Mediterranean lamb and olive stew

Ingrédients

• 800 g leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 4 cm pieces
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 150 ml red wine
• 400 g tinned peeled tomatoes
• 200 ml lamb stock or vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 100 g pitted green olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Préparation

1. 1

   Pat the lamb dry with kitchen paper and cut into pieces of roughly 4 cm. Season with salt and pepper.Heat a splash of olive oil in the casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened. Add the pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.Stir in the tomato purée, cumin, cinnamon, oregano and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, to let the spices bloom.Deglaze with the red wine and let it reduce for 2 minutes. Then add the peeled tomatoes, stock and bay leaf.Return the lamb to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and put the lid on. Braise for 1½ hours over low heat, or until the meat is meltingly tender.After 1 hour, add the green olives and capers. Stir gently and let them cook with the stew for the final 30 minutes.Taste the sauce and adjust with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice if needed. Remove the bay leaf.Just before serving, scatter over the fresh parsley and lemon zest. Bring the pan straight to the table with couscous or crusty bread alongside.