Croatian lamb peka
Make Croatian lamb peka once and it will go straight into your regular rotation. Prep takes about under an hour, cooking around under an hour, and it serves 4. It sits firmly in the Croatian tradition, so expect the flavours you would get from a good home kitchen there. Read through the tips before you start — a couple of small details go a long way with this one.
- Level Hard
Ingredients
- 600 g Potatoes
- 1 Chopped Courgettes
- 1 Carrots
- 1 Green Pepper
- 1 small Aubergine
- 1 large Chopped Onion
- 800 g Lamb Shoulder
- 1 Tbs Garlic Sauce
- 1 Tbs Tomato Puree
- 80 ml Olive Oil
- Sprinking Thyme
- 250 ml White Wine
- To taste Pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan / 220°C / 425°F / Gas mark 7
- If you have not bought diced lamb, cut your lamb shoulder or leg into large chunks and place to one side.
- Chunks of chopped lamb of a red chopping board
- Make oil marinade -
- Mix 80ml of olive oil in a bowl with garlic puree, sundried tomato puree ,black pepper and salt.
- olive oil, gia sundried tomato puree and gia garlic puree and black pepper mixed together in a silver bowl to make Croatian peka
- Add potatoes and vegetables into a large lidded casserole dish.
- Chopped up vegetables which consist of chopped up red onion, courgette, potatoes red peppers in a cast iron pan
- Place diced lamb on top of the vegetables, pour the marinade and wine over the top.
- Chunks of lamb covered in in a sundried tomato oil sauce which is on top of chopped red onion, aubergine, courgette and potatoes in a cast iron pan
- Add the rosemary, thyme and sage, trying to keep the herbs on top.
- So you can easily remove the herb stalks once cooked.
- Chunks of lamb coated in a sundried tomato oil sauce and covered with thyme, rosemary and sage which is on top of chopped red onion, aubergine, courgette and potatoes in a cast iron pan
- Place lid on the casserole dish and cook for 1hr 30 minute
- If you do not have a lid cover very well with kitchen foil
- Cast iron dish with lid on in the oven
- Take the lid off, remove any thick herb stems. Stir in 2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Cook for a further 20-30 mins.
- Cooked Croatian Lamb Peka in a cast iron pan in the oven
- Serve with fresh homemade bread to dip into the juices.
Tips for the best Croatian lamb peka
- Let the lamb come up to room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly.
- Do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed so everything browns instead of steaming.
- Rest the finished dish for a few minutes before serving — it lets the flavours settle and the texture firm up.
- Preheat the oven fully before anything goes in — a cold start changes the texture.
Variations
- Spicier version: add a pinch of chilli flakes or a sliced fresh chilli with the aromatics.
- Fusion twist: keep the method but swap the spices for your own favourites — the Croatian base takes well to it.
- Individual portions: divide into ramekins or a muffin tin and reduce the baking time by about a third.
Serving ideas
Finish with fresh herbs and serve family-style in the middle of the table.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2 days; reheat in a hot pan or oven rather than the microwave to bring the crispness back.
Frequently asked questions
What can I substitute for potatoes?
Any ingredient with a similar texture and cooking time works; see the variations below for ideas. Keep quantities the same and adjust seasoning at the end.
Can I make Croatian lamb peka ahead of time?
Yes. It actually improves after a few hours, so make it earlier in the day and reheat gently before serving.
Is this Croatian lamb peka recipe hard to make?
It is rated hard: 13 ingredients and 20 steps. Follow the order and the tips above and it is very forgiving.
Recipe data via TheMealDB — source
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