Recipe#12116

Title: Lamb Stew

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 From: Stephen Denford steve@denford.demon.co.uk 
 Subject: Frito de Cordero (Spanish Lamb Stew) 
 Message-ID: DAFy8J.5tE@taranto.com 
 Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 22:24:19 GMT 

Serves 4
 900g boned leg of lamb trimmed (2lb)
 4 tablespoons olive oil
  onion
 4 - 5 cloves garlic, sliced
 1 bay leaf
 1 slice of stale bread, crusts removed
 1 teaspoon Spanish paprika (pimenton)
 pinch of chilli powder
 120ml red wine (4 fl oz)
 salt and pepper
 1 sprig of fresh thyme
 1.      Cut the lamb into 5 x 7.5 cm cubes (2 x 3 inches).   Trim off the 
         excess fat and any gristle.
 2.      Heat the oil in a wide saucepan.   Add the onion and bay leaf and 
         fry until the onion is golden and tender.   Discard the bay leaf.
 3.      Scoop the onion and garlic into a mortar and pound to a paste.   In 
         the same oil (add more if you need) fry the bread over a medium heat 
         until browned and crisp.
 4.      Break the bread into the onion/garlic mixture, then pound it in, to 
         form "el machado", the pounded mixture that will thicken the sauce 
         at the end of the cooking time.   You can use a processor to do 
         all this if yours can handle small quantities.
 5.      Whilst you are pounding take the pan off the heat and stir the  
         paprika and chilli powder into the oil, followed by the meat.   
         Return to a gentle heat and pour in the wine.   Season and add the 
         thyme.
 6.      Cover tightly and cook over a very low heat, stirring occasionally, 
         until the meat is tender; about 10-15 minutes.
 7.      Stir in the machado and simmer for another 5 minutes, by which time 
         the sauce should be thick and moist, not runny.   Adjust seasoning 
         and serve.