Recipes

Blackberry balsamic and rosemary lamb stew with onions and goats cheese thyme biscuits

serves 4  prep 25 minutes cook 1 hour 10 minutes

900g lamb neck or leg cut into 5 cm pieces

2 tbsps olive oil

2 onions thinly sliced into half moons

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 tbsp chopped thyme plus extra for scones

3 tbsps plain flour

1 tbsp tomato puree

250ml red wine

250ml beef stock

150g blackberries

60ml balsamic vinegar

400g baby carrots trimmed

biscuit topping

200g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g salted butter chilled and cubed

100ml milk

100g rinded goats cheese crumbled

1.  Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan assisted.  In  a large heavy pot with a fitted lid, heat one tbsp of the olive oil.  Season the meat and brown on all sides using high heat.  Remove from the pan and add the onions and garlic.  Saute with some seasoning on medium heat for 10 minutes until softened. 

2.  Stir in the thyme, tomato puree and flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Pour in the red wine, balsamic vinegar and stock.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened.  Add the carrots, blackberries, lamb and more seasoning.  Place the lid on and place in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes. 

3.  About 15 minutes before its done, make the biscuits.  Place the flour in a bowl with some salt, a little thyme from the stew and the butter.  Rub, using your fingers to blend the butter into the flour.  When its a gravel consistency, add the milk and stir.  When its a thick dough, pour onto a floured counter and cut out 6 (7cm) biscuits and top with goats cheese. Place on a baking tray.  Turn the heat up to 210c/190c fan assisted.  Bake for 15 minutes and then remove.  Serve the stew with the warm biscuits.

Vegetarian version- Omit the meat and add 2lbs of chunky peeled butter nut squash.  Reduce cooking time to 20 minutes instead of 1 hour 10 minutes.  Use vegetarian stock in place of the beef stock.