Lamb Braise with Spring Vegetables

Serves 6

1.2kg shoulder lamb, trim fat and cut into 2.5cm
50g butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
600ml chicken stock
150g baby turnips kept whole
1 or 2 slender leeks, washed and cut into 2.5cm
225g baby new potatoes, scrubbed
225g baby carrots, scrubbed
150g fine asparagus cut in half, or asparagus tips
150g sugar snap peas
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Put the butter and oil in a roomy pan. When sizzling seal the lamb cubes making sure that they don’t brown too much. Add the flour, stirring well to blend it with the oil and butter, let it thicken slightly. Pour in the stock, a little at a time to begin with, stirring well to blend it into the flour mixture. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for an hour. Add the turnips, new potatoes and baby carrots, recover and cook for a further 25 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked, then add the leeks, asparagus tips and sugar snap peas. Put the lid on and cook for 5 minutes longer until the green vegetables are bright green and just cooked. Check for seasoning, sprinkle over the parsley and serve with crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.