A Simple Lamb Stew

Thursday 14 March 2013

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My husband is a really simple man with very simple tastes.  If meat and potatoes are on the menu, he is one very happy camper indeed!  He's been working really hard getting our garden Spring ready these past few days so I thought I would treat him today to a simple stew . . . which is one of his favourite meals of all.

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I had some cubed leg of lamb that I had picked up at the butchers . . . perfect for a simple lamb stew.   It seems kind of silly presenting this as a recipe as it's something which I just kind of throw together . . .

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There might be a few of you though that would appreciate some simple instructions as to how to go about it.   I can do it with my eyes closed, but that is because it is something which I have been throwing together for many, many years . . .

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Stews are simple creatures . . . a bit of browned meat, some herbs, stock, a few vegetables . . . and you have something which is quite delicious and family pleasing.  Today I had some Chantenay Carrots that I had picked up the other day for 50 pence.  They were a bit larger than they normally are . . . each being about 4 inches in length. I thought it would be fun to simply peel them and then cut them in half before adding them to the stew.

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I thought it gave a nice  look to the finished dish . . . unusual . . . and in that same vein of thought, I added peeled whole new potatoes, which held their shape nicely and were not overly large.  Altogether it gave a very rustic look to the finished dish, which I garnished simply with some chopped parsley and a few fresh thyme leaves . . . a bit of coarse salt and black pepper.   It went down a real treat and we are both looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow . . . because as anyone knows, any stew tastes twice as good for having ripened overnight in the refrigerator.

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*A Simple Stew of Lamb*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
I love the simple things in life.  They always please, no matter what.


1 TBS olive oil
1 pound leg of lamb cut into bite sized chunks
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 leek, washed, trimmed and cut into rounds
2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
2 TBS flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 TBS dried parsley
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
hot chicken stock (about 1 litre)
4 carrots, peeled and cut into batons
(Today I used half a bag of overgrown Chantenay Carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise)
12 medium new potatoes, peeled
1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
a handful of cubed Swede (Rutabaga)

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Heat the oil in a medium sized heavy dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the lamb cubes, celery, onion and leek.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the meat to brown.  Once the meat has browned all over, sprinkle it with the flour, rosemary, thyme, parsley and some salt and pepper.  Cook and stir to coat meat.   Pour over hot chicken stock to cover, giving it all a good stir. Cover tightly and simmer for about an hour.  Add the carrots, parsnip, swede and potatoes, adding more stock as necessary and leaving the potatoes whole.   Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer.  Cover tightly and cook until the vegetables and meat are very tender.   Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Spoon out into heated bowls to serve.

12 comments

  1. looks so delicious! I made beef stew today, its simmering right now, I just have to put the dumplings in, it has to have dumplings!We have a sunny day here but very cold!

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  2. Stew has to be the ultimate comfort food....who doesn't love to come home to the aroma of a stew that's been simmering for hours! I love that it's simple and has few ingredients yet is so full of flavor. Yours looks delicious, mmmm. xxoo

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  3. Mmm, this brought back memories of when my Mum made lamb stew. When I was first married we lived in the next street and she would always get my Dad to drive round with a saucepan of it for our dinner. She also made dumplings to go in it (my favourite bit!) and after she dished it up she would shake some vinegar over her portion!

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  4. Marie look really delicious dear! send you loads of love, xxxx gloria

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  5. What lovely Irish stew photos, yum! I pinned one to Pinterest and even added a new board "Irish Like Me," just because you've inspired me so. So glad I stumbled upon your web log! Thanks, Miss Marie.

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  6. Thank you so much Ivy. You are so kind to say so. I will be looking for you on Pinterest! xxoo

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  7. Hi Marie,
    This stew looks great and something I would love to cook for me and my daughter,I don't own a dutch oven but would it be possible to use a large high sided pan with a lid (something you use to boil potatoes in).
    Sometimes I avoid recipes that call for one of these, but since it doesn't actually go into the oven I thought I might be able to cook it anyway

    Thankyou

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  8. If you have a pan with a heavy bottom with a lid that this will fit in Faye, by all means use it! I hope you enjoy it!

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  9. We are trying this for the first time -- in our slow cooker.
    My husband moved to the USA from England in 2010, and has not had lamb since he's been here; it's much more expensive here than there. I paid nearly $10 (6+ British Sterling) for the pound of lamb, but wanted to get it for him.

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  10. Hi Elizabeth. I hope he enjoys it! I paid £9.99 for a pound of cubed lamb yesterday, so it's gotten a lot more expensive here too! Mind that is British Lamb. For some odd reason the New Zealand lamb is a LOT cheaper.

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  11. Omg I am the worlds worst cook but thought I would have a go at this because this really does look abs. gorgeous. However, why would you use HOT CHICKEN STOCK? ON LAMB??? This is a little error? Yes? I don't actually have lamb? But I do have small beef chunks so thought I would have a go, and will use Hot Beef stock instead lol. Thank you Maria for a lovely recipe. I only hope it comes out right tomorrow lol. Rosina Lock x

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    Replies
    1. No, it is not an error Rosina. It is chicken stock that you use. Lamb has such a delicate flavour. Chicken stock is perfect here. I do have some really lovely stew recipes for using beef if you would like to use them instead. This one is my favourite:

      http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/beef-stew-with-herbed-dumplings.html

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