Slow-cooked lamb and chunky vegetable stew

Ingredients (8 Servings):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 (±200g each) lamb forequarter chops, trimmed
• 2 large brown onions, halved, cut into thin wedges
• 2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthways, sliced
• 2 (total of ±720g) sweet potato, peeled, chopped
• ±850g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped
• 1/3 cup cornflour
• 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced.
2. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chops, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a roasting pan.
3. Add onion to frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened.
4. Add carrot, swede and pumpkin. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in cornflour.
5. Add stock cubes, worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves and 3 cups cold water. Bring to the boil.
6. Spoon mixture over chops. Cover tightly with foil.
7. Bake for 3 hours or until chops are tender. Remove from oven. Increase temperature to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
8. Using a fork, mash pumpkin (see note). Stir in peas. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Discard bay leaves.
10. Serve. Pumpkin is mashed so it thickens the gravy.