Culinary legend Gennaro Contaldo’s easy one pot dish is made for lazy weekends
This hearty lamb stew recipe with butternut squash and potato is full of colour – orange from the squash, yellow from saffron and a hint of red from tomato and chilli. Simple to prepare, this one-pot meal makes a delicious family meal or an informal dinner with friends.
Spezzatino d’agnello con zucca e zafferano
Serves 4
Ingredients
700g stewing lamb, cut into chunks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, halved lengthways
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 small sage leaves
a pinch of saffron, diluted in 1 tbsp water
2 tbsp. canned chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp. dry white wine
200ml 1 cup vegetable stock (see page 32) – or use a stock cube
200gpotato, cut into large chunks
400g butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks
Method
Rub the lamb all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the meat and brown on all sides, then remove and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic and chilli to the pan and sweat for a couple of minutes. Return the lamb to the pan, then add the herbs, saffron and tomato. Add the wine and allow to evaporate. Insert the stock, cover with a lid and cook on a very slow heat for 1 hour.
Add the potato and butternut squash and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
For a slow cooker
Brown the meat, sweat the vegetables and add the herbs, saffron and tomato as above; add the wine and allow to evaporate. Add 350mlcups stock and bring to the boil, stirring. Cut the potato and squash into 2.5cm chunks. Put the potatoes into a large slow cooker pot, pour over the lamb mixture, press the lamb beneath the liquid and scatter the pumpkin on top. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours. Stir before serving.
