LAMB STEW

I got this recipe online at Natasha's Kitchen. The picture on her website forced me to make it. It was so delicious! Three of us ate the entire pot. I made a loaf of Wool Bread to go with it and though the bread didn't rise like I wanted it too, it was delicious all the same.

I bought a 3-LB Boneless Leg of Lamb and trimmed all the meat I wanted and the rest I made a nice stock which I added to the box of broth, with 2 cups of extra water.

I threw in a fingerling potato, a couple of mushrooms, onion and carrots which were going to be in the stew later. I simmered the broth for about 4 hours. I made this the day before the stew so that I could skim off the fat prior to making the stew. I used my large cast iron Dutch Oven for the cook.

INGREDIENTS:

4 strips of bacon chopped into 1/4" pieces

2 lbs boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2" pieces

1/2 Tbsp sea salt for the lamb plus 1 tsp for stew

1 tsp black pepper for lamb plus 1/2 tsp for stew

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups good red wine

1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced (I used 1/2 Portabella and half Regular)

4 cups low sodium beef broth or stock

1 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 lbs yellow fingerling potatoes into 1" pieces

4 medium carrots, 10 oz, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick pieces

1/4 cup fresh parsley

RECIPE:

Gather your ingredients together.

In a 5Qt dutch oven, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and fat released. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large plate.

While bacon cooks, season lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat. Cook lamb in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 min per side) then transfer to the plate with bacon.

Add diced onion and sauté 2 min. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze.

Add sliced mushrooms, bring to simmer then cook uncovered 10 min. Preheat Oven to 325˚F.

Return bacon and lamb to pot and add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves.

Stir in potatoes and carrots, fresh parsley making sure potatoes are mostly submerged in liquid.

Bring to a boil then COVER and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hr and 45 min. When done, potatoes and lamb will be very tender.