Solstice Lamb Stew With Port And Cider Recipes

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add the onions, carrots and remaining oil to pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and lamb; bring to a boil. , Remove from the heat. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender., With a slotted spoon, remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl; set aside and keep warm. Pour pan juices into another bowl; set aside. , In the Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the parsley, chives, thyme, and meat and vegetables; heat through.

Steps:

• Season lamb shoulder chops with salt and black pepper.
• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Working in batches, cook lamb shoulder chops until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a stock pot.
• Cook and stir onion with a pinch of salt in the same skillet over medium heat until slightly softened and edges are browning, about 5 minutes. Stir butter into onion until melted; add flour and stir until onions are coated, about 1 minute.
• Pour stock into onion mixture; bring to a boil, add rosemary, and stir until mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Stir carrots and celery into pot with lamb shoulder chops and pour chicken stock mixture over the top. Add water as needed to cover meat completely. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and cook until meat is almost falling off the bone, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer meat to a plate. Stir potatoes into stew and return meat to stew, placing on top of vegetables. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender and meat is falling off the bone, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer meat to a plate using a slotted spoon. Bring stew to a boil and cook, skimming off fat, until stew is reduced and thick, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove meat from bones; discard bones and any pieces of fat. Stir meat back into stew. Stir green onions into stew and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a large saucepan, brown beef in oil; drain. Stir in the cider, water, vinegar and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. , Add the carrots, celery, potato and onion; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Steps:

• Marinate lamb in 1/4 cup port wine for 1/2 hour at room temperature or overnight in refrigerator. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in dutch oven or stew pot, add lamb chunks and sauté on medium high until browned - make sure each piece of lamb is separated to ensure browning - do not overcrowd. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Remove lamb from pot and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to pot and add onion and celery. Turn heat to low and cook 10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the rest of the port wine, cider, stock, tomato paste and herbs. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the lamb. Cover and bake in oven at 300 for 2 hours. Remove from oven and add carrots and potatoes. Return to oven and bake for 45 minutes. Stir in peas and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 1/2 hour before serving. Notes: use fresh herbs if available and increase to 1 Tbsp each thyme and rosemary, but feel free to use less if you want a subtler flavor. Parsnips also go wonderfully in this dish and you can substitute parsnips for half of the carrots. This is also a "make ahead" dish, since it improves if made the day before and refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently in a 300 degree oven. I served this with mead as a beverage and it was a great combination. Mead is available at most well stocked liquor stores.