I copied this in honor of St. Patrick's Day. It's a great alternative to corned beef and cabbage. If you do corned beef and cabbage, don't forget the boiled red potatoes. Also, Rueben sandwiches and corned beef hash are great ways to use the leftover corned beef. Oh, if you use beer instead of water in the stew, don't use green beer unless you already know you like it. Abby
Lamb and Potato Stew The classic Irish stew is laid down in 5 layers---potato, onion, lamb pieces, onion and, to top it off, another layer of potato. It is an economical dish that can be put together and cooked in about 2 hours, or simmered all day in a slow cooker. It is a marvelous stew for a cold blustery day when active kids (and guests) come to the table famished - and, of course, it qualifies a hearty "pub grub." Bernard Clayton's Irish stew (this recipe) is cooked, at his house, in a heavy black cast-iron Dutch oven that has been in his family for years. At the table the stew is ladled directly from the Dutch oven into the individual bowls. He says. "the layers blend as the ladle dips down to the bottom and comes up brimful and steaming with good things." In Ireland the cook might suspend a big iron pot over the turf fire in the fireplace while glowing red embers are put on the top of the lid to give extra heat from above (there are special pots made with indentations for placing the hot coals on top called "doufeu"). The original Irish stew was made not from lamb - or even mutton - but kid. Sheep were too valuable to be put into the pot for a poor man's family dinner. The young male kids had little value except for their skins, which were sold for a few pence. The flesh went into the stew pot. Nowadays, some folks use lamb shanks instead of cubed lamb - and even include turnips and/or carrots in the stew. It is not uncommon to substitute stout (beer) or beef or lamb stock (instead of water) for the cooking liquid. Adapt this to your personal taste preference, as you like, but here's the traditional Irish Stew. SERVES 6 TO 8 6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds) - peeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick 4 large onions (1 1/2 pounds) - peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick 3 pounds, lean, boneless lamb, neck or shoulder - trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes 3 teaspoons, salt (or as desired) 3 grindings of black pepper 1/4 teaspoon, thyme cold water to cover (about 5 cups) You will need a large (4-quart) casserole, Dutch oven or other kettle, all with a cover - preferably one that will be suitable to bring to the table for serving. Layer the Stew in the Casserole: In the appropriate stew pot, arrange half the potatoes in a layer over the bottom. Add half the onions in a layer and then all of the lamb pieces. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Cover the lamb with the remaining onions and, finally, the balance of the potatoes. Pour in cold water to barely cover the last layer of potatoes - usually about 5 cups. Cook the Stew - 1 1/2 hours: Bring the stew just to a boil, immediately lower the heat and cover the pot, then simmer over very low heat for about 1 1/2 hours or until the vegetables and meat are tender. [Alternatively, place the stew in a moderate (300-350 degree) oven to cook, for the same length of time.] Be very careful that the liquid does not boil during cooking - boiling will dry and toughen the meat. Check the stew occasionally as it cooks, and if the liquid seems to be cooking away, add water a tablespoon or two at a time. Serve the Stew: Serve the stew in heated bowls. A crusty peasant loaf is excellent to serve with Irish stew. If it's a family affair, dipping the bread into the stew may be allowed. _______________________________________________ Cookinginthedark mailing list [email protected] http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark
