How to cook Diced Lamb
Remove your diced lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking and preheat your oven.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. When hot, season the lamb with salt and pepper and then fry in 2-3 batches until browned all over. Browning the meat first not only improves colour but also develops flavour.
Transfer to a casserole dish. Add cubed seasonal vegetables. Pour stock or liquid over and mix gently to combine. Cover the dish with a lid (or 2 layers of tinfoil) and bake in the oven for 3½ – 4 hours. Remove from the oven and let it slightly cool. Taste and season as required.
If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. If the liquid needs thickening at the end of cooking, simmer in a saucepan with 2 teaspoons of cornflour with ¼ cup water.
How to cook Diced lamb Stew
Ingredients
750g/1lb 10oz Diced Lamb, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g/1oz plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil
50g/2oz butter
12 baby onions, peeled
2 medium carrots, cut into large dice
1 medium swede, cut into large dice
50ml/2fl oz white wine
2 sprigs rosemary
4 bay leaves
1.25 litres/2 pints lamb stock
3 tbsp flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
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Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas ½.
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Season the lamb and dust with the flour. Place a heavy-bottom casserole dish over a medium heat, add the olive oil and butter then the lamb. Fry until golden-brown. Remove the lamb and keep to one side.
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Reduce the heat and fry the onions, carrots and swede until caramelised. Add the wine and simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by half, then add the lamb back in with the lamb stock. Bring the stew to a simmer then add the bay leaf and rosemary. Cover with a lid, transfer the pan to the oven and bake for one hour.
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For the dumplings, mix the flour, suet, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the rosemary then gradually stir in 3–5 tablespoons of cold water, or enough to form a sticky dough. Flour your hands and then roll the dough into 12 small balls. Place on a plate in the fridge to chill.
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When the lamb stew is ready, place the dumplings on the top of the stew and put the lid back on. Return the stew to the oven for 10 minutes or until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through. (Alternatively, if you are short of space in your casserole dish, place 500ml/18fl oz lamb stock into a separate pan and bring to a simmer. Add the dumplings and simmer for 6–8 minutes. Discard the stock when the dumplings are cooked and set them aside to rest for a minute.)
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Add the parsley to the stew and serve equally between four shallow bowls with the dumplings.
