Slow-cooked shoulder of lamb with flageolet beans

Ingredients to serve 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole shoulder of lamb, bone in (that's where all the flavour is)
2 white onions, cut into eighths through the root
1 bulb of garlic, cut in half horizontally
half a bottle of white wine
1 litre chicken, lamb or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
zest of 2 lemons, grated on a microfine grater
4 peppercorns
3 sprigs of rosemary
800g tinned flageolet beans
400g tinned cannelloni beans
salt and freshly ground black pepper

This is so easy to prepare – in fact, there's not really anything to prepare at all! I love this because it makes a change to the usual Sunday lunch.

Shoulder of lamb, even when it's of really good quality, isn't expensive and goes a long way if you're feeding a big family. It should be cooked long and slow, as should most good winter-warmers.

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole. Season the lamb all over and seal in the pan until golden brown on all sides. Remove the meat and likewise seal the onions and the garlic.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine and then put the meat back into the pan. Bring to the boil and add the stock. Return to the boil and remove any scum that may come to the surface with a slotted spoon.

Now add the bay leaves, lemon zest, peppercorns and rosemary. Cover the casserole with its lid or with tin foil and place in the oven for 21/2 to 3 hours. Check periodically to ensure the meat is covered; if not, just add a little more wine or stock, or baste well.

Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the beans. Cook for a further 30 minutes with the lid off.

Discard the garlic. Serve with bright green vegetables.

From 'Easy Peasy' by Sophie Wright (Kyle Cathie, £14.99)

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Lashings of juicy cherry and strawberry fruit perfectly complement the richness of the lamb, and a slight smokiness goes well with the beans.

www.laithwaites.co.uk