As the chill of November sets in across Britain, acclaimed chef José Pizarro shares a taste of his Spanish childhood with a deeply comforting braised lamb cazuela. This slow-cooked dish, featuring tender lamb shoulder, velvety white beans, and hearty kale, is the ultimate winter warmer designed for sharing around the family table.
A Taste of Home: The Story Behind the Dish
Pizarro credits his mother, Isabel, for inspiring this recipe. Life on the family farm was busy, and a pot of lamb would often be left to bubble away slowly while everyone worked. By lunchtime, the entire house would be filled with an incredible aroma. For Pizarro, November immediately transports him back to those moments, making this the perfect month for food that warms both body and soul.
The chef explains that lamb shoulder loves a slow cook, transforming into something soft and rich. The magic is enhanced by cooking it with alubias blancas (white beans) that soak up the rich, meaty juices. A generous splash of oloroso sherry provides a deeper, rounder flavour profile that red wine simply cannot match.
Creating the Perfect Cazuela: A Step-by-Step Guide
This recipe serves six people and requires just 15 minutes of preparation. The cooking time of over three hours is largely hands-off, making it an ideal weekend project.
Begin by preheating your oven to 150C (130C fan)/300F/gas 2. In a large casserole dish, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat. Season 1.2kg of lamb shoulder, cut into chunks, and fry in batches until nicely browned all over, using more of the total four tablespoons of oil as needed.
Once the lamb is set aside, cook one large, finely sliced onion in the remaining oil for about five minutes until softened. Add five bashed garlic cloves, two teaspoons of smoked sweet pimentón, and a small handful of fresh thyme and oregano leaves. Stir for a minute until fragrant, then pour in 200ml of oloroso sherry, letting it bubble for a minute or two.
Bringing It All Together
Return the lamb to the pan and add a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and 500ml of good chicken stock. Season with black pepper and more salt, then cover the pot and bring to a boil. Transfer it to the oven to cook for two and a half hours, until the meat is beautifully tender.
After removing the pot from the oven, let it stand for five minutes so the fat rises to the surface. Skim this off with a spoon. Blend about a tablespoon of this fat with one tablespoon of plain flour, then stir this paste back into the lamb to thicken the sauce. Place the pan on a low heat and let it bubble gently for about 10 minutes.
Stir in two 400g tins of drained and rinsed butter beans to warm through. Meanwhile, blanch 250g of curly kale (tough stems removed) in a large pan of salted boiling water for about three minutes until tender. Drain, chop roughly, and stir into the lamb mix.
Serve this hearty cazuela hot, with plenty of good crusty bread on the side to mop up every last drop of the delicious, rich juices.
