Best Navajo Lamb Stew With Cornmeal Dumplings Recipes

Navajo lamb stew image

Provided by The Hairy Bikers

Yield Serves 4-6

Number Of Ingredients 21

2 tbsp oil or lard
1kg/2lb 4oz lamb or mutton neck fillet, cut into chunks
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp tomato purée
3 celery sticks, trimmed and cut into large chunks
4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ pointed or hispi cabbage, cut into wedges or chunks
250g tin sweetcorn or hominy, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
finely chopped celery leaves, to garnish
125g/4½oz medium fine cornmeal or polenta
125g/4½oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried thyme or oregano (optional)
50g/1¾oz butter, chilled and diced
125ml/4fl oz milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large casserole over a high heat. Season the meat with plenty of salt and pepper, then add the lamb to the casserole and sear on all sides until it has developed a rich brown crust. You will probably need to do this in two batches. Remove from the casserole and add the onion. Fry until lightly browned, then stir in the garlic, coriander seeds, thyme and tomato purée. Continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, and then pour in 1 litre/1¾ pint water.
Return the lamb to the casserole and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 1 hour. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes and cabbage, cover and cook for another hour.
While the vegetables are cooking, make the dumplings. Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and thyme, if using, in a bowl and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the butter and rub it in until you have a mixture resembling fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the milk and work until you have a dough. Divide the dough into six dumplings.
Add the sweetcorn to the casserole and push down into the liquid. Place the dumplings on top, cover and cook for around 20 minutes, until the dumplings are well risen and cooked through.

Navajo Stew image

Yield serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 red or green bell peppers
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 15-ounce can of tomatoes
1 tablespoon canned chipotles in adobo sauce (see page 286)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can of butter beans or black beans, drained
Flatbread (tortillas, lavash, or pita)
Plain yogurt, sour cream, or Cilantro Yogurt Sauce (page 232)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Stem and seed the peppers and cut into 1-inch pieces. Peel the onion and cut it stem end to root end into thin wedges. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the garlic, oil, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Stir and continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy.
While the vegetables roast, purée the tomatoes, chipotles, and cilantro in a blender until smooth. Set aside. When the vegetables are tender, put them into a 2- to 3-quart baking dish, stir in the tomato-cilantro sauce and the beans, and return to the oven until hot, about 10 minutes.
A few minutes before serving, warm the bread in the oven. Serve the stew in bowls topped with yogurt or sour cream, with warm flatbread on the side.
Ingredient Notes
You can substitute 1 tablespoon of Cumin Salt (page 241) for the cumin and salt in the recipe. You may need to add more salt to taste.
Serving & menu ideas
This is a filling stew, but Corn on the Cob (page 188) makes a wonderful side dish, and if you've still got room for dessert, consider Warm Plums with Mascarpone (page 262).