LAMB SHOULDER AND WHITE BEAN CASSEROLE

A casserole like this is a symphony of good flavours, each one gently encouraged to do its absolute, subtle best, and while this is a very fussy recipe, it is fully worth the effort! It is also a noble addition to your lamb-cooking repertoire.

1

Begin by prepping the lamb. Cut the meat into 25mm cubes and trim the bacon into flat, 25mm sections. Peel and finely chop two onions; peel and halve the remaining onion. Finely mince five of the peeled garlic cloves, leaving the remaining five peeled but whole.

2

Now for the dried white beans. Select a large saucepan (say three or four litres). Place the washed beans in the pan with two litres of water. Stick a garlic clove into each half-onion and add these to the bean pot with the carrot, celery, five whole garlic cloves, the sprig of live thyme, the bacon sections and the optional bay leaf.

Bring to the boil, then cut to a simmer until the beans are tender but not mush; this takes about 60 minutes. (Alternatively, you could use canned beans). Salt to taste, then drain. Discard the bacon, thyme sprig, bay leaf, celery, clove-enhanced onions, and carrot. Retain the liquid and beans separately.

3

Clean the pot, then add four tablespoons of olive oil. Over medium heat, brown the lamb cubes, then remove and reserve under cover. Reduce the heat slightly, then sweat the chopped onions and minced garlic until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the wine, canned tomatoes, chopped thyme and parsley, plus three cups of the saved bean cooking liquid. Let this simmer.

To make this lamb and white bean casserole for four diners, you will need:

900g deboned lamb shoulder 150g thick-cut streaky bacon 500g dry white beans

10 cloves of garlic

1 can of tomatoes, chopped 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1 cup of breadcrumbs 300ml of dry white wine 1 carrot

1 stalk of celery

1 tablespoon of chopped thyme and one complete sprig 3 medium onions

2 cloves

1 bay leaf Extra-virgin olive oil (about nine tablespoons)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4

Set up the casserole dish with a thin layer of olive oil and preheat the oven to 180°C. Create three layers in the dish: first beans, then lamb, then the remaining beans. Pour in the wine-bean-thyme-tomato liquid, top with the breadcrumbs, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, then stick the casserole in the oven for half an hour.

Drop the heat to 160°C and continue to cook, with the liquid never rising above a slow simmer for another 90 minutes or until the meat is as tender as you like it. Brown the breadcrumb topping under the grill, then serve.

• David Basckin is a freelance journalist and videographer. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Real cooking.

Styling: Nomvuselelo Mncube Photo: Peter Whitfield