Lamb Stew With Cider And Root Vegetables
serves 4-6
This hearty stew provides an intoxicating dose of autumn in a bowl. Just about any cut of stewing lamb works here, slowly simmered in hard apple cider and vegetable stock with an assortment of root vegetables added later for color.
3 carrots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 pounds lamb shank, cut across the bone into 3-inch sections
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons canola oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
2 cups hard apple cider
1 cup vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 parsnips, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
1 rutabaga, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
12 pearl onions, peeled
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
prep: 10 minutes
total: 3 hours 10 minutes
food processor
paper towels
Dutch oven
tongs
baking sheet
parchment paper
1. Pulse one of the carrots, the yellow onion, celery and garlic in the food processor until finely chopped (do not purée).
2. Toss the lamb shanks with a liberal amount of salt and then dredge in the flour. Shake off the excess.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the bacon and cook until crispy and all of its fat is rendered. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel to drain. Brown the lamb shanks in the oil and bacon fat mixture and then remove them to a plate.
4. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the Dutch oven, and add the minced vegetable mixture. Stir to break up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
5. Stir in the hard apple cider and contine to scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven. Put the lamb shanks back into the pan, cover and bring to a boil before reducing the heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 2 hours.
6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Prep the remaining root vegetables by cutting them into equally sized pieces so that they cook evenly. Toss the parsnips, turnips, rutabaga and remaining carrot with the remaining canola oil and the sugar and put onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes until slightly browned and soft.
7. When the lamb has started to pull away from the bone, add the root vegetable mixture and the pearl onions to the Dutch oven. Cook for 1 hour more, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
