Activity:
Irish Lamb Stew
A traditional peasant dish, Irish lamb stew is inexpensive, tasty, and satisfying. Your budding chef can hone his culinary chops by preparing this fantastic one-pot meal the whole family can enjoy. A little bread on the side completes this hearty St. Patrick's Day dish.
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What You Need:
- 3 pound leg of lamb, cut into 2” cubes (ask your butcher to trim the fat and cube the meat for you)
- ½ cup flour, poured onto a flat plate or into a zip-top plastic bag
- Vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large carrots, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5-6 white potatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef or chicken stock
- ¼ cup white wine (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
What You Do:
- Start by having your child season the lamb with salt and pepper and coat each piece in flour. In traditional recipes the meat is not browned. Nowadays, however, the lamb is often rolled in flour and browned before going in the stew to give it a more appealing color.
- Pour just enough vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot to coat the bottom and heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, brown the meat approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Use tongs to turn the meat over. Watch out for oil splatterings as the oil gets hotter; wearing a long-sleeved shirt can help protect your forearms.
- Remove the meat to a platter, then add the onion, celery, and garlic to the pot. Saute for a minute, then add the broth and wine (if using), scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, lamb, dried thyme, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours until everything is fork tender.
- Season with salt and pepper, adding more if desired.
- To thicken the gravy, whisk the cornstarch together with ¼ cup cold water in a small bowl. Pour it into the stew pot, return to a boil, and stir well for one minute.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately. Enjoy!
This recipe is a great way to get your child to eat her vegetables, so be sure to use her favorites. Peas and leeks work great in this stew.
