SOLSTICE LAMB STEW WITH PORT AND CIDER

SOLSTICE LAMB STEW WITH PORT AND CIDER image

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 lb lean lamb (leg, shoulder or neck) in 1" chunks
3/4 cup port wine
1 large sweet onion in 1/2 inch dice
1 cup celery in 1/2 inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider
3 cups chicken or beef stock
2 Tbsp tomato paste
5 carrots, sliced 1/2 inch on the diagonal
1 lb baby yukon gold potatoes, cut in 1 inch chunks
1 cup sweet peas
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil

Steps:

Marinate lamb in 1/4 cup port wine for 1/2 hour at room temperature or overnight in refrigerator. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in dutch oven or stew pot, add lamb chunks and sauté on medium high until browned - make sure each piece of lamb is separated to ensure browning - do not overcrowd. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Remove lamb from pot and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to pot and add onion and celery. Turn heat to low and cook 10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the rest of the port wine, cider, stock, tomato paste and herbs. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the lamb. Cover and bake in oven at 300 for 2 hours. Remove from oven and add carrots and potatoes. Return to oven and bake for 45 minutes. Stir in peas and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 1/2 hour before serving. Notes: use fresh herbs if available and increase to 1 Tbsp each thyme and rosemary, but feel free to use less if you want a subtler flavor. Parsnips also go wonderfully in this dish and you can substitute parsnips for half of the carrots. This is also a "make ahead" dish, since it improves if made the day before and refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently in a 300 degree oven. I served this with mead as a beverage and it was a great combination. Mead is available at most well stocked liquor stores.