2 Bay leaves
1 lg Bunch fresh thyme sprigs* or
1 ts Dried thyme
4 Allspice berries
4 lb Lamb stew meat with bones
-- trimmed
2 md Onions; peeled and halved
-- cut in 1/4" thick slices
6 lg Garlic cloves; peeled
-- coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c Dry white wine
1/4 c Prepared horseradish
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
28 oz Can plum tomatoes
3 md Carrots; peeled**
8 oz Button mushrooms
-- stems trimmed
-- caps coarsely chopped
3 lg Celery ribs; trimmed***
2 md Waxy potatoes
-- peeled and quartered
2 md Russet potatoes; peeled
-- cut in eighths
Salt and pepper; to taste
--------------------------GARNISH--------------------------
1 sm Bunch Italian parsley
-- (opt'l.)
*Strip leaves from the thyme sprigs, to equal abt. 2
tb. of fresh thyme.
**Cut carrots diagonally into 1/2" thick slices.
***Cut celery ribs diagonally into 1/2" thick slices.
Tie bay leaves, thyme and allspice berries together in
a piece of cheesecloth; set aside.
Brown lamb on all sides in a large (at least 8 qt.)
heavy stockpot over medium-high heat, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring
frequently, until onions begin to turn translucent, 3
to 4 minutes.
Add the cheesecloth bundle, wine, horseradish,
Worcestershire and all the vegetables to the meat,
crushing the tomatoes with your hands or a wooden
spoon. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring
to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook
until potatoes are tender and lamb is falling from the
bone, about 3 hours. (You can also transfer the stew
to a preheated 350 F. oven and cook it there for the
same amount of time.)
Remove cover and continue cooking the stew until it
has thickened somewhat but is still soupy, an
additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the cheesecloth
bundle and season to taste, adding more horseradish if
you like. Mince parsley; sprinkle over stew. Serve
immediately.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings. St. Francis Merlot 1987 goes
well with this.
Note: This is a good dish to prepare a day ahead.
Remove the cheesecloth bundle and refrigerate the stew
overnight. The next day, skim any fat that has
solidified on the surface and reheat the stew. Season
to taste, adding more horseradish if you like.
Garnish with parsley and serve.
Loomis writes: "This recipe comes from Ann Olson,
whose husband, Sherman, raises sheep - and the grains
they eat - on their farm in Danvers, Minnesota. Ann
makes a variety of lamb dishes throughout the year,
and this is one of her favorites. ('Pipestone' is the
name of a town in southern Minnesota, the home of a
school where youngsters learn to raise sheep. This
stew, which has evolved over the years, is made there.)
"Horseradish is a curious seasoning for lamb, but it
adds a pleasant bite...Lamb stew meat is often neck
meat, which is some of the most flavorful on the
animal. If you do use neck meat, consider removing
the considerable amount of bone before serving the
stew."
From _Farm House Cookbook_ by Susan Herrmann Loomis.
New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 1991. Pp.
135-136. ISBN 0-89480-772-2.
