Servings: 4 to 6

Olives offer a salty contrast to rich, tender pieces of lamb in this hearty dish. The starch from the potatoes thickens the stew. Bone-in lamb pieces are traditional, but boneless lamb makes for easier eating; the choice is yours.

Ingredients

2-1/2 lb. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces, or bone-in lamb, such as shoulder, shank, or neck, cut into 1-1/2- to 2-oz. pieces (ask your butcher to do this)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. olive oil; more as needed
1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes, halved, seeded, and grated
1/2 cup dry white wine or 1/4 cup brandy
1-1/2 cups unsalted chicken or beef stock; more as needed
1 dried bay leaf
2-1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup unpitted green olives, such as manzanilla, Cerignola, or Castelvetrano, rinsed
Crusty bread, for serving

Calories (kcal) : 690
Fat Calories (kcal): 330
Fat (g): 37
Saturated Fat (g): 13
Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3
Monounsaturated Fat (g): 16
Cholesterol (mg): 130
Sodium (mg): 610
Carbohydrates (g): 44
Fiber (g): 4
Protein (g): 39

Preparation

Pat the lamb dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a 12-1/2-inch cassola (on a heat diffuser if recommended by the manufacturer) over medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the cassola, brown the lamb on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch, adding more oil as needed. Transfer each batch to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to low, and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently and then tapping down the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon until thickened and darker, 10 to 15 minutes, adding a little water as necessary to keep it from drying out and sticking.
Return the lamb to the cassola and turn to coat well. Drizzle with the wine, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and bay leaf, increase the heat to medium high, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a large pot lid or foil, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes if using bone-in lamb or 30 minutes if using boneless.
Add the potatoes and olives, replace the lid slightly ajar, and cook over low heat until the lamb and potatoes are fork-tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour, adding more stock if needed to keep the sauce moist. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve from the cassola with the bread, and be sure to warn everyone about the olive pits.

Tip

A cassola is a traditional Catalan shallow terra-cotta casserole dish. When shopping for one anywhere outside of Catalonia, you’ll most likely see it called by its Spanish name, cazuela. Some manufacturers recommend using a heat diffuser to protect the cassola from direct flame and help the food cook more evenly. If you don’t have a cassola, you can use a 12-inch-wide heavy-duty Dutch oven or straight-sided skillet instead.

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Reviews (5 reviews)

Morluv | 07/17/2019
I just wanted to share that I recently discovered a soft Italian salami (not like what that flavor suggests) mixed with Calabrian chili product, not hot spicy, called Dnuja (yes that’s right ;) which is an 11 on a 1 to 10!
It’s impossible to find locally in San Diego thus far but they have several brands on Amazon and even the cheaper ones are just wonderful! About 1/2 cup melted with the oil to sauté into would make this dish SING! That’s my gift to you today!
CSolar | 11/21/2018
This was OK, but I also found it a bit bland and heavy. It seemed to need something to brighten up the flavors. It was surprising to notice the article describes how in Catalan cuisine, a 'picada' (garlic, herbs, almond) is stirred in at the end of cooking -- yet for some reason this stew does not include it! In retrospect, it would have been a lot more interesting with the help of a picada.

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