2011Recipes

• a . Recipe - Braised Lamb with Summer Vegetables and Mint Pesto

  
  Adding a serving of a green vegetable such as broccoli or some crisp green beans would make the meal even healthier and more satisfying.
• Serves 6
  Ingredients
  700g diced leg of lamb
  1 onion, chopped
  2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  1.5 ltr chicken stock
  300g diced potato
  4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
  150g sliced carrots
  4 sticks of celery, cut into 2cm pieces
  6 baby turnips, cut into 4
  12 spring onions, trimmed to 10cm long
  6 basil leaves
  20 mint leaves
  100g parmesan cheese, grated
  250ml olive oil
  20g butter and 20g sugar for vegetable glaze
• Method
  • Put the diced lamb into a saucepan. Cover the meat with water and bring to the boil. Drain off the water and refresh with cold water. Drain well.
  • Add 50ml of olive oil to a large braising pan and add the onion, half the potatoes, half the carrots and 1 clove of garlic. Cook without colour for 2 minutes.
  • Add the lamb, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1½ hours.
  • In a food processor put the mint, basil, remaining garlic clove and parmesan cheese. Blend and add the rest of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  • After the lamb has cooked for around 1½ hours add the rest of the potatoes and tomatoes and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
  • Put the turnips, remaining carrots, spring onions and celery in a pan over a medium heat with the butter, sugar and 100ml of water and cook the vegetables until they are ‘al dente’.
  • When the lamb is cooked and tender, serve the stew in large white bowls with some glazed vegetables scattered on top. Finally add a big spoonful of mint pesto and serve.

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