"Citizen of Nowhere" Lamb Stew

[narya_flame]

This dish came into being semi-accidentally. I'd bought the lamb for the purpose of making lamb stew, but hadn't settled on a recipe – and in the end I made one up.

It was one of those meals that I threw together without thinking too hard about it, but looking back at what I'd made, I could see the influence of so many beloved friends and family members. My grandmother, whose cast-iron casserole dish I cooked this meal in, and who taught me that the way with any fatty meat is to cook it low and slow for a very long time. My French aunt, who showed me just how many savoury dishes are improved by wine, anchovies and garlic. Her Algerian mother-in-law, who put olives in pretty much everything, and who would never let you leave her home until you'd accepted something to eat. My school friend's father, an Indian doctor who taught me about spices while his son and my brother played drums and guitar in the garage. (He also convinced me to like spinach – an endeavour at which my own parents had failed for seventeen years.)

It made me think about how grateful I am for the opportunities I've had to try different things, to visit different countries, and to love across borders – which in turn got me feeling pissed off about Brexit, which honestly isn't difficult to do. So this is a stew from a proud Citizen of Nowhere – a dish which cannot fairly claim to be from one country (it certainly isn't Scottish, despite being made in my kitchen on the outskirts of Edinburgh) and is all the more magical for that.

 

“Citizen of Nowhere” Lamb Stew (serves 2 with leftovers)

 

Toss 400g cubed lamb leg or shoulder in plain flour, season, and brown in olive oil in an oven-proof casserole dish. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain.

Slice two red onions and fry in the olive oil over a low-medium heat until translucent (add a tiny splash more oil if necessary). Add four finely chopped cloves of garlic, two anchovy fillets, and a teaspoon each of oregano, paprika and cumin seeds. Cook gently for a further two minutes, stirring to ensure nothing burns.

Add back the lamb, plus 150g (drained weight) pitted green olives, whole. Stir to combine. Knock up the heat to medium-high, then add 175ml red wine. Stir to pick up the pan juices, and bubble for a minute.

Add a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, then fill the can 3/4 full with water and pour that in too. Crumble in a beef or lamb stock cube, and tuck in a couple of bay leaves. Bring the whole lot back to the boil, then transfer to the oven (140 degrees celsius / 120 with fan) with the lid very slightly ajar. Cook for three hours, checking occasionally – put the lid on fully if you think too much liquid is evaporating.

When ready to serve, wash 300g spinach, then put the stew onto a low heat on the stove top. Remove the bay leaves and wilt through the spinach a handful at a time. Serve in warmed bowls with crusty bread – and maybe a glass of red wine, too.