Irish stew

There are many recipes for irish stew on the Internet, but not a single one that comes close to the stew my mum makes. This is her recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lamb on the bone (shoulder works great)
• 1 large yellow or white onion
• 4 carrots
• 4 parsnips
• 5 potatoes
• bunch parsley
• salt and black pepper

Steps

1. First, you’ll need to cook the lamb to create broth. To do this, place the lamb in a pot and cover it with water. Bring it to a boil and let it stew for 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily comes off the bone.

2. Once the lamb is cooked, remove the pot from heat and let it cool (usually overnight). The lamb’s fat will rise to the surface of the broth. Skim this off or remove it to ensure the broth is not overly fatty. You may want to use a fatty cut of lamb initially to infuse the broth with maximum flavor.

3. When the broth has cooled, remove the lamb from the pot, set it aside for later, and bring the broth back to a boil.

4. Dice the onion. Chop the carrots, and parsnips into bite-sized pieces. Add these into the boiling broth. Season the broth liberally with coarsely ground pepper and a pinch of salt to taste. Allow these vegetables to simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

5. Cut the potatoes into large chunks. Add them into the pot once the other vegetables have begun to soften. This will prevent the potatoes from disintegrating entirely in the stew.

6. Continue to cook the stew until all vegetables are fairly soft. Meanwhile, remove the meat from the lamb bone and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add these pieces back into the stew.

7. About 5 minutes before you’re ready to serve the stew, add the chopped fresh parsley for a burst of fresh flavor.

Serving

My mum’s Irish stew is fantastic when served with a hearty slice of wheaten bread. Enjoy this cozy, comforting dish on a chilly evening.