Traditional Irish stew

Description:
You simply cannot have Saint Patrick’s Day without an Irish stew. This ultimate family feed is simply a must.

Main ingredients:
Dairy, Vegetables, Lamb, Oil, Bread, Stock/Broth, Herbs

Cuisine:
Traditional Irish

Ingredients:
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 kg lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm chunks
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced
1 bay leaf
4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 ltr beef or lamb stock
900g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm slices
Large knob of butter
Fresh flat leaf parsley and thyme, to serve
Crusty bread, to serve

Method:
Place a large, flameproof casserole dish over a high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and brown the lamb in two batches.
Remove and set aside on a plate. Lower the heat to medium–high then add another tablespoon of oil and fry the onion, celery and carrot until the onions have softened.
Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F / Gas mark 3.
Return the meat to the dish then add the bay leaf, stock and season with salt and ground black pepper and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and the slices of potato down into the stew, dot with a little butter and season again with salt and ground black pepper.
Cover and cook for about 1½ hours or until the meat is tender, then remove the lid and cook for a further 10 minutes until the potatoes have coloured.
Scattter with some fresh parsley, thyme and serve with crusty bread.

Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 100 minutes
Recipe Type: Dinner, Entertaining, Family Dinners
Level of Difficulty: Easy