Cheat's Italian-inspired Lamb Stew

Ingredients

• 6-8 shoulder lamb chops, trimmed
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 2 courgettes, trimmed and thickly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 420 gram can condensed tomato soup
• ½-1 cup red wine

Method

1. Brown the lamb chops in a dash of oil in a lidded heat-proof casserole; set aside.

2. Add the carrot and onion to the pan and brown quickly. Stir in the basil and bay leaf and when fragrant return the lamb to the pan and scatter over the courgettes. Mix the soup and wine together and pour in and cover.

3. Bake in a 160°C oven for 45-60 minutes or until the lamb is tender. Serve with potatoes.

Up-market or change me!

• Add 1 packet tomato pizza paste
• Add a handful black olives before serving
• Add a handful torn basil leaves
• Add 100 grams sliced salami
• Use about 500-650 grams diced beef for stewing or casseroling in place of the lamb

Slow cook me!

Pile all the ingredients into a slow cooker. You will get better flavour if you brown the lamb. Cover and cook on low for about 7-8 hours.