Lamb Stifado with Crushed Herb Potatoes & Tzatziki

Holidays abroad may not be commonplace this year so why not bring the taste of Greece to your home with this simple and easy to follow recipe. Tender chunks of The Organic Butchery Lamb Shoulder simmer away slowly in a rich tomato and red wine sauce, accompanied by the warm fragrant aromas of cinnamon and bay leaves. Served with delicious crushed herb potatoes and homemade Tzatziki.

Serves: 4–6 Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 2½–3 hours

Ingredients

For the stifado

• 1.2kg The Organic Butchery Lamb Shoulder, diced into 4–5cm chunks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 500g small shallots or baby onions, peeled and left whole
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 250ml red wine
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 300ml lamb or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves (or ½ tsp ground allspice)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Salt and black pepper

For the crushed herb potatoes

• 1kg new potatoes
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• A small bunch each of flat-leaf parsley and dill, chopped
• A few mint leaves, chopped
• Sea salt flakes and black pepper

For the tzatziki

• ½ cucumber
• 250g thick Greek yoghurt
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tbsp chopped dill or mint
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt

Method

1. Brown the lamb. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat and brown the lamb in batches until golden all over, then set aside on a plate.
2. Cook the shallots. Lower the heat, add the remaining oil and the whole shallots, and cook for 8–10 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Build the sauce. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute, then pour in the red wine and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, vinegar, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, oregano and sugar.
4. Slow cook. Return the lamb and any resting juices to the dish and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 2½–3 hours, stirring once or twice, until the lamb is meltingly tender and the sauce is rich and thick. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid for the final 30 minutes.
5. Make the tzatziki. While the lamb cooks, coarsely grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and leave for 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands or a clean tea towel. Mix with the yoghurt, garlic, herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste and chill until needed.
6. Prepare the potatoes. About 30 minutes before the lamb is ready, boil the new potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to steam dry for a few minutes, then lightly crush each one with a fork or potato masher. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, then add the lemon zest, herbs and a generous pinch of sea salt and pepper. Toss gently.
7. Serve. Remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves from the stifado and check the seasoning. Spoon into warm bowls alongside the crushed herb potatoes, with a generous dollop of tzatziki on the side.

Tip: Like most stews, stifado tastes even better the next day, so it’s a great dish to make ahead. Gently reheat on the hob until piping hot.