Lamb neck fillet stew with flageolet beans and vegetables
600g lamb neck fillets, trimmed of fat, chunks
Plain flour
Olive oil
1 onion
2 or 3 large carrots, chunks
2 celery sticks, chunks
4 garlic cloves, whole
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp runny honey
Large glass of red wine
Large glass of water, with lamb stock cube
1 tbsp of fresh thyme, 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 bay leaf
1 can of flageolet beans
1 tbsp tomato purée
Pepper
Salt - only add after at least 1 hr of cooking
Pomegranate paste, to taste
Soy sauce to taste - 1 tbsp
Preserved lemon paste - to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Trim the lamb, cut into large chunks, at least 1in. large. Dust in bowl of flour, shake and fry in batches of 8 in v hot casserole. When browned, reserve in bowl.
Fry onion in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the carrots, celery and garlic cloves - fry for a few minutes. Add the crushed garlic and stir briefly so it does not burn.
Heat the oven to 150 Fan.
Return the lamb to the pan, drizzle with honey, pour in the wine and mug of stock. Add the herbs, flageolets, tomato purée, pepper. Turn up the heat and mix everything together v well. Bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, mix in varying amounts of pomegranate paste, preserved lemon, soy sauce and lemon juice - all to taste.
Once simmering, cover the casserole and place in preheated oven. Cook for 1/2 hr and then check - giving it a good stir and checking seasoning. Continue cooking at half hour intervals, checking in this way until meat is v tender (might take up to 2hrs in total). Will probably need to add some water to keep the stew from becoming too thick. Only add salt towards end of cooking.