LAMB AND BEAN STEW

Lamb and Bean Stew image

Provided by Trish Hall

Categories dinner, soups and stews, main course

Time 2h30m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 pound dried lima beans
1 medium-size onion, peeled and left whole
2 smoked pork hocks, about 1 pound
10 cups water
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 1/2 pounds breast of lamb, cut into 2-by-1-inch cubes
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped (2 teaspoons)
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
1 pound kielbasa
1 slice white bread
4 tablespoons chopped parsley

Steps:

Put lima beans, whole onion and pork hocks in a pot with 8 cups water. Cook 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, put oil into a hot pan and brown lamb over high heat on both sides, about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper lightly. Pour off fat. Add chopped onion and garlic and scrape pieces from bottom of pan. Add remaining 2 cups water, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme, and bring to boil. Adjust salt and pepper.
Remove pork hocks from beans and add to lamb mixture. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Cut kielbasa into 16 slices. Add 8 pieces to lamb mixture and reserve the rest.
Chop cooked whole onion and add it, together with lima beans (drained slightly), to lamb.
Remove pork hocks from pan and cut into small pieces, including skin. Add back to pan. Discard bones. Simmer 15 minutes
Preheat broiler to high.
Push bread through a strainer, or put in a food processor, to make crumbs.
Transfer cassoulet to an oven-proof pot. Remove bay leaf. Top with bread crumbs and place remaining kielbasa over the top. Place casserole about 9 inches from broiler and cook until bread crumbs are browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, top with chopped parsley and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 661, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 47 grams, Fat 34 grams, Fiber 13 grams, Protein 42 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 1406 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams