Recipes

Slow braised lamb with ratatouille

Slow braised lamb with ratatouille. Photograph: Harry Weir Photography

Gráinne O'Keefe's face
Gráinne O'Keefe
Sat Jun 3 2023 - 04:00
Serves: 4
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
  • 1.4kg lamb shoulder, deboned
  • 2tbsp veg oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400g)
  • 200ml red wine
  • 450ml beef broth
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 courgette, thinly sliced
  • 1 aubergine, sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 red onions, sliced
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 2 thyme stalks, removed from stem
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 bunch of fresh basil
  1. Season the lamb shoulder with salt. Heat the veg oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add the lamb shoulder and sear it on all sides until browned. Remove the lamb from the pot and set it aside. In the same pot, add the chopped onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about five minutes.
  2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Then add the canned chopped tomatoes, red wine, beef stock, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the lamb shoulder to the pot, cover with a lid, and transfer it to a preheated oven. Let it cook for about three hours at 190 degrees, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Once the lamb shoulder is done, remove it from the oven and shred the meat using two forks. Discard any bones, the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce.
  3. On top of the braised lamb, arrange the sliced courgettes, aubergine, tomatoes and red onion in an alternating pattern. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.
  4. Bake the ratatouille and lamb in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes at 190 degrees, until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelised. Top with fresh basil and serve straight away.
Gráinne O'Keefe

Gráinne O'Keefe

Gráinne O’Keefe is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. She is chef-patron of the Dublin restaurant Mae

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