Braised lamb with fennel and tomato

This dish was inspired by several things: Bernacchi’s famous presence on Maria Island: The fabulous lamb reared by the Dunbabins, who showed me around Maria, and our wine, Low Hanging Fruit, which we took on board Solquest to help lubricate the journey around Tassie. It’s an Aussie dish, with an Italian accent.

Credit: Gourmet Farmer Afloat

• serves

  10

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  2 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 kg lamb shoulder, cut into in 2.5 cm pieces
• 2 leeks, pale parts only, washed and thinly sliced
• 5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 kg tomatoes, diced
• handful wild fennel tops, chopped
• handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 100 g black olives
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 500 ml (2 cups) red wine
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat a large casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then cook the lamb, in batches until lightly browned all over.

Remove from the pan and set aside, then add the sliced leek and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Return the lamb to the pan with all the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat to as low as possible, then cook, stirring regularly, for 1½ - 2 hours or until the lamb is very tender. Check the seasoning, then serve with couscous, quinoa, rice or spuds. 

This recipe is from Gourmet Farmer Afloat. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.