Cooking Recipe Pipestone Lamb Stew
Recipe Ingredients
GARNISH
Directions
*Strip leaves from the thyme sprigs, to equal abt. 2 tb. of fresh
thyme.
**Cut carrots diagonally into 1/2" thick slices.
***Cut celery ribs diagonally into 1/2" thick slices.
Tie bay leaves, thyme and allspice berries together in a piece of
cheesecloth; set aside.
Brown lamb on all sides in a large (at least 8 qt.) heavy stockpot
over medium-high heat, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and
cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to turn translucent, 3
to 4 minutes.
Add the cheesecloth bundle, wine, horseradish, Worcestershire and all
the vegetables to the meat, crushing the tomatoes with your hands or
a wooden spoon. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a
boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until potatoes are
tender and lamb is falling from the bone, about 3 hours. (You can
also transfer the stew to a preheated 350 F. oven and cook it there
for the same amount of time.)
Remove cover and continue cooking the stew until it has thickened
somewhat but is still soupy, an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove
the cheesecloth bundle and season to taste, adding more horseradish
if you like. Mince parsley; sprinkle over stew. Serve immediately.
Note: This is a good dish to prepare a day ahead. Remove the
cheesecloth bundle and refrigerate the stew overnight. The next day,
skim any fat that has solidified on the surface and reheat the stew.
Season to taste, adding more horseradish if you like. Garnish with
parsley and serve.
Loomis writes: "This recipe comes from Ann Olson, whose husband,
Sherman, raises sheep - and the grains they eat - on their farm in
Danvers, Minnesota. Ann makes a variety of lamb dishes throughout
the year, and this is one of her favorites. ('Pipestone' is the name
of a town in southern Minnesota, the home of a school where
youngsters learn to raise sheep. This stew, which has evolved over
the years, is made there.)
"Horseradish is a curious seasoning for lamb, but it adds a pleasant
bite...Lamb stew meat is often neck meat, which is some of the most
flavorful on the animal. If you do use neck meat, consider removing
the considerable amount of bone before serving the stew."
From _Farm House Cookbook_ by Susan Herrmann Loomis. New York: Workman
Publishing Company, Inc., 1991. Pp. 135-136. ISBN 0-89480-772-2.