Rich, meaty ragù is a delight in the depths of winter - and with the weather behaving more like March than May this dish will warm up a chilly evening a treat.

Serves 3/4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium red pepper, diced
• 2 celery sticks, peeled and diced
• 600g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 200ml dry red wine 6 tomatoes, peeled de-seeded, coarsely chopped
• 500ml lamb or chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g Chorizo 25g sundried tomato puree
• Freshly chopped curly parsley for serving

Method

1. In a thick bottom saucepan, heat the rapeseed oil until shimmering. Add the carrots, onion, celery and red pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, (about 4 minutes).

2. Using a slotted spoon transfer the vegetables to a plate. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan. Add the lamb, chorizo, garlic and rosemary and stir once or twice over moderately high heat until sizzling, stirring occasionally until the liquid has evaporated and the meat is browned (10 minutes).

3. Return the vegetables to the saucepan. Add the sundried tomato puree and red wine. Add the chopped tomatoes, the chicken stock and bay leaf. Season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil then transfer to an earthenware dish and bake in the oven at 180°C for 2 hours or reduce the stove heat to moderately low, cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is very tender (2 hours).

4. Discard the bay leaf and serve with saffron rice and freshly chopped curly parsley.

Nigel holds exclusive classes in his own cookery school kitchen. For more information log on to www.nigelbrownchef.co.uk