This lamb stew, crock pot beef stew ... Some people like to serve their stew over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. If this is you, feel free to omit the potatoes from the recipe.

When soft, remove from the oven and leave to cool. For the lamb stew, warm half the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole pan over a high heat and brown the lamb in batches. When browned ...

Lamb chops, al fresco style. Marcus Wareing uses every scrap of meat for this summery dish, served alongside a tomato stew and fried potatoes. Heat a frying pan over a low heat for 5–10 minutes.

And more wonderful meals for the weekend: spicy sesame noodles with chicken and peanuts ... khoresh gheymeh (above), an Iranian stew of lamb and split peas topped with crispy onions.