Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu with Chimichurri
A simple one-pot crowd pleaser. The longer you leave it to cook the better, as cooking the ragu low and slow intensifies the flavours and allows the meat to perfectly tenderise. It is lighter than a traditional ragu but is very comforting and warming, with the chimichurri adding a bit of freshness and zing to the dish.
Ingredients for the Chimichurri:
Basil
Parsley
Mint
1 green chilli
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 spring onion or shallot, finely sliced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Ingredients for the Ragu:
900g lamb neck, cut into chunks
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
Bunch of sage, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
200g chestnut mushrooms
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 glasses of white wine
500ml chicken stock
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
Method
In a casserole dish or heavy-based saucepan, heat the olive oil over a high heat and start to sear the lamb until it is browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Reduce the heat and add a little more oil if needed and a generous pinch of salt before adding the onion, fennel and celery, leaving them to sweat and soften for a few minutes. Next add the garlic, chilli flakes, herbs and mushrooms until everything starts to gentle caramelise.
Return the lamb to the pan, adding the tomatoes, white wine, stock and redcurrant jelly. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a couple of hours, the longer the better.
Whilst the ragu is simmering away, prepare the chimichurri - finely chop all of the herbs and mix thoroughly with the olive oil and vinegar, or save time and blend the ingredients with a stick blender.
Serve with tagliatelle, grated parmesan and a drizzle of chimichurri.
