Simple family fare

Another make ahead recipe today. It took a bit of time, but the results were worth it. I love green beans that are cooked until really soft. Possibly my favourite way is a version I make with tomatoes here. This recipe though uses lamb along with cassia and feta. The feta, added at the end as you serve, is what makes this dish. Well, I tried to tell this to The Lovely Man, who is a little wary of feta. So much so that he wouldn't have any with his meal, I knew he was missing out and suggested he just try a little. His children, even our littlest loved it with the cheese, I chose a milder Danish-style cheese, so he finally relented. With his seconds he added the smallest amount of cheese, and then a little more. The salty tang of the cheese compliments the almost sweet flavours (there's no sugar in this) of the long cooked tomatoes and lamb.

There is a moat of liquid at the end which make it perfect for mopping up with crusty bread. If only we had some crusty bread! I had to settle for some sliced light rye - NEXT time some crusty bread! The recipe is based on the one I found in Tessa Kiros' Apples for Jam. It originally served just 3, so this is my converted version.

Lamb and Green Bean Casserole

3 tbsp olive oil
1 kg diced lamb (shoulder or leg)
2 red onions, finely chopped - food processor ideal here
20g butter
2 garlic cloves
800g tinned tomatoes
2 pieces cassia bark, or failing that cinnamon sticks
600g green beans, topped
200g feta cheese
up to 750ml water

Preheat your oven to 180C, put a heavy-based casserole which has a lid on a high heat and add the oil, brown the meat off (in batches if you need to). When the meat is brown (and return all the meat if you did it in batches), add the onion, and cook it off until the onion is starting to brown.

Stir in the garlic and butter, and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Mix in the tomatoes, 500ml of the water,salt and cassia or cinnamon. Bring to the boil, and then put the lid on and put it in the oven for 45 minutes.

After the 45 minutes add the beans, and check to see if you need the extra water*. Cover again and leave to cook for another hour. Remove lid, and cook for 15 minutes more. Now, just turn the heat off, put the lid back on, and leave it to sit in the residual heat of the oven for another hour, so the meat becomes meltingly tender.

When ready to serve, gently reheat on the stove, taste for seasoning (though remember feta is salty) and serve with lots of bread, and the crumbled feta cheese either on the side, or sprinkled over the dish so that it starts to melt a little.

*I used the full quantity of water, as I loved the idea of lots of juices, it would work as well without that final cup of water if preferred though.

Serves 6

Delicious family meal served from the one pot. If there is anything I love more in the kitchen than reducing the amount of dishes, I don't know what it is! Everyone apart from TLM went back for more cheese, it just works so wonderfully in this dish.