Apple Lamb Pie

I'm on a continuous mission to find new flavours and textures. Or simply recipes that will inspire me, I don't think I will ever have enough recipe books, or food reference books. Or post it notes, to mark the pages that have inspired me - having said that sometimes when I go through my recipe books looking to use a new recipe, i'll sometimes come across one and wonder what was I thinking when I marked that one - equally I'll find one that hasn't been post it'd and wonder why not? It's a personal thing - a little OCD coming out and raising it's ugly head, I find it therapeutic though - you'd probably have to see it to understand it - colour co-ordinated per chapter and almost perfectly aligned. It is what it is I suppose. Glen's rather patient with me as far as new books and sticky coloured paper is concerned.

This one is similar to the Irish stew that I made, with a few added extra bits. Personally this was my favourite of the two, as with everything though it all about personal tastes.

Bramley Apple Lamb Pie

1kg Potatoes thinly sliced

50g Butter

8 Small lamb chops

2 Onions thinly sliced

2 Bramley apples

2 tsp Brown sugar

2 tsp Chopped fresh mint

Salt and black pepper

200ml Beef stock

Green Vegetables to serve

1. Place all the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water, this will help to prevent them from going brown.

2. Preheat your oven to 180C or 350F.

3. Melt a quarter of the butter in a flameproof casserole dish, then brown your lamb chops on both sides, this will seal in the natural flavours and juices. You must wait for the casserole dish to be very hot before you put them in. Once you've browned your meat remove them and place to one side.

4. Next add your onions and apples to the casserole dish and quickly cook them for 2 minutes, remember to keep stirring. Now take the onions and apples out of the dish and place to one side, also remove your dish from the heat and turn off the hob.

5. Pour away the water from the potatoes, layer half of them in the bottom of your casserole dish. Next you want to put your lamb chops on top, then spoon your onions and apples over the chops, sprinkle with the sugar and season with mint, salt and pepper.

6. Lastly, layer the last of your potato slices over the top, pour over the stock. Cut the rest of the butter into little cubes and scatter over the top.

7. Cook in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Serve with green vegetables.