It's so easy, with such great local seasonal flavours, and is a full meal packed with goodness in a single dish. I was trying to recreate a great pie flavour but sneaking loads of veg past my fussy eaters. I was so pleased with the end result - a meal that can cook unattended all day with just a few minutes finishing just before serving.
Ingredients
| 600 g | Lamb shoulder chops, or other stewing lamb (400g without bones) (Main) |
| 1 | Kumara, pref. orange, in large chunks |
| 2 | Carrots, in large chunks |
| 2 handfuls | Yams, substitute any other seasonal root vegetables |
| 1 | Onion, diced |
| 3 cloves | Garlic, chopped |
| 1 tin | Whole peeled tomatoes, chopped |
| 1 Tbsp | Tomato paste |
| 1 splash | Red wine, a nice big one |
| 1 sprig | Fresh rosemary, chopped |
| 2 sticks | Celery, diced |
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 1 Ltr | Stock, or water |
| 1 | Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste |
| 2 handfuls | Cavolo nero, kale, or silver beet, roughly chopped |
Zuccini and Cheese Cobbler topping
| 2 cups | Self raising flour |
| 1 | Zucchini, grated |
| 1 cup | Tasty cheese, grated |
| ¼ cup | Parmesan cheese, finely grated, + extra for top |
| ½ tsp | Sea salt |
| ½ cup | Milk, add enough to bring dough together |
| ½ handful | Parsley, chopped |
| ½ handful | Mint, chopped |
Directions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and saute onion until softened. Add garlic, carrots, yams (or any other root veg) and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove vegetables. Heat remaining tbsp of olive oil and brown lamb chops or stewing lamb on all sides.
- Return vegetables to pan and turn up heat. Add wine to pan, deglazing any bits off the bottom, then add tomatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, and stock (I use homemade lamb stock from the roast bones or a lamb stock cube but chicken would do). Transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on high (or into a covered ovenproof casserole to cook for 2 hours at 180).
- Once lamb is tender and falling away from bone, lift out with slotted spoon and remove all bones. The vegetables should have become one with the sauce by this stage but if it looks too liquid, reduce by half on the stove while you have the lamb out of the pan. Replace the lamb and add the chopped kumara. Return to oven or slow cooker for a further 20 minutes or until kumara is just tender. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile make the cobbler topping. Grate the zucchini and squeeze out all liquid over a sieve. Add to bowl with all other ingredients then add milk to bring together to a sticky dough. Stir greens into casserole and then top with rough balls of dough. Brush top with a little milk and more grated parmesan.
- Turn the oven up to 200 deg and bake for a further 15-20 minutes til topping is cooked through and golden. Scatter with grated parsley and mint and serve.