IAN & SPAIN

When I first arrived in Spain, it wasn’t long before some good friends of mine insisted on taking me to a restaurant on the outskirts of Madrid to enjoy a regional classic; Lechazo de Churra roasted in a clay oven with wood. I have to admit that that meal made an impression on me and has become one of my favourite dishes, the crispiness of the skin and the tender juicy meat was just out of this world. It is such a simple dish and one wonders how it could have so much flavour. Originally used to the typical roast lamb and mint sauce back in the UK, this was a completely different approach and an unforgettable experience. For those who have tried this, know what I am talking about. This nationwide dish which originated in the region of  “Castilla y Leon”, has become a classic especially at Christmas in Spain. Many households around the country will be celebrating the seasonal festivities this year with lamb on the dining room table.

The region of Castilla-Leon was also the place that gave birth to this breed of Sheep. The "Churra" breed of sheep goes as far back as the Celtic invasion of Spain starting around 1000BC when the Celts crossbred their sheep with the local breed. Since then this breed has been the predominant breed in Spain and was also the breed that the Spanish introduced to the Americas. Nowadays it is considered the breed of choice for traditional “Lechazo Asado” (also know as Lechal) or roasted suckling or milk-fed lamb. However, there are certain parameters that need to be addressed to get the perfect result. The main one is the age of the lamb, as it names suggest it must still be a lamb that is being fed only on breast milk which means it must not be older than 6 weeks when slaughtered or weigh more than 12kg. Specialist chefs in the field consider 3 weeks to be the maximum age, that way you achieve the maximum succulence possible and the meat is even richer in proteins, iron, phosphorous, Zinc and Sodium as well as vitamins B2 and B12. This makes for a very healthy meal, particularly low in fat. As this young animal has still very little fat on it special considerations need to be taken when cooking it too, which I will go into very shortly.

This dish although it is at its best cooked slowly in a clay oven with wood, it can still be enjoyed at home using a conventional oven, clearly, the taste of wood is not present but we can simulate that rustic country taste with fresh herbs. Most importantly you need to buy good quality suckling lamb, any breed will do but if you can find “Churra” that is better. I am going to explain the few easy steps to create a perfect Spanish suckling lamb roast and it is as easy as 1,2,3. You can either buy the meat fresh or frozen, although fresh is always better but is you do buy frozen make sure it is slowly defrosted in the fridge beforehand.

For 4 people you will need the following:

2 front-quarters of Suckling Lamb (my favourite cut - paletilla - shoulder blade)
2 garlic cloves unpeeled
200g of lard or 100ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil if you want to avoid adding animal fat.
1-2 glasses of water (around 150-200ml)
1 large sprig of fresh Rosemary
1 large sprig of fresh thyme
Rock Salt
4 potatoes for the garnish

 
Traditionally this dish is cooked in a clay dish however you can obviously use a baking tray but it does taste better in a clay dish, still not sure why though. Simply place the hindquarters skin side down in the baking dish pop in the two garlic cloves and the herb sprigs and roughly spread the lard over the top of the lamb. Add the water to the bottom of the dish (don’t pour it over the meat) and season all over with a sprinkle of rock salt.  As the lamb has very little fat we need the lard, not only to enhance the flavour but also to maintain the stock while roasting, so you can also use olive oil but for the authentic taste I recommend lard. This one of the few times I would actually recommend lard over Olive Oil!  The oven should be pre-heated to 165ºC and then pop it in the oven for 1 hour. After an hour take it out of the oven and turn the lamb over and baste with the juices. Season with a little more rock salt and place it back in the oven for another 45 – 60 minutes depending on the size of the meat. What we want is the skin to go nice and crispy with a golden to brown colour. This roast takes it time; if you rush it by bumping up the heat it will dry out.

 
We need to make sure that there is always some water in the bottom of the dish, this is to provide constant humidity to the meat and keeps it succulent, so check on it from time to time and if there is no water, add some more. You might be thinking, when do I add the potatoes or can I add the potatoes to the same dish as the meat and cook everything at once? The answer is no. The potatoes will need to be cooked separately. There are two reasons for this, one that the potatoes will give the meat a slightly different taste if cooked in the same oven and two they will steal part of the humidity from the meat meaning the lamb with dry up quicker. So traditionally the potatoes are always cut into thin slices and fry for a few minutes in extra virgin olive oil until they are half cooked. They are then removed and dried on a kitchen towel.

Next, place them in a baking tray on top of some tinfoil or in a different clay dish if you happen to have one. Once the lamb is ready, remove the lamb and quickly pop in the potatoes for about 5 minutes at 200ºC just to crisp them and finish them off. Serve together and there you have it. There are other variations using white wine and vinegar and so on, which are great, but the traditional Lechazo de Castilla-Leon is as simple as that, let the quality of the meat and the oven do the work. An ideal wine would be a Crianza from the Castilla y Leon region such as "Yllera", a fantastic and reasonably priced wine which I highly recommend, but make sure it is at room temperature before drinking it.

There you have it. If you fancy a more Spanish Christmas this year why not give it a go!

Enjoy!

All the comparative studies carried out by the Organization for Consumers and Users (OCU) are rigorous, exhaustive, independent and aim to help consumers choose the best product. And one of the best products that Spanish gastronomy has without a doubt are wines, at every price point. To help out a little with your next purchase, the OCU has carried out an analysis of 53 red wines and among all of them, five wines from Ribera del Duero really stand out for their quality, tasting, pairing and price. This also happens to be my favourite region!

The five wines which came out on top were Protos, Pago de Los Capellanes, Valpincia, Prado Rey and Viña Arnáiz. The analysis was focused on assessing the quality, data about the state of the grape during the harvest, the fermentation of the musts and even the ageing process in oak barrels.

Here are the top 5:

Protos

Received a score of 84 out of 100 points. Protos Crianza 2017 from Ribera del Duero, stands out for its cherry red colour with light garnet touches, aromas of medium intensity with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, coconut and some small toasted nuances of cocoa. It has a price of 15.55 euros, you can find it in the brand's own store or in supermarket chains such as El Corte Ingles, Consum and Carrefour.

This wine has been made through careful research on the selection of native yeasts, in order to create a wine with very different nuances and profiles. Intended to accompany roasts, meat stews, mature cheeses and cured meats. It was awarded five stars (out of five) in its analysis.

Pado de los Capellanes

It received a score of 84 points out of 100. Pago de Los Capellanes Crianza 2018 has a cherry red colour with garnet and violet tones, with aromas of medium intensity and hints of spices and vanilla with roasted nuances. It received five stars (out of five) in its analysis. It has a price of 21.56 euros.

Like the previous wine, this red is intended to accompany stews, sausages, roasts and mature cheeses. It can be bought in different supermarkets such as Carrefour and El Corte Ingles

Valpincia

It received a score of 84 points out of 100, is considered one of the best wines in the analysis. Valpincia Crianza 12 months has a medium persistence and hints of cocoa and ripe black fruits. In the mouth, it is of medium intensity, polished tannin, with a certain balance, good acidity and a delicate flavour. It also received five stars (out of five) in its analysis. It only has a price of 10.17 euros.

It is a clean and bright wine, with a cherry red colour and significant maroon tones. It can be purchased in supermarkets such as El Corte Inglés.

Prado Rey Cuvee Premium

It received a score of 84 points out of 100. This 10-month 2019 red wine is one of the best value wines here with a Denomination of Origin Ribera del Duero. With aromas of medium intensity, spices, black fruits, light toast and hints of wood. It received five stars (out of five) for its rigorous analysis. It costs 11.06 euros.

It is a wine of medium intensity that, like the rest of the wines previously analysed, is intended to accompany dishes such as stews, sausages or mature cheeses. It can be purchased in supermarkets such as Hipercor or El Corte Inglés.

Viña Arnáiz

It received a score of 82 points out of 100. This 2016 tempranillo stands out for its analysis in the gustatory phase, with a certain balance, smoothness and good persistence. It received five stars (out of five) in its analysis. It has a price of 8.82 euros. This clean, bright red wine can be purchased at various local stores such as Carrefour and El Corte Ingles.