Italian lamb Stew with lemon and parsley

Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus over night marinating
Cooking Time: 3 hours Serves: 6 people

Serve with mashed potato, polenta or rice.

With autumn nights drawing in, what could be more enjoyable than a succulent stew of lamb and olives? But remember to plan ahead as this recipe needs to marinate overnight in lemon, breadcrumbs, chili and garlic before it is cooked on a low heat for 3 hours or in slow cooker. But it is worth it - one of my friends calls it a modern day designer cholent. The red wine and vegetable stock produces a tasty stock for the meat to cook in.

Ingredients

• 1.35kg (3 pound) shoulder of lamb – cubed
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 x 20g packets of fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried chilies
• 2 400g tins cannellini beans –drained and rinsed
• 3 garlic cloves – peeled and finely chopped
• 120ml/ 1 /2 cup red wine
• 300ml / 1 cup vegetable stock
• 110g white bread or 5 tablespoons– preferably 2 -3 days old
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper – to taste

Garnish

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 300F / 150C.
2) Place the bread in the food processor and whiz together until the bread is reduced to fine crumbs.
3) Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until dry.
4) Put the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, parsley, chilies and garlic in a small bowl and then pour over the lemon juice and oil.
5) Season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and some pepper.
6) Stir, then spoon over the meat and mix thoroughly until every bit of the meat is coated with shiny crumbs.
7) The next day, take the bowl out of the fridge and put the meat and all the bits into a casserole dish.
8) Add the red wine, cannellini beans and vegetable stock, cover the casserole dish and put in the oven. Now turn the oven on to 325F/ 170 C/ Gas mark 3. (There is no need to pre heat the oven as slow cooking is the secret of its success.)
9) Cook for 3 hours and from time to time check the casserole to see if there is enough liquid – if it gets too dry add a few tablespoons of boiling water.

For further information please contact:

Denise's Kitchen
Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2HD