Slow-Cooked Lamb with Cannellini Beans, Tomatoes & Rosemary

Wed, 2 October 2019

Slow-Cooked Lamb with Cannellini Beans, Tomatoes & Rosemary

 

Serves 6

500g (18oz) boned leg or shoulder of lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 3cm cubes

plain flour, for dusting

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

50g (2oz) onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

225g (8oz) carrots, finely diced

1 stick of celery, finely diced

2 bay leaves

a few generous sprigs of rosemary

2 x 400g (14oz) tins of Italian chopped tomatoes

350ml (12fl oz) white wine

350ml (12fl oz) homemade lamb stock or water

2 x 400g (14oz) tins of cannellini beans, rinsed in cold water and drained

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

For the Gremolata

4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 generous teaspoon grated or finely chopped organic lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

flaky sea salt, to taste

 

Dust the cubes of lamb with flour and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a casserole and fry the lamb in batches until brown. Remove the lamb to a plate and set aside.

 

Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery to the casserole and cook over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes until the onions are beginning to soften and are slightly golden. Add the lamb.

 

Reduce the heat to low and put in the bay leaves, rosemary, tomatoes, white wine and lamb stock or water. Bring slowly to the boil, cover the pan with a lid and simmer very gently for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is tender. Add the cannellini beans 15 minutes before the end.

 

For the gremolata; mix parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a small bowl, season to taste with salt and serve soon.

 

Remove the rosemary sprigs from the lamb and check the seasoning. Serve with the gremolata.