Recipes › Greek-Style Lamb and Vegetable Stew
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Greek-Style Lamb and Vegetable Stew
A slow-simmered lamb stew with tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant, seasoned with oregano and lemon. The lamb is braised in water with whole aromatics until tender.
Why this recipe works
Lamb shoulder is a source of protein, which the body needs to build and repair tissue and to maintain muscle mass. It also supplies haem iron (the form of iron found in meat, which the body absorbs readily), along with B vitamins, which help the body turn food into energy. Fresh parsley and lemon provide vitamin C, which supports normal immune system function and contributes to the absorption of non-haem iron (the kind found in plant foods) from the other ingredients in the stew. After menopause the recommended iron intake falls to the same level as men's, so iron is no longer a nutrient that needs particular attention at this life stage.
Ingredients
- 1.2kg bone-in lamb shoulder chops, cut into large pieces, excess fat trimmed if preferred
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3cm chunks
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into 3cm rounds
- 400g tinned crushed tomatoes, check label: tomatoes only, no additives
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 large lemon, zest and juice
- small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve
Method
- Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until well browned. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and dried oregano and cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return the seared lamb to the pot. Add the tinned crushed tomatoes and 300ml of water. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add the eggplant chunks to the pot, stir through, cover, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini rounds and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until the zucchini is just tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Serve in bowls scattered with fresh parsley and a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Batch cooking tip
- This stew thickens as it sits, which makes it ideal for batch cooking. Store in portions in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavour deepens on day two. If freezing, leave out the zucchini and add freshly cooked zucchini when reheating to prevent it going mushy.
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