• 1.5kg lamb chops (chump, shoulder or BBQ)

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 30 grams butter

• 1 large brown onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons plain flour

• 3/4 cup white wine (any time)

• 1 litre chicken stock 

• Approx. 1/2 tin of whole peeled tomatoes (about 2 or 3 tomatoes), squeezed to extract as much liquid as possible 

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

• Salt & pepper to season

Vegetables

• Salt & pepper to season

• 60 grams butter

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

• 10 small onions (I use pickling onions), peeled

• 8-10 small new potatoes, halved

• 1 cup frozen baby peas

• Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

• Heat a large heavy based casserole dish. Brown the lamb chops in the casserole dish (you don’t need to add oil as the fat will render as the brown) in batches. After the lamb chops have browned set them aside in a large dish that will catch any juices from the meat as it rests. The chops don’t need to be cooked through just browned on both sides.

• On a low to medium heat, add the oil, butter, onion and garlic all at once. Grab a piece of baking paper and scrunch it up then unfold it. Cover the onion with the baking paper, so that the paper is touching the onion. This is called a cartouche. The loose fitting of a cartouche allows the onion to softly fry as it catches the steam and allows the onion to soften without becoming brown or worse, burn.

• Sprinkle the flour over the the onion, stir and allow to cook for 1 minute. Then add wine, cook for a minute or 2.

• Add the chicken stock, drained tomatoes, bay leaf and rosemary. Bring the stock mixture to the boil. It will thicken. Allow it to boil for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

• Return the browned lamb pieces to the pan onion/stock mixture and nestle into the liquid. Place the lid on the casserole dish or cover with foil. Place the casserole dish in the oven and initially cook for
  1 hour after which you will add the vegetables. The total oven cook time is 1 hour and 40 minutes. 

• In a separate saucepan over a low to medium heat, melt the butter, then add the brown sugar, carrots and onions. Cook until the vegetables are coated with the butter and sugar. Don’t let the sugar burn. Turn off the heat and set aside. 

• After 1 hour, remove the lamb from the oven and add the carrots, onions and potatoes. Cover and bake for a further 30 minutes.

• Remove the lamb from the oven and add the frozen baby peas (if using). Cover with the lid and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

• Remove the lamb casserole from the oven and taste for seasoning. Add salt & pepper as needed.

• Serve on individual plates and garnish with fresh parsley. Or place the casserole dish in the middle of the table and top with fresh parsley.

• I like to serve this casserole with fresh damper or scones since it comes from an Australian cookbook. Or lovely fresh loaf of sourdough bread works perfectly too.

Enjoy xx