Still a bit nutty

Winter has arrived overnight in Suffolk so I think a recipe is in order.

This is a lamby, peppery, stew/risotto made with spelt, a grain somewhere between barley and rice. If you get it from a supermarket it's likely to be pearled which is just right for this dish.

Ingredient-nazis will twat on for hours about how spelt is a "genuine" ingredient with "heritage" and has miraculous digestive powers. I'm using it because it's got more flavour than rice, barley and potatoes and the texture is exactly what I want from a dish like this.

For six hungry people or "a pot-full" for eating & re-heating you will need:

2 banana shallots, 2 large sticks of celery and 3 large carrots, all cleaned & chopped into bite sized pieces.

Olive oil for frying.

2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and chopped into thin slices.

800g-1kg of a cheap cut of lamb cut into bite-sized pieces. I really mean it about the cheapness. I used blade-end of shoulder, it's mostly fat & gristle and it's ALL FLAVOUR. Don't bother with lean, expensive fillets. And don't worry about the fatty bits, they'll fit right into the end result.

500g of celeriac, cleaned, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 litre of lamb stock

Half a cup of spelt, rinsed thoroughly.

In a large pot gently fry the shallots, carrots & celery until translucent. At the same time, brown the lamb in small batches and add to the pot. Add the leeks and continue to fry until they've wilted down. Then add the stock, reduce to a very gentle simmer and then cover and leave for at least two hours.

Check the meat (and start fiddling with the seasoning from this point onwards). Once it's tender and the fat has rendered down add the celeriac and spelt. Simmer gently with the top off for about another 40 minutes until the spelt has cooked. Continue to fiddle with seasoning. As for when it's done? You choose - you can go for "still a bit nutty" or "cooked all the way through and creamy". It's all good.