Slow Cooked Thyme & Balsamic Lamb with Pumpkin & Broccolini

Prepare Ingredients:

Peel and thinly slice the onion and garlic. In a small bowl, mix ¾ of the cornflour with a pinch of salt and pepper. Coat the lamb in the cornflour, shaking off any excess. Tip: Peel pumpkin, discard seeds and cut into 2 cm dice. Trim the ends off the broccolini. Set aside veg in the fridge while the lamb does its thing - it will save time in the evening.

Seal Meat:

Warm a pan to medium-high heat and add olive oil. Pop in the lamb. Sear 3 - 4 minutes, turning regularly so the lamb is lightly browned all over. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add Ingredients To Slow Cooker:

Into the slow cooker add: balsamic vinegar, honey, diced tomatoes, thyme sprigs (discarding stems), sliced onion and garlic. Stir to combine then add the lamb. Spoon some of the mix over the lamb. Place lid on slow cooker, and turn on - cook for approximately 8-10 hrs on low.

Finish Sauce:

Once the lamb has finished cooking, carefully lift it out and set aside. Cover to keep warm. Turn slow cooker up to high heat. In a cup, combine remaining cornflour with 2 Tbs water and mix until smooth. Add to the sauce and mix well - leave to simmer, stirring occasionally.

Cook Veg:

Add diced pumpkin to a pot and cover with water. Once boiling, cook for 8 minutes, until tender. To save time, add broccolini with 3 minutes remaining. Drain, remove broccolini and add butter to the pot with the pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper and mash, using a potato masher or fork.

You Plate It:

Divide pumpkin mash and broccolini between plates. Gently, using forks or tongs, pull apart lamb and add back to the sauce. Top pumpkin mash with lamb and try not to inhale it all at once. Enjoy!