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Frite extremeño
Frite extremeño: shepherd's lamb fried with garlic, bay and smoky paprika until tender and sticky
Frite is the simpler, drier cousin of caldereta and is especially loved around the sheep country of the Sierra de Gata and the Cáceres plains. Small pieces of lamb are fried in olive oil with lots of garlic, then cooked with bay, pimentón and a splash of vinegar until tender and coated in a dark red, clinging sauce. It is the dish people cook outdoors at the spring romerías and eat with bread straight from the pan. Chef's tip: ask the butcher to chop the lamb small, bones and all, so every piece gets crisp edges.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Season the 2 ⅝ lb lamb shoulder and neck on the bone with the 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Heat the ¼ cup olive oil in a wide deep frying pan or casserole over a medium-high heat.
3 minStep 2: Fry the lamb with the 8 cloves garlic and 3 bay leaves for 12–15 minutes, turning, until the pieces are well browned and crisp at the edges. A common mistake is crowding the pan with all the meat at once: it boils in its juices and never browns, so fry in two batches if needed.
15 minStep 3: Lower the heat, take the pan off for a moment, sprinkle in the 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera) and ½ tsp hot smoked paprika and stir for a few seconds, then add the 2 tbsp sherry or white wine vinegar and 1 cup water.
2 minStep 4: Cover and cook gently for 35–40 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lamb is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick red sauce that clings to the meat. Add a splash of water if it dries out before the meat is tender.
40 minStep 5: Serve hot from the pan with plenty of bread.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frite extremeño take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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