Tender lamb in rich puttanesca sauce
A high iron version of a classic
Serves
10
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Puttanesca is a traditional and much-loved Italian sauce usually served with pasta. We’ve put a Kiwi spin on it by adding lamb and serving it over a buttery kumara mash. We won’t tell you what the word ‘Puttanesca’ actually means in Italian (you can research it if you must) – all that matters is it’s loaded with flavour and couldn’t be easier to make. The oven does all the work to make the lamb ‘fall-off-the-bone’ tender.
Ingredients
1.5kg Quality Mark lamb shoulder chopsi
3 garlic cloves
crushed2 onions
finely chopped4 anchovy filletsi
chopped1 ½ Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
2 sticks fresh rosemary
leaves finely chopped2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 x 400g canned tomatoes
1 ½ tsp chilli powder
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp white sugar
¾ cups olives
1 Tbsp capers
600g kūmara
peeled and chopped25g butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup parsley
finely chopped
⅓ cup parsley
leaves separated50g Parmesan cheese
shaved or gratedbalsamic vinegar
Method
Preheat the oven to 130°C fan bake or 150°C conventional bake.
Heat a little oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a very high heat.
Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel, trim any fat and season with a little salt and pepper.
Add 2-3 chops to the pan and cook until browned on one side. Turn over and cook for another few minutes.
Transfer to a warmed plate and repeat with the remaining chops.
Discard any fat from the pan and return to a medium heat.
Add a little oil and the garlic, onion, anchovies, oregano and rosemary. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, chilli powder (if using), stock and sugar. Stir to combine and nestle the chops in so they’re covered. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat straight away.
If your pan is ovenproof, cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours. If not, transfer everything to a covered casserole dish before placing in the oven.
With 15 minutes remaining, add the olives and capers (if using).
Remove from the oven, stir, and then check the seasoning. If the sauce seems a little thin, remove the lamb then simmer rapidly in an uncovered saucepan for 5-10 minutes to thicken it.
Steam or simmer the kumara pieces in a covered pot until tender – about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the water off and place back over a low heat, uncovered, for a few minutes to evaporate the excess moisture.
Add the butter, Parmesan and parsley, and mash well to combine. Season to taste and keep warm.
If you like, you can pull the meat off the bones before you serve it. Spoon some mash into warmed serving bowls or plates, then top with meat and a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, parmesan and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Nutrition Information per Serving (373g)
As an excellent source of iron, this dish contributes a quarter of essential daily iron for women, important for energy levels and a healthy immune system. This nutrition analysis is based on 10 serves and does not include the extra parmesan, parsley or balsamic to serve.