****IRISH STEW!!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 pounds lamb shoulder cut in 2-inch chunks (or use thick shoulder chops)
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds onions (about 6 medium), cut in wedges
- 1 pound carrots (about 6 medium), cut in 3-inch lengths
- 4 cups chicken, veal or beef broth (or water)
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 12 small), peeled and halved, or cut in 2-inch thick slices
PREPARATION
- Pat lamb dry and season well with salt and pepper. Put oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides, working in batches.
- Set meat aside and add onions and carrots to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Return meat to pot, add broth and bring to a simmer. Put in thyme sprig and arrange potatoes on top (it’s fine if potatoes are not completely submerged). Season potatoes, cover pot and transfer to oven.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until lamb is quite tender when probed with a skewer or paring knife. Remove fat from top of broth. Ladle stew into shallow bowls and serve.
Tip
- Alternatively, cook stew on stovetop instead of baking; keep covered at a gentle simmer for about 1 hour. For a thicker stew, crush a few of the potatoes from the stew and simmer in broth, or thicken with a slurry of flour and water (about 4 tablespoons flour).
