Lamb with red peppers, chard and paprika

Serves 4

Drape the chard over the lamb and serve hot (Lisa Barber)

11/2kg/3lb trimmed shoulder of lamb
100ml/31/2fl oz olive oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 red peppers, cut into one-inch seedless slices
2 tbsp sweet paprika
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 fresh bay leaves
1kg/2lb ripe tomatoes
2 dried red chillies, crumbled
A few sprigs of thyme
500ml/17fl oz dry white wine
1 cup of cooked chickpeas
1 bunch of chard

Place a saucepan large enough to comfortably hold the shoulder of lamb over a medium heat on the stove. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, season the meat generously all over and, when the oil is warm, add the shoulder and brown well all over.

Remove from the pan, add the onions and cook until they are soft but not brown – this will take about 10 minutes. Add the peppers, paprika, garlic, bay leaves, tomatoes, chilli and thyme.

Return the lamb to the pan and pour over the wine, topping up with a little water if the lamb is not covered. Place a lid on the pan, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for two-and-a-half hours. The meat should be soft and falling apart.

Now add the rest of the olive oil and chickpeas, turn up the heat for a few minutes and adjust seasoning; it will need both salt and pepper. Drape over the chard and serve hot.