Spring Lamb Stew with Fresh Vegetables

Preheat your oven to 160°C. Cut the lamb shoulder into 3-4 cm cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.

In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches until golden on all sides, then remove and set aside.

Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stirring for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste. Stir in the tomato paste, then gradually pour in the lamb stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Return the lamb to the pot. Add the chopped carrots, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 60 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the new potatoes. Cover again and return to the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the lamb and potatoes are very tender.

Stir in the fresh peas and cook for 5 more minutes, either on the stovetop over low heat or back in the oven, until the peas are bright green and tender-crisp.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve hot, perhaps with a crusty baguette.