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Lamb stew with polenta

Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour

Cooking time
1 to 2 hours

Serves
Serves 4

By Angela Hartnett
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the lamb stew

  • 2 lamb neck fillets, cut in half (leaving the fat on)
  • dash oil
  • 2 carrots, cut into lozenges (see Recipe Tip)
  • 2 celery sticks, each cut into 4
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 heaped tsp tomato purée
  • 375ml/13fl oz white wine
  • 1 litre/1¾ pint chicken stock
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa verde

  • 4 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
  • 4 tbsp chopped tarragon
  • 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp drained capers, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped anchovies
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

For the polenta

  • 300ml/10fl oz milk
  • 125g/4½oz polenta
  • 100g/3½oz butter
  • 200g/7oz parmesan

Method

  1. To make the lamb stew, preheat the heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.

  2. In a large lidded ovenproof dish, add a dash of oil. Season the lamb neck fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the lamb to the hot pan and fry until browned all over. Remove the lamb from the pan and add the carrots, celery, garlic and rosemary. Cook until evenly coloured, add the tomato purée and cook for a further 3 minutes.

  3. Return the reserved lamb to the pan and pour over the wine. Cook until the volume has reduced by half. Cover with the stock, then cover with a circle of parchment paper (cartouche) and then the lid. Braise in the oven for 90 minutes, or until the handle of a spoon can go easily though the meat. If the sauce feels too loose, drain some from the pan, transfer it to a small saucepan and cook to reduce it further, then return it to the original pan.

  4. To make the salsa verde, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

  5. To make the polenta, put 400ml/14fl oz of water and the milk in a saucepan and warm through. Gradually add the polenta, whisking all the time. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Once it’s thickened enough to start to spit, lower the heat and keep cooking, stirring, until the polenta thickens. Finish by stirring through the butter and parmesan.

  6. Serve the lamb topped with the salsa verde, with the polenta on the side.

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