Lamb and Redcurrant Casserole with Rosemary Dumplings

This hearty lamb casserole recipe from Jo Pratt is ideal to serve as an alternative to a roast when you’ve little time to prepare. Simply throw everything in a casserole dish, pop it in the oven and leave it to cook. The only other thing to do is whizz together the dumpling ingredients in a food processor and put on top of the casserole towards the end of its cooking time.
 

Lamb and Redcurrant Casserole with Rosemary Dumplings

 
Serves: 2 adult and 4 kid’s sized portions

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes
 
For the Casserole
 
750g/1lb 10oz lamb shoulder, diced
3 heaped tbsp plain flour
2 large onions, thickly sliced
½ swede, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 celery sticks, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 tbsp redcurrant jelly
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato purée
400ml/14fl oz/scant 1¾ cups red wine
200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup lamb or beef stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
cabbage or curly kale, to serve
 
For the Dumplings
 
75g/2½oz/scant cup self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
75g/2½oz/heaped 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
75g/2½oz butter, diced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 large egg, lightly beaten

 
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/gas 2–3.
2 Put the lamb and flour in a bowl or large plastic freezer bag and toss well, making sure all the lamb is coated in the flour. Put the lamb and all the remaining casserole ingredients in a large flameproof casserole dish, mix well and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cover with a lid and bake for 2 hours until the sauce is thickening.
3 Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Put the flour, breadcrumbs and butter in a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the mustard, rosemary and egg, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Blitz briefly until the mixture forms a fairly moist dough. Using floured hands to stop the mixture sticking to you, divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape them into balls.
4 After the casserole has been cooking for 2 hours, take it out of the oven and remove the lid. Put the dumplings on top of the lamb and sprinkle a few flakes of salt on top of each one. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes, until the dumplings are golden and the casserole is rich and thick. Serve the casserole just as it is or with some lovely buttery cabbage or curly kale.
 
Find more inspiring quick and easy recipes in Madhouse Cookbook. A life-transforming collection of recipes for busy parents – for surviving the stressful week, coping with weekends and enabling you to cling onto your social life. Follow Jo on her website jopratt.co.uk

“Home-cooked food that’s tasty and stress-free – this is Jo’s guide for busy parents” – Jamie Oliver

Madhouse Cookbook by Jo Pratt

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