Lamb ragu with papadelle

This Good Friday I had some friends over, it was a group of 8, so it needed to be something I could knock up earlier that afternoon and serve up when people arrived. Lamb's shoulder is a cut I use often, I much prefer it to leg as when its slow-cooked it falls apart and I think makes for a far tastier dish. This dish is thickened using pearl barley and is an addition I have found in some more traditional recipes, it works well and reminds me of the hearty Irish stew my Nan would make us growing up. This recipe is a large batch, so you'll have a fair amount of pop in your freezer too. 

Serves up to 12 hungry people, 

1kg boneless lamb shoulder cut into chunks 

2 x small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

5 x garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 x carrot, peeled and finely chopped

2 x celery sticks, finely chopped

Extra V. olive oil

6 x sprigs thyme, finely chopped

6 x sprigs lemon thyme, finely chopped

2 1/2 large gasses of red wine (i used Shiraz)

4 x cans chopped tomatoes

4 x tablespoons pearl barley

1 1/2 beef or lamb stock cubes ( I use a mix)

Salt and pepper

Fresh egg pasta pappardelle

3 x tablespoons salted butter 

150g x grated parmesan, plus more to serve 

In a large cast iron casserole pot, heat some olive oil and fry off the lamb, until browned all over, you will have to do this in batches. Remove and set aside. Add onions, celery, garlic and carrots to the same pot with the herbs and saute until softened and starting to caramelise. Pour in the red wine and turn the heat up, so the wine begins to boil. This needs to reduce by around half which will take about 10 minutes. Once reduced add the chopped tomatoes, top up your pot with boiling water and add 1 1/2 beef or lamb stock cubes (I use a mix of both). Now add your pearl barley and give it all a good mix. Return the lamb to the pan and leave to simmer for at least 3 hours if not four, the longer, the better. 

After 3-4 hours remove the meat from the pot and shred the meat, there will be a few blobby bits of fat which you can discard. Add the lamb back into the pot and stir through, nows the time to add the butter and parmesan, this will give it a lovely richness and shine. 

Serve up the pappardelle and ladle on the ragu, serve with salad leaves and garlic ciabatta. 

And that my friends is what we call comfort food!  

Enjoy x