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Lamb and Roasted Pepper Ragout

This stew is prepared al chilindron, which means that sweet paprika and sweet red peppers are combined in a rich sauce for the meat. A similar stew is prepared in Portugal, but there the peppers are ground into a paste with garlic and salt and rubbed on the meat before cooking. Note that the lamb needs to marinate overnight. This dish can be made the day before and reheated. Adapted from a recipe by Joyce Goldstein. From Spain and The World Table, The Culinary Institute of America. Serves 8

For the lamb
4 pounds (1.8 kg) lamb shoulder, well trimmed of fat and
sinew, cut into 1½- to 2-inch (4 to 5 cm) cubes
3 tablespoons Spanish sweet paprika
2½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon finely crumbled bay leaf
2⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
11⁄3 cup dry white wine, divided use
Zest of 1⁄3 large lemon, finely sliced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
For the ragout
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cups chopped onions
2½ tablespoons paprika
2½ teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups lamb or chicken stock
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste
8 medium red peppers, roasted and cut into wide strips
8 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Prepare the lamb. Place the lamb in a small non-aluminum container and toss well with the paprika, cumin, bay leaf, oil, ²⁄³ cup of wine, and the lemon zest. Cover the container and leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Transfer the lamb to a colander to drain well, and bring to room temperature. Season the lamb with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan and brown one-third of the meat over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn each piece to brown all sides evenly. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a 12-quart (12 liter) stew pot or Dutch oven. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of excess fat from the browning skillet, then repeat this process with the remaining meat, browning in 2 batches, draining off excess fat each time. Also pour off any excess fat that accumulates in the stew pot. Finally, deglaze the sauté pan with the remaining wine and add the pan juices to the stew pot. Clean the sauté pan before proceeding.

3. Make the ragout. Heat the oil in the sauté pan and cook the onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until translucent and tender. Add the paprika, cumin, and garlic and cook for a few minutes longer, or until the mixture begins to stick to the pan. Season the mixture with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir this mixture into the stew pot with the lamb.

4. Deglaze the sauté pan with ½ cup of the lamb or chicken stock, and add the pan juices to the lamb. Add the remaining stock, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the stew pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce to low heat and cover the pan. Simmer gently for about an hour, or until the meat is nearly tender.

5. Add the roasted peppers to the stew pot with 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring back to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes longer, or until the largest pieces of lamb are tender. Adjust seasoning with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper (or more or less of each to taste). If you like, add 2 tablespoons to
¼ cup of lemon juice to taste. Garnish each serving of the stew with 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley.