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Spicy Lamb Casserole

Our tasty Lamb Casserole recipe has developed over time with extra ingredients and varying quantities to taste. We love it so much we cook it regularly and once in the pot, you can sit and relax. Either spice it with extra chillies, make as suggested for a medium-hot spiced casserole or leave out the chillies for a more traditional casserole that the whole family will enjoy. If you enjoy an Indian curry, you will love the flavours created by the introduction of spices for that extra taste.

Cooking in the oven for 2 to 3 hours will allow the meat to tenderise and the flavours to blend. Perfect with rice, roast potatoes or jacket potatoes to provide a “Winter Warmer” any time of year!

  • Serves: 2-4
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
  • Ready In: 3 hours

Ingredients

There are quite a few ingredients included which all add to the flavour but feel free to experiment with your own tastes.

  • 1lb good quality British Diced Leg of Lamb
  • 2-3 rashers of Back Bacon – roughly diced with rind kept separate
  • 650g Italian Passata
  • 200g-400g tin Red Kidney Beans
  • 410g tin Baked Beans
  • 1 large Green Bell Pepper – sliced
  • 1 large Red Bell Pepper – sliced
  • 2 medium to large Onions – sliced
  • 2-3 Red or Green Chilli Peppers
  • 2 Garlic Cloves – crushed or finely chopped
  • Small piece of Root Ginger – grated
  • 4 medium to large Vine Ripe Tomatoes – thickly sliced or quartered
  • 2-3 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
  • 1-2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1-2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1-2 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1-2 tsp Garam Masala
  • Slug of Modena Vinegar
  • 12 Cardamon Pods – de-shelled and crushed
  • 1-2 tsp Oregano, (fresh if in season 3 sprigs, remove from stem)
  • 1-2 tsp Basil  (fresh if in season, 12 leaves)

Method

  1. Partially fry the diced lamb in a non-stick frying pan in olive oil and then add the whole cumin seeds and fry together. Add bacon roughly diced. Cut off rind and add this initially, (remove when meat is cooked).
  2. Brown the meat and remove from the pan, putting into the large casserole dish.
  3. In a separate frying pan, add the red kidney beans, baked beans and the passata, heating gently and simmer for 5 minutes until bubbling. Turn off the heat.
  4. Slice the onions and peppers and add to the frying pan that the meat was cooked in, (add the bacon rind again, remove when cooked). Fry lightly until golden brown, almost cooked but still in shape,then add to the casserole dish.
  5. Grate the ginger and mushrooms if required and fry, add to casserole dish.
  6. Add beans and passata etc to the casserole dish.
  7. Using a pestle and mortar grind the cardamom pods until they split. Remove the seeds. Discard husk and shell. Add to the casserole.
  8. Slice the chilli peppers, retain seeds. Measure the dry ingredients add to caserole together with the grated ginger. Add a good slug of modena vinegar to the top of the mixture and stir. Add sufficient hot water so that the mixture is the consistency of thin gravy so that it will not dry out.
  9. Cook the casserole in the oven at 220 degrees for half an hour
  10. Reduce the heat to 180 degrees and cook for a further hour and a half
  11. Check the liquid level after an hour and gently add hot water if required. When serving it should have juice and be of a fairly thick consistency. Add a little more water 15 minutes before removing from the oven if not. Allow to stand with the lid on ten minutes before serving.

Top Tips

  • Using 2 frying pans makes life easier at the start. One non stick
  • Check the liquid level often to ensure your casserole doesn’t dry out

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