Our Dutch Oven Lamb and Aubergine Ragù is a labour of love, but well worth it! Definitely a second or third night dinner once you have set up and relaxed into it all!
Rich and delicious and fabulous served with fresh tagliatelle and shavings of parmesan. Ragù, the rich and hearty Italian meat sauce, has a history as flavourful as its taste. Originating from the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, ragù has evolved over centuries, becoming a staple in Italian cuisine and finding its way into kitchens around the world. The word "ragù" itself has uncertain origins but is generally believed to have derived from the French term "ragoût," meaning a stew of meat and vegetables. Early versions of ragù likely date back to medieval times when meat was stewed with vegetables and herbs to create a hearty dish. Our version is heavily based on an old Waitrose recipe I have stuck into my cooking scrap book, but tweaked for the great outdoors. Keep reading for our Dutch Oven Lamb and Aubergine Ragù.
Ingredients:
Whole shoulder of lamb, excess fat trimmed and cubed into 5cm chunks (obviously do this before you go on your trip!)
Aubergines, we used three
Red onions, chopped
Garlic, crushed
Tinned tomatoes
Red wine
Lamb stock
Ground cinnamon
Oregano
Pitted black olives, drained
Fresh pasta - we go for tagliatelle
Fresh mint, chopped
Olive oil
Method:
Get your Dutch Oven over the flames and heat some olive oil. The add the lamb in batches and brown.. Remove from the Dutch Oven.
Sauté the onions and garlic until they are softened.
Add the cinnamon (as always amounts are not dictated by Camping Scamping HQ as we all have our own tastes, but we used about 1 tablespoon - feels like a lot, but it mellows out as you cook low and slow) and oregano and cook for a minute or two. Stirring constantly.
Then re-add the browned lamb and stir through.
Deglaze the Dutch Oven with a generous glug of red wine (then pour yourself a glass, you need to settle in with this one!)
Then add the lamb stock.
Next come the tins of tomatoes and then use the tins to swirl with water and add.
Put the lid on and cook low and slow for about 1.5 hours. Keep an eye on your flames and stir relatively frequently to avoid a burnt bottom!
The add the olives and cook for another 30 mins - 1 hour. You want to get to a point where the lamb is falling apart and you can shred it easily. You may need to top up the lamb stock as you go.
Whilst you are in the final 30 minutes, get your aubergines onto the fire - just at the edges and turn them often. You are wanting to char the skin, but the inside needs to be soft. Once done, cut them open and spoon out their smoky insides!
In the last 10 minutes, add the aubergine flesh to your lamb and get the water boiling in a separate pan for your pasta.
Cook the pasta according to your packet instructions, but you are looking at about 3-4 mins if fresh and 10 mins if dried.
Pull the meat and serve on the pasta with oodles of parmesan shavings and mint.
If you can't face doing this at the campsite, you could always make at home in the oven and reheat it (thoroughly) when you get there, either on the fire or on your camping stove.
It takes a while and a lot of patience, but our Dutch Oven Lamb and Aubergine Ragù really is worth the wait!
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