A warming soup with cubes of lamb shoulder or lamb neck fillet, seasonal vegetables, red lentils, hot lamb stock and foraged blanched nettle leaves. It take just over 2 hours to cook, but will simmer away quite comfortably on the hob.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
675g/1½lb lean boneless lamb shoulder or neck fillet cut into 2.5cm/1inch cubes
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
30ml/2tbsp sunflower oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
100g/4oz red lentils, rinsed
700ml/1¼pints good, hot lamb stock
1 large sprig rosemary, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
225g/8oz carrots, peeled and sliced
225g/8oz swede, peeled and roughly chopped
Handful blanched small nettle leaves or baby spinach leaves, rinsed
Method
Place the lamb in large plastic food bag and season.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the lamb in batches for 5-6 minutes.
Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the lentils, stock, rosemary and half the thyme leaves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat then cover and cook for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
1 hour before the end of the cooking time add the carrots and swede.
Garnish with the remaining fresh thyme leaves, nettles or baby spinach leaves and serve with crusty bread.