IF you are looking for a showstopper main course to impress your dinner guests, try this recipe for Lamb Navarin created by Michelin starred chef John Gysemans.

John is head chef at one of Bournemouth’s newest restaurants, No 34 at The Orchid Hotel in Gervis Road.

Lamb Navarin

Serves 4. Preparation Time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour (add 20 minutes for smaller ovens)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 boneless lamb shoulder, approx. 1.2kg, cut into 5cm cubes

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped into small dices

1 medium carrot peeled and chopped into small dices

1 bouquet garni

3 stems of parsley leaves

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Half a bay leaf

(all of the above to be tied together)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 medium-sized tomato, chopped into large pieces

100g of baby peas in pods

8 small new potatoes

8 small turnips (or parsnips) peeled and diced

8 small carrots peeled and diced

100g of small onions

1 tablespoon of butter

1 teaspoon of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of coarse salt and an additional two tablespoons to cook the peas

Freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a high heat for one minute. Add the cubed meat and brown for five minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon so all the sides of the meat are seared.

Add the carrots and diced onion, lower the heat and cook over a gentle heat stirring for five minutes until the vegetables develop a little colour. Add the bouquet garni bundle, garlic, tomato and enough water to cover. Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Remove any foam that develops from the surface. Add one teaspoon of coarse salt and two grindings of pepper.

Cover and lower the heat allowing to cook for 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove the baby peas from the pods. Prepare a bowl and half fill with cold water and add six ice cubes.

In a separate pan bring one litre of water to the boil and add two tablespoons of coarse salt. Plunge the peas into the water for three minutes. Drain the peas and plunge straight into the iced water. Set aside.

Wash and peel the potatoes, place in a saucepan, cover with cold unsalted water, bring to the boil and cook for three minutes. Drain and set aside.

Once the lamb has cooked for 50 minutes, remove the pan from the heat with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Pour the broth through a fine strainer into the bowl with the lamb and then put both the broth and lamb back into the casserole dish.

Add the potatoes, turnips and small carrots. Cover and put the pan on a gentle heat for 20/25 minutes.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the small onions and cook for five minutes over a low heat, stirring continuously. Add enough water just to cover the onions and season with a pinch of salt and caster sugar. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

After 20/25 minutes turn off the heat for the lamb and potatoes. Spoon away any fat residue, stir in the peas and wait for two minutes. Arrange the onions on top of the lamb and sprinkle with parsley and serve.