Kiwi Irish stew

Ready in 2 hours, serves 8.

In 2009 I met Auckland chef Blaine Tripp cooking at the Farmgate Café at the English Market in Cork. This is his recipe – not traditional, but delicious!

• 1kg shoulder of lamb, trimmed and diced
• 6 slices streaky bacon (the thicker the better)
• 50g butter (and oil if required)
• 1kg potatoes, thickly sliced
• 1/2 swede, peeled and chopped
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme and/or rosemary
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 2-3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• Parsley to garnish, chopped

1. Trim excess fat from lamb if needed. Cut bacon into short strips. Melt butter in a frying pan and just seal the lamb.

2. Add bacon and cook for a few minutes, then place in a cast-iron casserole dish, heavy-based large pot or Dutch oven suitable for cooking on the stove top. Add all the remaining ingredients. Do not season.

3. Add enough stock to almost cover the ingredients, but not completely.

4. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, covered.

Cook’s tip:
If you can’t get swede, add kumara instead. Flexibility is the key.