Spring lamb casserole with minted rice

Ingredients

700g (1lb 8oz) lean leg of lamb, cut into 2.5cm cubes

1 tbsp flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp vegetable oil

25g butter

1 leek, sliced

6 shallots, cut into pieces

250g (9oz) Chantenay carrots, trimmed

250ml ( 1/2 pt) hot lamb or vegetable stock

250g (9oz) long grain rice, rinsed thoroughly

500ml (1pt) hot water

100g (4oz) green beans, trimmed

100g (4oz) small broccoli florets

1 large bunch fresh mint, finely chopped

1 large bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

Put the lamb into a large bowl and add the flour, salt and pepper. Coat the meat with the flour, shaking off the excess. Set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the leek, shallots and carrots and cook for a few minutes until slightly softened but not browned.

Transfer the vegetables to one compartment of the slow cooker.

Add a little more oil to the frying pan if necessary and brown the meat in batches, then transfer to the same compartment.

Pour the stock into the frying pan and bring to the boil, stirring to remove all the residues from the base of the pan. Pour over the vegetables and meat. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours, low for 8-10 hours or auto for 6-8 hours.

1½ hours before the end of the cooking time, add the rice to the other half of the pot with 500ml water.

30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the beans and broccoli to the meat side of the pot.

Just before serving, mix together half the mint and parsley, sugar, vinegar and oil and stir into the casserole. Add the remaining mint and parsley to the rice. Serve with the casserole spooned over the rice.

#lamb #rice #mint #vegetable