Comfort You Lamb Stew

This weekend a Nor’Easter hit the east coast with ferocity and being stuck inside doing housework in the gloomy weather meant only one thing….the rich savory scents of one of my most beloved dishes would see me through. Time to make lamb stew!

Rob left work for a bit to bring me carrots, and sporting hunting hat and a rain slicker came in soaking wet just as I needed to add the carrots to the stew.  ”OMG, it smells good!” he proclaimed. With thoughts that  the carrots would be added and it would be done in maybe 15 minutes he was ready to delay returning to work so he could get some of this SOON.  Not quite that quick, and off he had to go, tummy grumbling no doubt but filled with the anticipation of a wonderful dinner.

One of the things that makes this dish special is that the rich broth doesn’t come from a can.  Veggies, herbs and water braise with the seared cubes of lamb for a couple of hours and make a most delicious base for this low-fat, loads of flavor stew. The final vegetables, added for the last hour of cooking, soak up all the flavors and the stew is a meld of flavors that boldly beckons, then quietly comforts. My herb plants, brought indoors for the winter speckle the landscape of my kitchen and beg to be used, but if you’ve got dried herbs, go with those, just adjust as needed.

Lamb Stew Recipe: (makes 2 very large servings – doubles easily)

Ingredients for the lamb and broth:

• 3/4 lb lean lamb, well trimmed
• Salt and pepper for seasoning lamb
• 1 tablespoon flour for dusting lamb
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 rib celery, roughly chopped
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with 1 cup water

Directions for making the lamb broth:

• Heat the oil in a heavy soup kettle just to the smoking point.
• Cut the lamb into large bite sized pieces, season liberally with salt and pepper. Dust with the flour and sear in the hot oil over medium high heat until well browned.

• Add 3 cups of water to the hot kettle, add the vegetables and herbs. Heat to a simmer, cover and continue to cook at a low simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
• Uncover the kettle and continue to simmer for 1/2 hour.
• Strain the meat and broth in a colander over a large mixing bowl. Remove the herb stems if using fresh, the bay leaf, and put the lamb chunks back into the kettle.
• With a potato masher, press down on the vegetables in the colander, letting the strained veggies go into the broth that’s in the bowl. Discard remaining solids.
• Put the broth into the kettle along with the tomato paste mixed with the 1 cup of water.

Ingredients for finishing the lamb stew:

• 12 baby red or Yukon Gold potatoes, eyes and rough spots peeled off, large ones cut in half.
• 2 dozen frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large bite sized pieces
• 1 rib celery, ‘stringed’ and cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup frozen sweet green peas
• Minced parsley for garnish

Directions for finishing Lamb Stew:

• Add all the vegetables, except green peas to the lamb and broth.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1/2 hour.
• Uncover and continue to cook for another 1/2 hour, until the stew has thickened and the vegetables are tender.
• Add the green peas and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

Serve and enjoy!

Some folks like their guiness in the lamb stew – as for me, I’ll take it on the side with a nice hunk of warm bread!