Sardinian lamb with fennel
Packed with flavour, this slow-cooked lamb dish can be served with couscous or good-quality bread.
Ingredients
- 1kg/2lb 4oz lamb (neck fillet or shoulder), cut into 6cm/2½in chunks
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds, ground
- pinch saffron, ground
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½–1 tsp dried red chilli flakes, to taste
- 2 pieces pared orange zest
- 300ml/10fl oz dry white wine
- 300ml/10fl oz lamb stock
- 2 large tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
- bouquet garni, made from 2 bay leaves, sprig parsley, sprig rosemary
- 2 fennel bulbs
- squeeze lemon juice (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Method
Put the lamb in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle over the flour, fennel and saffron. Turn over to coat.
Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large casserole dish. Add the lamb and fry on all sides, making sure you get a good, deep brown crust. Do this in two batches if necessary – do not crowd the pan as this will stop them from browning properly.
Remove the lamb from the casserole and set aside. Add a little more oil if necessary and fry the onion on a lower heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or two, then add the chilli flakes and orange zest.
Turn up the heat and pour in the wine. Stir, scraping up any brown bits from the base of the pan. Return the lamb to the casserole, then pour in enough stock to just cover the lamb. Add the tomatoes and the bouquet garni.
Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the fennel bulbs. Trim the tops, cutting off any fronds and reserving for later. Trim the bare minimum from the bases, then cut each bulb in half lengthways. Cut each half into three wedges, also lengthways. You should find these hold together, although the outer layers may come away from the root. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan, then fry the fennel until caramelised round the edges. Set aside.
When the lamb has cooked for an hour, add the fennel. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the fennel is very tender and the liquid has reduced down a little further. Taste for seasoning, and add the lemon juice if using.
To serve, remove the orange zest and bouquet garni. Stir through the parsley and basil and leave to stand off the heat for 2 minutes. Finely chop any reserved fennel fronds and sprinkle over the casserole. Serve in large, shallow bowls.
