Lamb stew can be light and spring-y or winter-heavy: it all depends on what you add to it. This very simplified version of a classic western European lamb stew celebrates spring vegetables as much as it does lamb meat. We source our lamb locally from Shepherd Song Farm in Downing, WI.
| Servings |
| 4 people |
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 slice bacon, cut into matchsticks
- 2 lbs lamb stew meat, patted dry
- 1 pinch sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shallots, chopped
- 2 canned plum tomatoes, squeezed
- 2 whole carrots, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4-5 whole fingerling potatoes, each cut into 3 pieces
- 1 cup fresh green beans, tipped and cut into 2 pieces
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 2 Tbsp sherry
- 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cide vinegar, to taste (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat a heavy Dutch oven or pot on MEDIUM, and when hot, add bacon or pancetta. Cook until it becomes browned and slightly crisped. If enough fat has tried out, use that to brown the dried-off stew meat. If needed, add olive oil. Brown meat, adding a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Don't over-stir meat, or it won't become nicely seared. Remove meat to a plate, and add onion or shallot; cook until it becomes transparent. Add tomatoes, carrot, stir to coat, then garlic.
- Return meat and any juices to pot, add wine, stock, thyme, and potatoes. Turn heat down to SIMMER, cover pot, and cook in oven until meat and carrots are tender. Note: You can continue cooking the stew on top of the stove, but it will cook more evenly in the oven.
- Return pot to stovetop and add green beans; cook, partly covered, for 2 minutes. Add peas, stir in, then taste the stew's liquid. Adjust salt and pepper if you need to, then add sherry. Taste again; if the flavor needs a bit of brightening, add a small squeeze of lemon juice or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Top stew with parsley, and serve it forth.
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