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recipe please? 
11th-Nov-2008 12:15 pm
swedish chef
Anyone have a tried and true simple beef stew that would work with lamb? I also have limited ingredients so the fewer the better, or at least improviseable. Of all the cooking I do, I actually don't have a stew recipe that I like.
Comments 
11th-Nov-2008 08:23 pm (UTC)
Do you want to use lamb instead of beef? I'd look online and find recipes. I make a really good pot roast using my slow cooker and I bet you could use lamb instead of beef. I just add beef broth, carrots, potatoes, one can of cream of mushroom soup, bay leaves, garlic salt, onion, salt, pepper, I can't remember what else. It's very simple but so delicious, especially on cold days. I serve it over egg noodles with french bread if we have it, but it's very good by itself. I shred the meat after it's done and put it back in the stew. I can send you the link to the actual recipe when I get home if you want it.
11th-Nov-2008 08:34 pm (UTC)
Sounds good thanks! can I do something else if I don't have the cream of mushroom soup? I have the broth, I have milk, and the veggies....
11th-Nov-2008 08:37 pm (UTC)
Yeah you could probably use milk or something. I think all it does is make the soup a little thicker and creamier, but hardly. Ill send the recipe in about an hour
11th-Nov-2008 08:24 pm (UTC)
I've made stew with lamb before and it was great....hm, what the heck did I do...?? I just made it in the slow cooker with potatoes, onions, carrots and peas...add lamb or beef broth and I think I added garlic, salt and pepper and a bit of whole grain dijon mustard to that. I usually wing it when I cook (drives dh nuts...but he still loves my cooking, lol). oh, yeah, I remember now, I made it for Valentines day...I'll look for the pic.
11th-Nov-2008 08:37 pm (UTC)
mmmmmmmm
11th-Nov-2008 08:29 pm (UTC)
I do; http://selahno.blogspot.com/
2 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder or shoulder blade chops, bone-in
6 thick slices bacon
2 pounds potatoes, peeled, quartered
2 large onions, quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch segments
1 turnip, peeled and roughly chopped
2 heaping Tbsp pearl barley (omit for gluten-free version)
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 qt water or lamb stock, warmed
Method

1 Heat a large (6 qt) thick bottomed Dutch oven on medium heat. Gently cook the bacon, rendering its fat, for a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, when cooled, chop and set aside.

2 Remove all but 2 Tbsp of bacon fat from the pan. Increase the heat to medium high. Working in batches, brown the lamb pieces on all sides.
3 Layer the meat and vegetables in the pan. Start with a layer of meat, add a layer of potatoes, turnip, carrots, and chopped bacon, add another layer of meat and top with another layer of vegetables. Add barley, thyme, black pepper, and a teaspoon more of salt. Add water or stock to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a bare simmer. Let simmer, covered, but with the lid slightly ajar, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat is falling off the bones.

3 Skim any excess fat from the stew. Use tongs to pick out and remove bones. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6.
I made it w/o bacon and turnip and it was just fine...

2-3 lbs of lamb shoulder stew meat, cut into 1½-inch cubes
Olive oil
3/4 cup white wine
2 yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 dry pasilla chiles, chopped, stems and most seeds removed
1 Tbsp hot Hungarian paprika*
1½ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cardamon
1½ cups chicken stock
14 oz of canned whole tomatoes, put through a food mill, or puréed**
8-10 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley
4-5 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup currants
Salt and pepper

* Hot Hungarian paprika is not the regular Hungarian paprika which is sweet and mild. I taste tested hot paprika with cayenne and found it even hotter than cayenne. If you don't have access to hot paprika, I would advise substituting 1/2 with sweet paprika and 1/2 with chili powder.
Method

** The original recipe calls for a pound of plum tomatoes, cut and roasted for 45 minutes in the oven at 375°F, and then put through a food mill. Given that at the time of this writing plum tomatoes are out of season, I opted for using canned.
1 Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel. Drying the lamb this way first will help the lamb pieces brown. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy, high-sided skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the lamb pieces in batches, being careful not to crowd them. Cook, turning as needed so that the lamb pieces brown evenly on all sides, for 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Pour off excess oil over the lamb.


2 Return skillet to medium hight heat. Add wine to skillet and stir with a spatula to release any meat bits that have stuck to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes and pour over the lamb.


3 Return the skillet to medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the bell pepper and pasilla chiles and cook uncovered for 20 minutes until tender.

4 Make a bouquet garni by placing the parley, thyme and bay leaf in the center of a doubled over cheesecloth square. Gather the ends and secure with kitchen string. Set aside.


5 Stir in the paprika, cumin, and cardamom and cook for a minute. Add the puréed (or cooked tomatoes put through a food mill) tomatoes, lamb, chicken stock, raisins, currants, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease heat to low. Cook, partially covered, for about 3 hours, or until lamb is tender.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over couscous or rice (wheat-free option).

Serves 4-6.
( I didn't use the currants)
11th-Nov-2008 08:30 pm (UTC)
Spicy Lamb Stew with Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean lamb shoulder, on the bone, trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 pounds of butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 14-oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
Salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons Sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mint
Method

1 Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on the meat. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add the meat and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until all the juices evaporate, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

2 Add the tomato paste, 1 Tbsp of paprika and 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until the mixture begins to carmelize. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes.

3 Add the squash, garbanzo beans, tomato, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and enough water to just cover the ingredients. Cover and cook until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

4 Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Season with salt. Transfer the stew to a shallow serving dish.

5 Rub the 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and dried mint through a fine sieve. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat, until a speck of spice dropped into the oil sizzles. Add the sieved spices and stir for just an instant. Swirl the seasoned oil into the stew, stir once and serve hot.

Serves 6.

... those are the ones I've tried and were really good.
11th-Nov-2008 08:34 pm (UTC)
though I'm sure you could just do a very basic beef stew and substitue lamb...
dice the lamb into 1 inch cubes coat with flour and black pepper, 4-6 cups beef broth(or veg) shake of worchestershire sauce,a bay leaf or two, diced carrots, potato, onion, parsley, simmer till tender... you can add a cup of red wine and beer if you have any Voila
11th-Nov-2008 08:36 pm (UTC)
you are a wealth of domestic goodness! I love all those but the first one may work if I don't have to use the bacon!
11th-Nov-2008 08:38 pm (UTC)
I don't eat pork so we didn't add any and it was very good.
11th-Nov-2008 08:45 pm (UTC)
what does the barley do? That doesn't seem like very much.
11th-Nov-2008 10:07 pm (UTC)
I add pearl barley to my beef stew and it helps thicken it and make it even more 'hearty'. I prefer using it to thicken over flour or minute tapioca.
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