Mary Berry’s one-pot lamb stew is ‘warming’ and ready for the oven in under 10 minutes

Stews are a popular winter food because they are comforting and nourishing and require little attention once started.

They can be served on their own, with potatoes, or with some fresh crusty bread.

Stews are also easily freezeable, making them great dishes to cook in the winter and prepare ahead.

notes said: “This warming lamb stew can be served with rice or mashed potatoes. You can use neck fillet, leg or shoulder for this .

“Lucy, Mary’s close friend and assistant, made this for her friends when a Rugby World Cup match was on. To her and her friends, this dish is lovingly referred to as ‘Rugby Lamb’.”

Ingredients:

Two tablespoons of sunflower oil

750g lamb neck fillet, trimmed and cut into 5cm cubes

Three leeks, thickly sliced

One red pepper, seeds removed and sliced into chunks

Three garlic cloves, finely grated

Quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Two teaspoons of ground cumin

500g passata

150g baby spinach leaves

Two teaspoons of balsamic glaze

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Start by preheating the oven to 160C or 140C and heat a large ovenproof frying pan over high heat until hot.

Add the oil and fry the lamb in batches until golden and sealed before setting aside.

Add the leek and pepper to the pan, frying for three to four minutes before adding in the garlic and spices, frying for 10 seconds.

Stir in the passata and 100ml of water, then return the lamb to the pan.

Season well to taste with salt and pepper and then bring to a boil, covering it with a lid and transferring it to the oven for two hours until tender.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the spinach, stirring until it has wilted, then stir in the balsamic glaze.

Season again to taste with salt and pepper and serve piping hot with rice or mash.

This dish can be made up to one day ahead without the spinach, adding the leafy green before serving.