Wildflower Farm 


Lamb Stew

2 1/2 lbs. boneless lamb,
    cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed
12 medium yellow onions,
     peeled (1 1/4 lbs.)
8 medium whole mushrooms
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 springs parsley
1 large bay leaf
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 lb. carrots (5 or 6)
1 1/4 lb. small new potatoes (about 8)
chopped parsley
Wipe lamb with damp paper towels.  On waxed paper, combine flour, salt and pepper.  Coat lamb evenly with flour mixture.  Reserve leftover flour.  In hot butter in a 6 quart Dutch oven, brown lamb, a third at a time, along with quartered onion and garlic.

Turn lamb with tongs and lift out as it browns.  Continue until all lamb is browned, adding more butter if needed (takes about 1/2 hour in all).  Add onions, mushrooms and sugar to drippings in Dutch oven.  Cook, covered, 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

Return lamb to Dutch oven; add thyme, parsley and bay leaf.   Toss with drippings to coat evenly.  Stir in 2 cups water and 1 cup wine.   Place a large sheet of waxed paper over top of Dutch oven.  Place lid on top of paper, letting it hang over.  Bring to boiling.

Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 40 minutes.  (To keep from diluting sauce, pour off any liquid collecting on top of paper during cooking.)   Meanwhile, pare carrots; cut each into three pieces.  Scrub potatoes; pare a 1 inch band of skin from center of each potato.

Add carrots and potatoes to lamb; stir to combine.   Bring back to boiling.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 40 minutes or until meat and all of the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.  Remove from heat and skim any fat from the surface.

Combine reserved flour mixture and 1/2 cup red wine; stir into liquid in Dutch oven.  Simmer, covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add a little more wine to thin sauce, if necessary.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.  Serves 8.