Stufato D'Agnello (Italian Lamb Stew)
Scottish hill lamb has a mild, sweet flavour and cooks very easily. Buy lamb local to your area from a good butcher. You'll really notice the difference. This recipe is very easy and with potatoes and red peppers added it is a whole meal in a pot that takes no more than an hour to prepare.
You will need:
- 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 onions, peeled and very finely sliced
- 1 kg gigot lamb chops (with the bone kept in) or lamb shoulder
- Maldon sea salt and black pepper
- 1 x 400g tin Italian plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6-8 new potatoes, peeled
- 1 red pepper, de-seeded and sliced
Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan and flavour it with the garlic. Add the onions and cook them slowly until they start to soften.
Cut the gigot chops into pieces and trim off any excess fat. Season them well with salt and pepper. Take the onions and garlic from the oil. Raise the heat and add the lamb in batches, turning it so that it browns well. Once it is browned return all the lamb, the onions and garlic back into the saucepan.
Stir in the tin of tomatoes and bring the stew up to simmering point. Add the herbs. Cover the saucepan and let the stew cook slowly with the lid on tightly for half an hour or so, depending on the age of the lamb. Pop it into a medium oven, at 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 if you like.
After half an hour add the potatoes and the peppers, check the seasoning and add a cup or so of hot water (about 200ml) if necessary. The peppers will release some juices but the potatoes will soak them up. Put the lid back on and in 25 minutes or so a magical, perfect complete supper will be ready. You can also prepare this stew with best stewing steak or chicken.
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