Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 4oz lamb (neck fillet or shoulder)
• cut into 6cm/2½in chunks
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• ground
• pinch saffron
• ground
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion
• finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• ½–1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
• to taste
• 2 pieces pared orange zest
• 300ml/10fl oz dry white wine
• 300ml/10fl oz lamb stock
• 2 large tomatoes
• skinned and roughly chopped
• bouquet garni
• made from 2 bay leaves
• sprig parsley
• sprig rosemary
• 2 fennel bulbs
• squeeze lemon juice (optional)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• small bunch fresh parsley
• finely chopped
• small bunch fresh basil
• shredded

Directions

• Put the lamb in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper
• then sprinkle over the flour
• fennel and saffron. Turn over to coat.
• Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large casserole dish. Add the lamb and fry on all sides
• making sure you get a good
• deep brown crust. Do this in two batches if necessary – do not crowd the pan as this will stop them from browning properly.
• Remove the lamb from the casserole and set aside. Add a little more oil if necessary and fry the onion on a lower heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or two
• then add the chilli flakes and orange zest.
• Turn up the heat and pour in the wine. Stir
• scraping up any brown bits from the base of the pan. Return the lamb to the casserole
• then pour in enough stock to just cover the lamb. Add the tomatoes and the bouquet garni.
• Bring to the boil
• then turn down the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for an hour.
• Meanwhile
• prepare the fennel bulbs. Trim the tops
• cutting off any fronds and reserving for later. Trim the bare minimum from the bases
• then cut each bulb in half lengthways. Cut each half into three wedges
• also lengthways. You should find these hold together
• although the outer layers may come away from the root. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan
• then fry the fennel until caramelised round the edges. Set aside.
• When the lamb has cooked for an hour
• add the fennel. Continue to cook
• uncovered
• for 20 minutes
• until the fennel is very tender and the liquid has reduced down a little further. Taste for seasoning
• and add the lemon juice if using.
• To serve
• remove the orange zest and bouquet garni. Stir through the parsley and basil and leave to stand off the heat for 2 minutes. Finely chop any reserved fennel fronds and sprinkle over the casserole. Serve in large
• shallow bowls.