Lemon and Garlic Lamb Stew

This was another stew that I made last week. It is one I have made a few times over the last couple of winters. It is lovely served with mashed potato or soft polenta, but last week it was just as good served with freshly baked white bread and a salad straight from our garden.





Lemon and Garlic Lamb Stew 

serves 4-6

• 1 large bulb garlic (unpeeled and left whole)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 kilograms lamb forequarter chops (each chop cut into 3 pieces) or 1 kilogram lamb shoulder (diced)  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 x 400 gram cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs rosemary  
• zest of 1 lemon  
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
 • salt and pepper  

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place the garlic bulb in the center of a piece of foil. Pour over the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Wrap up and bake in the oven for about 1/2 hour or until soft. Allow to cool and cut in half. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy based pan and brown the lamb in 2 batches. Set aside. To the pot, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice and season to taste. Squeeze in the roasted garlic and mix well. Return the lamb to the pot and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until the meat is tender and the stew is sticky.

With the leftovers I made a yummy soup for dinner the next night. Along with some chicken stock from the freezer: I added diced vegetables (carrot, celery, cabbage, potato) some tiny orzo pasta and a tin of haricot beans.