Ingredients

• 660g/1lb 7oz red peppers
• 50g/1¾oz tomato purée
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 medium aubergines
• 30g/1oz butter
• 30g/1oz plain flour
• 380ml/13fl oz full-fat milk
• 75g/2¾oz Parmesan cheese
• grated
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 850g/1lb 14oz boned lamb shoulder
• cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
• 1 tbsp red pepper paste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 onion
• chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves
• chopped
• 1 green finger chilli
• sliced
• 1 green pepper
• seeds removed and sliced
• 3 tomatoes
• peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• to taste
• 200ml/7fl oz hot water
• chopped flatleaf parsley
• to serve

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
• For the red pepper paste
• roast the peppers for 20-30 minutes until dark and softened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film
• then leave until cool enough to handle. Remove the charred skins
• stalks and seeds. In a blender
• blitz the red peppers with the remaining ingredients. Store for up to a week in a jar in the fridge.
• Put the aubergines on a baking tray and bake whole for 25 minutes. When soft
• remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• For the lamb stew
• warm half the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole pan over a high heat and brown the lamb in batches.
• When browned
• return all the lamb to the pan
• add the red pepper and tomato pastes
• the remaining olive oil
• and the onion
• garlic
• chilli and green pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until softened. Add the chopped tomatoes
• oregano
• salt and pepper
• and finally the hot water. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat
• cover with the lid and allow to cook slowly for 1-1½ hours.
• When cool enough to handle
• peel the aubergines and mash the flesh with a fork.
• In a pan over a medium heat
• make a roux; melt the butter
• add the flour and cook
• stirring
• for 2 minutes
• then add the milk to give a thick white sauce. Mix in the aubergine
• the grated cheese and lemon juice
• and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• When the lamb is tender
• check the sauce; it should be rich and thick. If it’s too runny
• remove the lamb and reduce the liquid a little
• then return the meat to the pan and warm through.
• Serve the stew on top of the aubergine purée
• scattered with parsley.