EN DE FR ES PT IT
Lamb Neck Gulasch with Tomato-Olive Sofrito, Rosemary and Creamy Samp Risotto with Pecorino
Recipe

Lamb Neck Gulasch with Tomato-Olive Sofrito, Rosemary and Creamy Samp Risotto with Pecorino

Dinner • South Africa

A refined South African-inspired dinner: melting lamb neck braised with sweet and smoked paprika, enriched by a tomato-olive sofrito and rosemary, paired with a creamy samp “risotto” and a pecorino finish.

Why smarter

Uses collagen-rich lamb neck for luxurious texture without needing heavy cream; deep flavour is built with a four-stage gulasch approach—searing, paprika bloom, sofrito reduction and slow braise—then balanced with acidity and olive salinity for a restaurant-quality finish.

Chef tip

Bloom paprika briefly in fat off the heat to avoid bitterness, then deglaze immediately—this keeps the gulasch vibrant and aromatic.

Soft line

Serve with a crisp green salad or roasted seasonal vegetables for an elegant plate.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 1.2 kg lamb neck slices, excess surface fat trimmed 1.200 kg lamb neck slices Bone-in preferred for depth
2 2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste 2.000 tsp fine salt
3 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1.000 tsp black pepper
4 2 tbsp olive oil 2.000 tbsp olive oil
5 1 large onion, finely diced 1.000 large onion
6 2 carrots, finely diced 2.000 medium carrots
7 2 celery stalks, finely diced 2.000 stalks celery
8 4 garlic cloves, finely grated 4.000 cloves garlic
9 2 tbsp sweet paprika 2.000 tbsp sweet paprika Mandatory
10 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1.000 tbsp smoked paprika For depth
11 1 tbsp tomato paste 1.000 tbsp tomato paste
12 1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes 400.000 g canned chopped tomatoes
13 120 g pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped 120.000 g Kalamata olives
14 250 ml dry red wine 250.000 ml red wine Or use lamb stock if avoiding alcohol
15 500 ml lamb or beef stock, plus extra if needed 500.000 ml stock
16 2 rosemary sprigs 2.000 sprigs rosemary Mandatory
17 2 bay leaves 2.000 leaves bay leaves
18 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1.000 tbsp red wine vinegar To finish and balance
19 1 tsp sugar (optional), only if tomatoes are very acidic 1.000 tsp sugar Optional
20 1 cup dried samp (cracked dried maize kernels), rinsed 1.000 cup dried samp South African staple
21 1.25 litres water or light stock for cooking samp, as needed 1.250 litres water or light stock May need more depending on samp
22 30 g unsalted butter 30.000 g unsalted butter
23 60 ml cream 60.000 ml cream For a refined finish; can reduce slightly if preferred
24 50 g pecorino, finely grated, plus extra to serve 50.000 g pecorino Mandatory finish
25 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve 2.000 tbsp parsley Optional but recommended
26 Fresh lemon zest, a small pinch to serve lemon zest Optional, for lift

Method

  1. Cook the samp (start early): Rinse samp well. Add to a pot with 1.25 litres water (or light stock) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently until tender (about 60–90 minutes, depending on samp), topping up with water as needed. Keep warm.
  2. Gulasch in 4 ways—Way 1 (Sear): Pat lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown lamb in batches until deeply coloured. Remove to a plate.
  3. Gulasch in 4 ways—Way 2 (Paprika bloom): Lower heat to medium. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 8–10 minutes until softened and lightly caramelised. Add garlic for 30 seconds. Pull the pot off the heat, add sweet paprika and smoked paprika, and stir for 20–30 seconds to bloom without burning.
  4. Gulasch in 4 ways—Way 3 (Sofrito reduction): Return pot to heat, add tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in chopped tomatoes and olives; cook 5–7 minutes until thick and glossy, scraping up any browned bits.
  5. Gulasch in 4 ways—Way 4 (Slow braise): Add red wine to deglaze and simmer 2 minutes. Return lamb to the pot with stock, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and braise on low heat (or 160°C oven) for 1.5–2 hours until lamb is very tender. Skim excess fat if needed.
  6. Finish the gulasch: Remove rosemary and bay. If sauce is thin, simmer uncovered to reduce to a spoon-coating consistency. Stir in vinegar; add sugar only if needed. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  7. Make samp risotto: To the cooked samp, stir in butter until melted and glossy. Add cream and simmer 1–2 minutes for a creamy texture. Off the heat, fold in grated pecorino. Adjust seasoning; loosen with a splash of hot water/stock if needed.
  8. Serve refined: Spoon creamy samp risotto into warm shallow bowls. Ladle lamb neck gulasch over the top, ensuring each portion gets lamb and sauce. Finish with extra pecorino, parsley and (optional) a pinch of lemon zest.