Everyone’s a bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so why not celebrate this fun-filled holiday by using everything you’ve learned in culinary school to make a traditional Irish stew, courtesy of the BBC?
Perfect for these last few weeks of winter, this delicious and hearty comfort food is great for those who can learn cooking online:
Meat and Vegetables:
2 onions, sliced
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
chopped fresh chives and parsley for garnish
1 ½ pound diced red potatoes, peeled
1 ½ pound diced Yukon potatoes, peeled
4 cups diced carrots, chopped
3 middle necks or 4 pounds of lamb, filleted and boned (lamb is more traditional, but beef will work too – just make sure to keep the bones)
For the Stock:
1 celery stick, quartered
1 carrot, quartered
1 onion, quartered
lamb (or beef) bones
6 black peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 spring parsley
Preparation:
- Place lamb bones in heavy saucepan with carrot, onion, herbs, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour in 5 ¼ pints water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two hours.
- Strain in a fine sieve. Boil until reduced to about 2 ¼ pints.
- Cut the meat and potatoes into chunks, separating the two types of potatoes. Place meat into clean saucepan and add freshly-made stock. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add red potatoes, carrots and onions. Season and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add Yukon potatoes and thyme. Simmer until lamb is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Take off of heat, cover, and leave for 15 minutes. Serve with garnish.
