It is a rainy and cold April day and perfect for a warm, hearty meal. My mom warned me that the Lamb Stew with Potatoes recipe from How to Cook Everything was a little bland, so I made a few alterations to its preparation. I had bought a pound of stewing meat from Mint Creek Farm at the Green City Market in Chicago in anticipation of making such a stew. It is grass-fed, local, and not to pricy at $7 a pound. I am going to eat this with some homemade olive and thyme bread I have been saving in the freezer for such an occasion.
Irish Stew
1 lb boneless lamb shoulder trimmed an cut into 2″ cubes
1 1/2 lbs waxy red or yellow potatoes, cut in 1/4″ slices
1 1/2 cups sliced onions
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 1 1/2 cups broth: any combo of water, red wine, chicken, beef, or veg stock (I used 1 cup veg stock and about 1/4 cup of Sierra Nevada barleywine. I also added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce)
1 cup minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Season and brown the meat over medium high heat in olive oil in a saucepan. Set aside. Saute the onions in a saucepan with olive oil over medium low heat. Once they are soft, sprinkle with salt and cook a little longer. Add everything except for half the potatoes which you should set aside in cold salted water. Bring to a near boil over high heat and then let cook for about 45 minutes over low heat. Add the other half of the potatoes and cook for another 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy. Serve hot with parsley. Serves 3.
