Lamb and Red Pepper Ragout Recipe

Simple yet rewarding, Geoffrey Smeddle's lovely lamb ragout recipe will quickly become a family favourite. Developed originally for the Sunday Herald, served over pasta, it makes a meaty and hearty dish with plenty of flavour.

Ingredients

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1000g of lean diced lamb leg, or shoulder
8 plum tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
2 tsp rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tsp thyme leaves, chopped
1 tsp paprika
2 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped
725ml of chicken stock
500g of penne pasta
3 pinches of salt
1 pinch of pepper
2 tbsp of olive oil

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Set a large pan of water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Add the tomatoes for 10 seconds, then lift out and plunge into a bowl of iced water

8 plum tomatoes

Leave to cool for a little, then remove from the bowl and peel off the skins. Chop the flesh, discarding the seeds, and set aside in a bowl

In a separate bowl, season the diced lamb with a pinch of salt

1000g of lean diced lamb leg, or shoulder
1 pinch of salt

Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, fry the lamb until browned all over - you can do this in batches. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside on a baking tray

1 tbsp of olive oil

Add more olive oil to the same pan and fry the garlic and onions with a pinch of salt until soft

1 tbsp of olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 pinch of salt
1 onion, chopped

Once soft, add the herbs, paprika and peppers and fry for 3-5 minutes

2 tsp rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tsp thyme leaves, chopped
1 tsp paprika
2 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped

Pour in 100ml of stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, stir in the tomatoes and lamb - along with any juice from the tray. Season with pepper and pour in the rest of the stock

1 pinch of pepper
725ml of chicken stock

Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and leave to simmer gently for approximately 1 hour, or until tender

10 minutes before the ragout is ready, drop the pasta into lightly salted boiling water. Cook for 8-9 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes or so to ensure the pasta does not stick together

500g of penne pasta
1 pinch of salt

Drain the pasta and add to a large bowl. Mix through the ragout and divide onto plates. Serve immediately

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Geoffrey Smeddle

Geoffrey Smeddle, proprietor and chef of The Peat Inn in Fife, started his career working for Herbert Berger at The Café Royal and for Christopher Galvin in London. He then sealed his reputation as one of Scotland’s top chefs by opening Terence Conran's Etain, in Glasgow.