. Turn and mix ingredients slowly with meat.

Add the chorizo, black pudding and pancetta to the ingredients.

Add the glass of white wine, saffron, black peppercorns.

Add about 2 cups of stock or water and bring to the boil. Once the juices are bubbling turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer. Place the whole bulb of garlic in the center of the dish with all the ingredients surrounding it. The idea is to remove the garlic just before serving. Some chefs choose to keep the garlic in so they can nibble on it with bread as part of the main course.

Keep adding the stock or water, keeping the ingredients covered all the time.

Simmer on a low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Serve with a salad and a crusty farmhouse loaf.