2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds lamb shoulder chops, about 1-inch thick, blotted dry (about 6)
Salt and pepper
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
1 each red and green bell peppers, seeds and membranes removed, and chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef stock
1 (14-ounce) can imported Italian tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
1 rosemary sprig + sprigs for garnish
2 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
½ pound boiling potatoes, preferably yellow, peeled and diced
¼ cup pitted small oil-cured black olives
¼ cup julienned fresh basil leaves or finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Heat a 10-inch cast iron Dutch oven over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and the lamb chops, two at a time, and brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Trim off the large pieces of fat and discard.
Transfer chops to a bowl and saute onions and peppers over medium-high heat until the onions are golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the stock and stir up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes and rosemary, return the lamb to the pot, and bring to a boil; cover and transfer the pot to the oven to cook until the meat is almost fork-tender, about 1 hour.
Remove the pot from the oven. Add the zucchini, eggplant, and potatoes, return it uncovered to the oven, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about ½ hour. Stir in the olives and basil or parsley and garnish with rosemary.