Lamb, red wine and rosemary casserole ... delicious

Once in a while you've got to spoil yourself with a special recipe and this may be the one! It's a hearty, delicious lamb casserole and if you have a son whose favourite meat is lamb, then this dish would be very well received! In fact as fast as you could say, 'Enjoy, tuck in ... it would be gone! LOL!

Serves Four

For the casserole
650g/1lb 7oz boned shoulder of lamb, cut into 2cm/¾ inch cubes
2 tbsp. plain white flour, seasoned
1 tbsp. olive oil
25g/1oz butter
1 tbsp. tomato puree
300ml/½ pint red wine
300ml/½ pint chicken and beef stock
leaves from 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 carrot, cut into 1cm/½in dice
1 onion, cut into 1cm/½in dice
2 celery sticks, cut into 1cm/½in dice
salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the braised red cabbage
50g/2oz butter
750g/1lb 10oz red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. redcurrant jelly
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 orange, finely grated zest and juice
250ml/9fl oz. ruby port
salt and freshly ground black pepper

85g/3oz raisins 

Method - for the casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Put the cubes of lamb in a plastic bag with the seasoned flour and give the bag a good shake so that the meat becomes well coated with the flour.
3. Heat a large frying pan until very hot. Add the oil and the butter and then the lamb and fry over a high heat, stirring now and then, until all the pieces of lamb are well browned. Don't crowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Transfer to a casserole dish and set aside.
4. Add the tomato puree and red wine to the pan and bring to the boil, scraping up all the little bits that have stuck to the bottom. Pour this into the casserole dish and add the stock, rosemary, garlic and diced vegetables.
5. Add a little seasoning, cover with a tight fitting lid and bake for 1-½ hours or until tender. (If using a slow cooker, cook on auto for about eight hours).

6. Remove from the oven and check the seasoning. 

Method - to make the cabbage

1. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan.

2. Add the cabbage and stir to coat in the butter. Add the redcurrant jelly and stir until it is melted.
3. Add the vinegar, orange zest and juice, the port and some seasoning. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for approximately one hour or cook in an oven, preheated to 160c/325F/Gas 3.
4. Stir in the raisins and bring back to a simmer. Cook gently for another 30 minutes. Check that the cabbage is tender.

Either serve straight away, keep warm in a low oven for up to one hour or cool and reheat. 

The original recipe serves it with potato stacks but I would swap these for celeriac mash

We bring a variety of recipe ideas and articles to this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan