Winter is a good time to do some slow cooking and get some lovely, nourishing comfort food into bub to help keep their energy levels up and give their immune system a boost.

This recipe is rich in iron, which is one of the minerals that benefits sleep (read about that here), and contains veggies for added vitamins, and gentle herbs and spices for interest.

Inspired by moussaka, this dish is mildly flavoured with a delicate sweetness from the cinnamon and a silkiness from the veggies. The risoni provides a carbohydrate so it’s a complete meal that freezes well.

Greek lamb casserole recipe

Age: second month of eating, plus

Suitable for freezing

Makes: 2 ½ cups

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion (100g), diced

1 carrot (100g), diced

300g lamb, diced into small, even pieces (or 460g forequarter chops)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 small eggplant (200g), diced

1 small zucchini (100g), diced

500 ml salt-reduced chicken stock

100 ml passata or 2 tomatoes, diced

½ tsp dried oregano or 3-4 sprigs of fresh oregano

½-1 tsp ground cinnamon (depending on your baby’s developing tastes)

⅓ cup risoni pasta

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the lamb and brown off for 3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the veggies, stock, and passata (or diced tomatoes) and bring to a simmer.
5. Add the oregano and cinnamon, reduce the heat to very low and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours. The lamb should be tender enough for you to break it up with our spoon. If the meat is not breaking up easily, continue to simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the meat falls apart.
6. Add the risoni and stir well. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the risoni is soft and the casserole is thick. Any excess liquid will be absorbed while the dish cools.

Depending on the age of your baby, you may wish to puree all or half of the casserole to create a texture to his or her taste.

Divide into portions and freeze

Tip: Like any slow-cooked dish, this one only gets better with time, so allow it to sit in the fridge in an airtight container for a day before freezing portions.

This recipe is from Emily Dupuche, mum and author of ‘Food Babies Love: A Guide to Introducing Solids’, which contains practical baby food ideas that the whole family can enjoy. All the recipes are recommended by nutritionists, paediatricians, and child health professionals.

To order ‘Food Babies Love: A Guide to Introducing Solids’ head to the link here.