Lamb Stew With Shallots And Chestnuts Recipes

LAMB STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• In a 5Qt dutch oven, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and fat released. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large plate.
• While bacon cooks, season lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat. Cook lamb in 2 batches in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 min per side) then transfer to the plate with bacon.
• Add diced onion and sauté 2 min. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Add sliced mushrooms, bring to simmer then cook uncovered 10 min. Preheat Oven to 325˚F.
• Return bacon and lamb to pot and add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Stir in potatoes and carrots, making sure potatoes are mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a boil then COVER and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hr and 45 min. When done, potatoes and lamb will be very tender.**

LAMB STEW WITH SHALLOTS AND CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• To peel the shallots or baby onions more easily, blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. This loosens their skins. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them and trim the roots.
• Cut the meat into 6 to 8 pieces. Remove any skin, and trim some but not all of the fat.
• In a large saucepan, fry the shallots or onions in the oil over a medium heat, turning them, until they are brown all over. Then lift them out and put in the meat. Turn the pieces to brown them on all sides.
• Add water to barely cover the meat. Bring it to the boil, remove any scum, then add the cinnamon, allspice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender, turning it over and adding a little water so that it does not dry out. Put back the onions and cook for 15 minutes more. Finally, add the chestnuts and cook for 10 minutes more.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH ANCHOVIES AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Two days in advance. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels. Mash the anchovies with two tablespoons olive oil and the oil from their cans into a paste and spread the mixture over the lamb. Cut the garlic into slivers. Make small incisions under the skin of the lamb and insert slivers of garlic into them. Sprinkle the lamb with pepper, wrap in foil and refrigerate.
• A day in advance. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast the bones for 30 minutes or until browned. Add the vegetables and cook for a further 30 minutes. Put the bones and the vegetables in a large stock pot and add two quarts water, the parsley, wine, tomatoes and bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered, for two hours. Strain the stock into a clean container and refrigerate, discarding the vegetables.
• The following day, skim off the fat from the stock and discard. Boil the stock down to one cup. Set aside.
• On the day of the dinner. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the shallots and two tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on a rack on top. Roast for about 15 minutes a pound depending on how well done you like it (it is usually best served pink), about two-and-a-half hours altogether.
• Heat the sauce in a small saucepan. When the lamb is cooked, remove to a heated platter. Remove the shallots with tongs and place them around the lamb. Decorate with sprigs of rosemary.
• Pour off the fat from the roasting juices. Add the cooking juices to the sauce. Bring to boil, correct seasoning and serve separately in a sauce boat.