Name: Lamb with chickpeas and sofrito
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 315 min
Total time: 335 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 lamb shoulder, bone in (about 2kg); 1 red capsicum, finely chopped; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 celery stalk, finely chopped; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 fresh bay leaves; 2 tbsp sweet paprika; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 400 gm canned crushed tomatoes; 500 ml dry sherry; 250 gm dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight; Picada; 100 gm blanched almonds, roasted; 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped; 1 tsp sweet paprika

Lamb with chickpeas and sofrito

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for lamb with chickpeas and sofrito.

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

5H 15M

Total

5H 35M

You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lamb shoulder, bone in (about 2kg)

1 red capsicum, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

2 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp ground cumin

400 gm canned crushed tomatoes

500 ml dry sherry

250 gm dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight

Picada

100 gm blanched almonds, roasted

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1 tsp sweet paprika

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 160C. Heat oil in a casserole over high heat. Add lamb shoulder and turn occasionally until browned (3-5 minutes), remove from casserole and set aside. Add capsicum, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves and spices to casserole and stir occasionally over low heat until onion is very soft (20 minutes), then add tomato and cook until thick (20 minutes). Add lamb, pour over sherry and bake, covered, until lamb is just tender (2 hours). Add chickpeas and 500ml water and cook until chickpeas are tender and lamb is falling from the bone (2½ hours).

2.Meanwhile, for picada, pound almonds, garlic and paprika in a mortar and pestle until a coarse paste forms. Serve lamb and chickpeas with picada spooned over.