COUNTRY LAMB AND PRUNE POT ROAST

This is as good as winter food gets – rich, hearty and delicious. The hotpot is super-easy and, with the addition of sweet caramelised eschalots, it’s just amazing. What makes this work is the essence of balance – sweet, sour, salty, rich, light, crunchy and delicate.

Preparation time 20 mins Cooking time 3 hours Serves 6

1.4kg lamb shoulder (bone in) Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive

oil, plus extra 1 Tbsp

2 carrots, chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

12 cloves garlic, sliced

4 bay leaves

1/2 bunch rosemary, leaves picked 2 tsp capers, chopped

11/2 cups Muscat liqueur

1 cup beef stock Juice of 2 lemons

1 1/2 cups pitted prunes, halved

1/2 cup honey

40g unsalted butter

12 eschalots, peeled

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup smoked almonds, chopped 2 bunches chives, finely chopped Sautéed cabbage and

crusty bread, to serve STEP 1 Season lamb shoulder generously then rub with olive oil. Cook in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until well browned, then set aside.

STEP 2 Add carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and capers to saucepan with the extra olive oil and cook briefly, stirring. Pour in muscat and bring to a boil, then return lamb shoulder. Pour in stock and lemon juice, then add prunes and fit the lid. Cook gently for 2 1/2 hours.

STEP 3 Put honey and butter in a saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring until just thickened. Add eschalots and cinnamon, fit lid, then cook gently for 15 minutes.

STEP 4 Mix almonds and chives into lamb, then serve with eschalots, cabbage and crusty bread.