Ingredients

• 3 tsp olive oil
• 600g/1lb 5oz lamb leg steaks
• all visible fat removed (500g/1lb 2oz after the fat is cut off)
• cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 onions
• roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• thickly sliced
• 250g/9oz celery (about 4 stalks)
• thickly sliced
• 400g/14oz carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
• peeled and thickly sliced
• small handful fresh rosemary
• finely chopped
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 beef stock pot diluted to make 500ml/18fl oz stock
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 650g/1lb 7oz floury potatoes
• ideally Maris Piper
• cut into thick slices
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed casserole over a medium to high heat. Brown the lamb on all sides in two batches for 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and add the onions
• garlic
• celery and carrots and fry
• stirring
• for 3-4 minutes. Add the rosemary and thyme and fry for another minute. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 2 minutes
• stirring all the time to cook the flour.
• Return the lamb to the pan
• pour in the stock and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and tomato purée
• then bring to the boil.
• Layer the potatoes on top in two overlapping layers
• seasoning between the layers. Cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 1½ hours
• or until the lamb and the potatoes are tender.
• Remove the lid and increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Brush the potatoes with the final teaspoon of oil and bake for a further 15 minutes
• or until the top is nicely browned.