Braised lamb necks, pearl onions and garlic

Name: Braised lamb necks, pearl onions and garlic
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 20 garlic cloves; 250g pearl onions; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1kg lamb neck, boned and cubed; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 5mm pieces; 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 5mm dice; 2 tbsp plain flour; 1 large tomato, unpeeled and chopped into large chunks; 3 cups chicken stock; coarse sea salt; freshly ground pepper; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tsp superfine caster sugar; sea salt and pepper; 2 tbsp aged, good-quality red wine vinegar; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; and green salad to serve

Cooked slowly and gently, this rib-sticking braise is classic winter comfort food that will warm you from the inside.

Neil Perry

May 28, 2025

Tender lamb is punctuated by glossy pearl onions and garlic.William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4

This is a classic braise that delivers tasty and tender lamb punctuated by garlic and onions. By boiling the garlic twice and cooking it until tender, you remove the volatile compounds that give a harsh taste, resulting in a rich, delicious, complex flavour. I use garlic like this in many dishes; once you have tried it, you will, too. It’s also great pureed, seasoned and spread on toast.

This braise is perfect with soft polenta, but for variety, you could serve it with short pasta or rice. In each case, I’d have a well-dressed green salad on the side.

Ingredients

20 garlic cloves
250g pearl onions
3 tbsp olive oil
1kg lamb neck, boned and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 5mm pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 5mm dice
2 tbsp plain flour
1 large tomato, unpeeled and chopped into large chunks
3 cups chicken stock
coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp superfine caster sugar
sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp aged, good-quality red wine vinegar
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
soft polenta and green salad to serve

Method

Step 1
Place the whole peeled garlic cloves in a small saucepan of salted cold water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer the garlic for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the cloves. Repeat the process until the garlic cloves are tender before draining, rinsing and setting the garlic aside.
Step 2
Prepare the pearl onions by trimming the stems, peeling them but leaving them whole, and simmering them in a small saucepan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes until tender, then drain and refresh in cold water. Set aside.
Step 3
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over high heat for 1 minute. Add the meat and brown for five minutes. Add the diced carrots and onions, turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring until the vegetables soften a bit.
Step 4
Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir, cooking for about two minutes until the vegetables are lightly coloured. Add the tomato and stock to cover.
Step 5
Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Remove any foam that forms on the surface. Add two teaspoons of sea salt and cover, reducing the heat so the mixture simmers gently. Cook for about an hour, until tender.
Step 6
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saute pan over a low heat. Add the prepared pearl onions and caster sugar, and cook until they are sticky and caramelised. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 7
After an hour of cooking, remove the pot containing the lamb from the heat. Remove the lamb from the pot using a slotted spoon or skimmer and place it in a large bowl. Return the pot to the heat and simmer the remaining liquid until it reduces and forms a sauce.
Step 8
Add the lamb, garlic and caramelised pearl onions to the sauce and stir until warm. Season with pepper and vinegar, sprinkle with parsley, and spoon the braised lamb into four deep bowls of soft polenta. Serve with a green salad.