Mutton stew with anchovies
Anchovies are a fairly standard ingredient for adding umami, that indescribable flavour characteristic, and nowhere better than alongside the rich flavour of mutton in a fairly classic Roman flavour combination. I cooked this stew over the fire but you could just as easily do it on the hob or in the oven, actually it would be a lot easier. I’ve added in a lamb shank for the richness of the bone, and also for a little contrast of flavour.
Mutton stew with anchovies
(serves 3-4)
500g diced mutton
1 lamb foreshank
250ml red wine (I used pinot noir)
1tsp salt
1 carrot finely diced
1 onion finely chopped
2 sticks celery finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
250g cherry tomatoes
50g anchovies in oil
Black pepper
1 large sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
- Rub half the salt over the meat, place in glass or ceramic dish and pour over the wine. Leave to marinade for several hours, preferably overnight.
- In an ovenproof casserole dish, soften the carrot, onion, garlic, and celery, in the oil, ensuring it doesn’t colour;
- Add the mutton, lamb shank, tomatoes, herbs, salt, and pepper. Add the anchovies and their oil, pour over the wine and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil then reduce to the lowest simmer, cook for 3-4 hours until the meat is tender. Serve
Note: I cooked the soffits of onion, celery, carrot, and garlic the night before when cooking in Dutch oven over fire, just to ensure it softened without burning.
