SERVES 6
225 g (8 oz) streaky bacon rashers, rinded and chopped
15 g (1/2 oz) butter
1.4 kg (3 lb) boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into
4 cm (1 1/2 inch) cubes
1 medium onion, skinned and sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
1 garlic clove, skinned and sliced
568 ml (1 pint) dry red wine
bouquet garni
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
450 g (1 lb) fresh red cherries, stoned
1. In a large frying pan, fry the bacon in its own fat until browned. Add the butter to the pan and fry the lamb, a little at a time, until browned.
2. Remove from the pan with the bacon and put in the casserole.
3. Fry the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the fat remaining in the pan for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the vegetables to the casserole.
4. Pour over the wine and add the bouquet garni, pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 150°C (300°F) mark 3 for about 2 1/2 hours, until tender. 4. Thirty minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir the cherries into the casserole and continue to cook until the meat is tender and the cherries soft.
5. Serve hot with courgettes and new potatoes.
