A warming Klein Karoo autumn stew — slow cooked, deeply nourishing and perfect for those crisp Barrydale evenings around the fire.
Karoo lamb and butternut stew (Serves 6)
Ingredients1.5 kg Karoo lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
750 g butternut, peeled and cubed
300 g onions, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
400 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
500 ml lamb or vegetable stock
200 ml dry red wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Pat the lamb dry with paper towel. Season generously with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat and brown the lamb in batches until deeply golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and add the onions. Cook until soft and golden, then add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes.
Pour in the red wine and scrape up all the caramelised bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, stock, honey, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. Stir well to combine.
Return the lamb to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook slowly for one and a half hours until the lamb is tender.
Add the butternut, replace the lid and cook for a further 40 minutes until the butternut is perfectly tender.
Remove the rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with crusty sourdough bread, creamy mash or fluffy white rice, and a good Klein Karoo red wine.
Ruth's note: This stew is even better the next day as the flavours deepen overnight. For an authentic Karoo touch, ask your local butcher for bone-in lamb pieces, the marrow adds extraordinary depth to the sauce.