Recipes from Andalucia

By Nick Nutter

Slow Roasted Andalusian Lamb

Slow cooked leg of lamb with lots of herbs on a bed of potatoes. A typically Andalucian dish. The aroma and taste are delicious and the meat just falls off the bone.

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cooking Time: 300 mins Total Time: 320 mins
Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy Suitable for: Meat and Fish eaters

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt plus more
• 4 fresh bay leaves, divided
• 2 kgs Spanish white potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4" slices, divided
• 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 x 1 1/2- to 2 kg bone-in leg of lamb
• 1 kg tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
• 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2" slices
• 2 cups dry white wine

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Combine garlic, thyme, and 2 tablespoons salt in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rub mixture until it resembles wet sand (larger pieces of garlic will remain); set aside. Crush bay leaves.
2. Combine half of potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 crushed bay leaf in a large roasting pan; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
3. Spread out potatoes in a single layer.
4. Place lamb on top of potatoes and rub with garlic mixture. Layer tomatoes, onions, remaining 3 crushed bay leaves, and remaining potatoes around and up sides of lamb, seasoning with salt and pepper and drizzling with remaining 6 tablespoons oil as you go (lamb will be nearly covered).
5. Add wine to pan; cover tightly with foil.
6. Roast until lamb is very tender, 3-4 hours.
7. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 220°C. Roast, turning lamb halfway through, until lamb is golden, 20-25 minutes longer.
8. Let rest in roasting pan for 15-20 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Lamb can be roasted 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat before continuing.
9. Pull meat from bones in large chunks; discard bones and fat.
10. Place meat and vegetables on a platter. Skim fat from surface of cooking juices in pan.
11. Spoon some cooking juices over lamb and vegetables and serve remainder alongside.