ROSEMARY SHRAGER’S NAVARIN OF LAMB WITH CALIFORNIA PRUNES

Ingredients: Serves 6

• 1 shoulder of lamb, weighing about 2kg
• 1 large onion
• 60g butter
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 small turnips, peeled and quartered
• (halved if they are very small)
• ½ bottle of red wine
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tbs tomato purée
• 800ml stock
• 1 tbs plain flour
• 1 dsp dark brown sugar
• 20 California Prunes

For the garnish:

• 15 shallots, peeled but kept whole
• 400g button mushrooms
• 30g butter
• 1 tbs caster sugar
• 8 rashers dry-cured back bacon, sliced into strips
• 2 tbs parsley, finely chopped
• 400ml stock (lamb or chicken)

Instructions:

Using a large frying pan, soften the onions in olive oil and put them into a heavy casserole dish, the kind that will go on top of the stove without breaking. Sear the meat in batches in hot oil and add to the onions.

Add the butter and let it melt over the meat and onions before sprinkling on the flour and the sugar, turning it all together. Now add the garlic to the frying pan, cook it briefly then deglaze the pan with the red wine. Let it bubble for a minute and pour it into the casserole, followed by the stock, the tomato purée and the thyme.

Add the turnips to the casserole, bring the whole thing to simmering point and then put it into the oven for about an hour. Add the California Prunes and put back into the oven for a further 45mins approx. Allow to cool until you need it. It will happily stay in the fridge for a day or two.

To garnish, simmer the shallots in stock for about five minutes then add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Strain, reserving the stock. Melt the butter in a frying pan and stir in the sugar. Put the cooked mushrooms and shallots into this, turning them to make them slightly caramelised.

Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved stock, stirring it all together (save the rest of the stock for soup). Allow it to cool until you are ready to serve. Fry the bacon in a little oil until it is crisps.

Before serving re-heat the casserole and stir in the prepared shallot and mushrooms. To serve, make sure that everyone gets a few whole mushrooms and shallots. Top each serving with some crispy bacon and parsley.

Recipe courtesy of California Prunes
Website: www.californiaprunes.co.uk