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Spiced lamb casserole with thyme dumplings

Name: Spiced lamb casserole with thyme dumplings
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 170 min
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2cm piece ginger, grated; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 tablespoons plain flour; 1.2kg diced lamb shoulder or leg; 2 carrots, peeled, cut into 4cm batons; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 100ml red wine; 1L (4 cups) lamb or beef stock; 2 tablespoons quince paste; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley; 100g (2/3 cup) self-raising flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 25g unsalted butter, softened; 1/2 small onion, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon thyme leaves; 2 tablespoons milk

2 ratings

25m

2h 50m

Spiced lamb casserole with thyme dumplings

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Use cheaper cuts of lamb for this hearty casserole topped with fragrant thyme dumplings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2cm piece ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons plain flour
1.2kg diced lamb shoulder or leg
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 4cm batons
2 tablespoons tomato paste
100ml red wine
1L (4 cups) lamb or beef stock
2 tablespoons quince paste
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Thyme dumplings

100g (2/3 cup) self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
25g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 tablespoons milk

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2.

Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based casserole over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a few more seconds. Remove from pan.
3.

Combine spices with flour in a bowl, then dust lamb with mixture to lightly coat, reserving remaining flour mixture. Add remaining oil to casserole, increase heat to high and cook lamb, in batches, until browned. Return all lamb and onion mixture to casserole and stir in remaining flour mixture.
4.

Add carrots, paste, wine, stock and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover, transfer to oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.
5.

Meanwhile, for herb dumplings, sift flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Add milk and bring mixture together using your hands, adding enough water to make a very soft dough.
6.

Remove casserole from oven and increase temperature to 180°C. Stir quince paste into lamb, then gently drop tablespoonfuls of dumpling mixture into the casserole. Cover and return casserole to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until dumplings are light and fluffy. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.