Lamb and Butter Bean Soup

This wholesome soup is great for chillier times. Lean, boneless lamb neck fillet cubes seasoned with ground cumin and cooked with onion, garlic, tomato purée, stock, fresh rosemary and thyme leaves. Slow cooked for a few hours and finished with canned butter or cannellini beans - a hearty soup with crusty bread.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 375g lean boneless shoulder or lamb neck fillet, cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed or sunflower oil
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato purée
  • 600ml good, hot lamb stock
  • 1 x 400g can butter or cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 large sprig rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

Method

  1. Season the lamb and dust with the cumin.
  2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and brown the lamb in batches for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock, rosemary and half the thyme leaves.
  3. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and transfer to a large flameproof casserole dish, cover and cook on the hob for 1½-2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
  4. 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time add the beans.
  5. Garnish with the remaining thyme leaves and serve with crusty bread.

Tips:

Try adding seasonal vegetables to the soup for added crunch and flavour.