Lamb Casserole with Garlic and Rosemary

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With tender, melt in the mouth, sweet lamb, and a thick, rich gravy enhanced with garlic and rosemary, this comforting, delicious casserole will warm you from the inside out. Layers of flavour develop during its long slow cooking, ensuring this casserole is luscious enough to serve to guests, is an ideal prepare-ahead mid-week supper or a wonderful Sunday lunch on a cold day.

Delicious drizzled with mint sauce and served with potatoes, (mash, roast or jacket), Celeriac Purée or Creamed Cauliflower and some green vegetables. It also works well with some fresh, warm bread to dip into the fabulous sauce.

How to make Lamb Casserole with

Collect all your ingredients together:

• olive oil
• stewing lamb, boneless leg or shoulder, diced with excess fat removed. You could also use lamb leg steaks and leave them whole.
• onions, peeled and chopped
• trimmed celery, thinly sliced
• carrots, peeled, if necessary, sliced on an angle
• garlic, peeled and finely chopped or crushed
• plain/all-purpose flour
• beef or lamb stock – stock cubes work well. I use one of each.
• tomato puree
• Worcestershire sauce
• fresh rosemary
• bay leaves
• fine salt, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• fresh rosemary, chopped, to garnish

Serving suggestions:

• potatoes, (mash, roast or jacket), Celeriac Purée or Creamed Cauliflower
• green vegetables
• fresh, warm bread
• mint sauce

How to make this wonderfully comforting casserole:

1. Dice the lamb – size to suit your taste. Alternatively, if using lamb leg steaks, leave whole. Remove excess fat.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron frying pan over a moderately hot temperature and brown the lamb, in batches. Add more oil as necessary and remove the lamb from the pan as and when they are browned on both sides. Transfer to a casserole dish lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat. After you have cooked the lamb, there will hopefully be lots of sticky bits on the base of the pan which will lift off when you add the vegetables. These sticky bits add lots of flavour.
3. Prepare the onions, carrots, celery and garlic whilst the lamb browns.
4. Pour extra oil into the pan, if necessary, and add the chopped onion and celery. Cook for 5 minutes over a moderate heat, until softened and slightly caramelised. Stir from time to time.
5. Add the carrots and garlic and cook for another minute, or until the garlic is aromatic.
6. Remove the kitchen paper from the cast iron casserole and add the flour, salt and pepper to the lamb. Mix thoroughly.
7. Add the stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring.
8. Add the cooked vegetables to the lamb and mix well. Cook, covered, in a preheated oven for 3 hours. Alternatively, cook gently on the hob, lid on, for 3 hours. If cooking on the hob, stir from time to time to ensure it is not sticking to the base of the pan.
9. Remove the sprigs of rosemary and serve sprinkled with fresh chopped rosemary or parsley.
10. Delicious drizzled with mint sauce and served with potatoes, (mash, roast or jacket), Celeriac Purée or Creamed Cauliflower and some green vegetables, it also works well with some fresh, warm bread to dip into the fabulous sauce.

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If making with lamb leg steaks:

When making with lamb leg steaks, the method is very similar. See below for a couple of minor changes.

1. Brown the steaks in a little oil in your cast iron casserole dish. Remove from the pan, when browned on both sides, and drain on kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat.
2. Cook the vegetables in the cast iron pan as described above. Add the flour and salt and pepper and mix thoroughly with the vegetables.
3. Add the stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring. Return the lamb steaks to the pan, submerge in the sauce and cook as described above.

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Made this recipe?

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