Brenda Janschek
How glorious is the weather? I am really enjoying the arrival of autumn and yet
there is just one thing that is causing me concern. I haven’t had enough time
cooking my lighter summer dishes to comfortably move onto autumn-like
offerings. So, I may be busting out the jumpers on the streets
but in my kitchen I am ignoring the fact that autumn is upon us.
My favourite dinner of this week was a lamb stew/pie creation – it was actually called French Baked Lamb with Crispy Potato Topping, thanks to Delicious Magazine, September 2013.
Pros about this dish: It is quick and easy to make, requiring only a
few ingredients and tastes like you have been slaving for hours.
Cons: Zero.
Next time I make this recipe I will make my own sugo
(passata) and chicken stock but if you are looking for a quick and
delicious midweek dinner, this is it. If you want to make it more seasonally
appropriate perhaps whack some zucchini on the side. We can call this
‘trans-seasonal cooking’.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
4 waxy potatoes such as Dutch Cream
2 tablespoons oil, plus extra to brush ( I would use coconut oil or ghee)
6 x 200gms lamb chump chops
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped, plus extra sprigs to serve
1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
11/2 cups (375ml) passata
Preparation
Place potato in a saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes until par-cooked. Drain, cook and thinly slice.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Heat oil in a large frypan over a high heat. Season the lamb then cook, turning, for 8-10 minutes until browned. Remove from pan and reduce heat to medium.
Add the onion and carrot, then cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the rosemary and cook for a further 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the stock and pasta sauce, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer, then season and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
Place lamb in a baking dish and pour over the tomato sauce. Layer potato over the top and season, then brush with your oil of choice. Bake for one hour or until potato is golden.
Rest for 5 minutes then serve garnished with extra rosemary sprigs. Enjoy!
Bren x
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