Hearty Lamb Stew

Why would I be making a heavy stew for the summer? Well, it seems like summer hasn't really even arrived in this part of the UK yet. August has now started, and I think we have only had one week of sunshine. It's a little annoying, especially because Hubby got me the most super fab sunglasses EVER and I can't find the right excuse to show them off. I actually turned the heating on twice this week AND I almost got caught in a mini hail storm one day walking home from an errand (luckily got in the door in the nick of time). So, in honor of this frigid summer, I thought I would make this yummy hearty lamb stew.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may already know that if a dish consists of red meat, and involves me having to cook for hours, you've got yourself a Mr Persnickety winner. It's not actually that its hard to make or anything, its just that it takes a long time to cook. This recipe can take as much as 3 hours to complete, but I'll tell you one thing, its a total man pleaser! If you are stuck home on a rainy day, and lets say you want a fantastic new bag or something, cook this for your man. Good things will ensue.

This is a great recipe to play around with. Anything you put in here is pretty much going to taste good, so feel free to make any kind of changes and make this recipe your own!

Heavenly Housewife's Hearty Lamb Stew (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of lamb (or mutton works great too), cut into cubes

2 cubes beef stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 carrots, cut into chunky rounds

250g potatoes

a bouquet garni*

150g shallots (you could also use onions)

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

*If you can not buy a bouquet garni, you will need a couple springs of rosemary, thyme and a bay leaf. Tie these together with food-grade string, or tie them into a small piece of cheesecloth or muslin fabric (this will be fished out at the end of cooking).

Directions:

Cover the meat with water. Bring to a boil and remove any impurities that rise to the top. Simmer on low heat for an hour.

Add stock cubes, herbs and spices, bouquet garni, and tomato paste. Simmer for another hour. Stir the pot occasionally and make sure the water level doesn't get to low (if it does, simply add more water).

Chop carrots, potatoes and shallots into chunky pieces of approximately equal size. Add to the pot and cook until all vegetables are tender.

At this point, pay attention to the consistency of the liquid. You can add more, or if you like your stew thicker, you may reduce it. I recommend reducing it by removing all the pieces of meat and veggies into a separate bowl, and just leave the liquid with the bouquet garni. Increase the heat to reduce to the desired consistency and then add the liquid back to the vegetables. Serve with crusty bread or white rice.