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Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 40ml Vegetable Oil
- 1 Kg Diced Lamb Leg – cut into a 1 cm dice.
- 160gm Spanish Onion – peel, halve and finely dice.
- 1 Garlic Bulb – Prick the garlic bulb 4 times with a fork, roast in a moderately heated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until softened. Allow to cool. Slice off 1⁄2 cm from the bulb’s base, squeeze out the garlic puree.
- 40ml Red Wine
- 80ml Balsamic Vinegar
- 800gm Crushed Tomato
- 900ml Chicken Stock
- 2 Sprigs of Rosemary – lightly crush.
- 1 Bay Leaf – lightly crush.
- 80gm Kalamata Olives – drain, crush, remove stone and roughly tear.
- 1⁄2 Lemon – cut into 4 wedges and remove pips.
- To Taste – Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper.
- 1 Egg – beaten
- 4 x 12 cm diameter Puff Pastry Discs – thaw and cut.
- 1⁄2 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1⁄4 tsp Dried Thyme
- To Taste – Sea Salt
METHOD
- Pre-heat an oven to a moderate temperature – 160°C.
- Over a moderate heat, in a saucepan, heat half of the oil, add the lamb and sauté until the lamb is well browned on all sides. Remove the lamb from the saucepan and set to one side.
- Add the remaining oil to the saucepan. Add the onion and sauté, stirring regularly until it has softened, then add the garlic puree and continue to sauté for a further minute.
- Add the red wine to the saucepan and thoroughly combine to deglaze the saucepan. Return the lamb to the saucepan; add the balsamic vinegar, crushed tomato, chicken stock, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, Kalamata olives and lemon wedges. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently for 11⁄2 hours or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has reduced, thickened and evenly coats the back of a mixing spoon. Season to taste. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the braised lamb to cool for 20 minutes. Carefully remove and discard the rosemary sprigs, bay leaf and lemon wedges.
- Evenly distribute the braised lamb between 4 x 6cm deep and 10cm diameter pie dishes. Place the pie dishes into a refrigerator for 2 hours to allow the lamb mix to continue to cool.
- Lightly brush the rims of the pie dishes with a little of the beaten egg, then top each pie with a puff pastry disc. Press the pastry down on all the edges to seal the pie tightly, and trim off any excess pastry from the rim of each dish with a knife.
- With the remainder of the beaten egg, generously brush the pastry on each pie, and lightly sprinkle each with a little dried rosemary, dried thyme and sea salt.
- Place the pies into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the braised lamb is heated through and the pastry is golden brown.
TO SERVE
Carefully (they will be hot!) place each pie to the side of a serving plate, and if desired serve with mashed potato, minted green peas or a light garden salad.
