Jamie's batch-it-up lamb and squash stew recipe

1. Carefully remove any bones from the lamb, keeping them to one side. Cut the lamb into 5cm chunks and place in a large, deep casserole pan on a medium-high heat. Season with sea salt and black pepper and drizzle over 1 tsp of olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until browned all over, turning regularly, then remove to a plate.
2. Peel and roughly chop the onions, peel and slice the garlic, wash and roughly chop the carrots. Pop all the vegetables into the pan, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Return the lamb to the pan, along with any resting juices. Stir in the mustard, add the Worcestershire sauce, dissolve the stock cube in 1.5 litres of boiling kettle water and pour over the top – the meat and all the vegetables should be submerged. Let the stew bubble away for 1 hour, uncovered, so that the sauce reduces.
4. Scrub the butternut squash and chop into 2cm chunks, discarding the seeds. Stir the squash into the stew, then cover with the lid ajar and simmer for a further 1½ hours, or until the lamb is beautifully tender and the sauce is thick and glossy. Season to perfection.

Tip: This is delicious in its own right served with a jacket potato or rice, or try using different herbs and toppings to take it in new directions. I love how versatile this stew is. Fancy a new take on hotpot? Place the stew in an ovenproof dish, top with potato gnocchi and rosemary leaves and pop it in the oven until golden and bubbling. Prefer pasta? Stir through your favourite shape and finish with fresh parsley and plenty of Parmesan. Or try a shepherd’s pie! Simply top it with mashed potato and a few oil-rubbed sage leaves.

See more Jamie Oliver recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.