Lamb stew recipe

Ingredients

1. 1.3kg stewing lamb on the bone (ask the butcher to cut it into large chunks)
2. 2 tbsp plain flour
3. 2 tbsp gravy powder
4. 2 tbsp olive oil
5. 2 large onions, sliced
6. 2 garlic cloves, crushed
7. 500g small carrots, scraped
8. 1kg new potatoes, scrubbed
9. 3 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
10. Few sprigs of fresh thyme and fresh mint
11. 1 chicken or pork stock cube

Method

1. 1. Put the lamb onto a tray and season generously. Mix together the flour and gravy powder and sprinkle over the lamb.
2. 2. Heat the oil in a large deep pan. Add the lamb and cook over a high heat for 10 minutes or until browned (do it in batches, if necessary). Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
3. 3. Add the carrots, potatoes, sun-dried tomato paste and herbs. Crumble in the stock cube, add 1 litre water and mix together. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 2¼ hours, until the meat and vegetables are tender. Gently stir every 30 minutes, to stop anything catching on the base of the pan. Serve in bowls.

Chef's tip

To oven cook: put in oven 180C/fan160C/gas 4 for the same time. If you do use an oven you should only use 600ml stock because it won’t bubble away and evaporate as it does on a hob.