LAMB AND BUCKWHEAT PILAF WITH CHERRIES, CHESTNUTS AND DILL

Serves 4-6

3 tbsp sunflower oil

500g lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3cm cubes 2 onions, peeled and finely sliced 50g unsalted butter

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cumin

2 bay leaves

Pinch of crushed chilli flakes

75g dried cherries (or cranberries) 2 carrots, coarsely grated

75g cooked peeled chestnuts, broken up slightly

300g toasted buckwheat

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 tbsp chopped fresh dill, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Add the oil to a deep pot. Brown the lamb in batches.

2. Lower the heat and add the onions and butter with a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, until the onions have reduced and begun to caramelise.

3. Next, add the allspice, cumin, bay leaves and chilli flakes with ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes before returning the meat and any juices to the pot. Add 300ml boiling water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a gentle simmer.

4. Cover the pot, pop in the oven, and cook for 1½ hours, adding cherries (or cranberries) halfway through and giving things a good stir. Remove the pot from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Give the lamb a good stir. Add the carrots and chestnuts on top of the lamb and sauce. Add the toasted buckwheat on top and push the garlic cloves into the buckwheat. Dissolve 1 tsp salt in 500ml boiling water and pour into the pot. Pop the lid on and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven, stir and allow to sit for 5 minutes with the lid on before serving sprinkled with the fresh dill.

From ’Foolproof One-pot: 60 Simple And Satisfying Recipes’ by Alan Rosenthal. Photographs: Rita Platts (£12.99, Quadrille)