Autumn arrives gently in this part of Andalucía—still warm during the day, but with a coolness in the evening that calls for something slow and unhurried. This is the moment for slow roast lamb.

The leg came from La Sierra de Málaga — excellent local meat that deserves proper treatment. Three to four hours in a low oven, basted occasionally, is all it needs.

Slow roast lamb from la Sierra de Málaga — falling from the bone after three hours in a low oven.

The Spice Rub

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• Big pinch sea salt crystals
• A little olive oil
• A knob of butter

In a pestle and mortar, grind the cumin, salt and garlic together. Add the dried herbs, turmeric and paprika, then drizzle in enough olive oil to form a paste.

Melt the butter in a small pan over a low to medium heat and add the paste. Cook gently for 2 minutes — just enough to bloom the spices.

A Slow Roast Lamb Recipe Worth Waiting For

Place the lamb in a roasting tin or casserole dish and smear the spiced paste all over the meat. Allow it to cool a little before using your hands.

Put the lamb into a preheated oven at 160°C | 140°C fan and cook for 30 minutes. Pour in 150ml dry white wine and 100ml stock, baste well, then continue to cook for another 3 hours. Baste from time to time — if things look dry, add a splash more wine.

The slow roast lamb is ready when the meat is falling away from the bone and the kitchen smells like somewhere you want to be.

Chickpea Mash

• 400g jar chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, smashed and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch hot paprika
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soften the onion with olive oil until it takes on some colour. Add the garlic towards the end of cooking.

Meanwhile, warm the chickpeas in a pan over a medium heat. Transfer to a blender and pulse, adding some of the onion oil until you have a smooth purée. Stir in the onions, garlic, paprika, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the spiced slow roast lamb over the chickpea mash with the pan juices spooned over generously.

This slow roast lamb recipe is part of the Lamb & Goat collection — lamb and goat recipes from Casa Adora and the road. It is also part of the Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes collection — braised meat, one-pot casseroles, confit, and slow roasts from Casa Adora and the road. It also features in my Gut Health Recipes collection — real food from a rural Andalucían kitchen, built around fermented foods, high-fibre pulses, wholegrains and prebiotic-rich ingredients.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef