Lamb stew

This is a recipe that I’ve adapted for the slow cooker. It makes a Ton of Stew (yes, that’s a precise technical measurement) — easily enough for 6-8 hungry people at one meal, or 2 people for several days worth of meals.

Ingredients
• 4-6 cups lamb stock (I use the 1.5 oz. package of Glace d’Agneau Gold in 4-6 cups of boiling water. If you can’t find this at your local store, I recommend veal stock or a mix of beef and vegetable stock. But the lamb stock really rocks the recipe.)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2-2½ lbs. lean lamb stew meat, cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 lb. baby carrots
• 3/4 lb. diced turnips
• 3/4 lb. diced potatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 oz. pearl onions, peeled
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup frozen petite or regular green peas

1. Reconstitute the lamb stock in hot water, or pour whatever stock you’re using into a bowl. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Set aside.
2. Heat a small amount of oil in a large heavy saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the meat in small batches so it doesn’t steam. Brown the meat (it should be brown on at least one or two sides, but it doesn’t have to be thoroughly browned). Remove the meat to a bowl as it is browned.
3. When all the meat is browned, add the onion to the pan and cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add the garlic. Return the lamb to the pan. Sprinkle the flour evenly over everything and turn to coat everything well. Cook for a few minutes until flour is absorbed (no white lumps!)
4. Put the lamb/onion mixture into the slow cooker. Add the stock/tomato paste, baby carrots, turnips, potatoes, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours.
5. Melt the butter in the saute pan/skillet. Add the pearl onions and saute until lightly browned. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar to carmelize the onions: boil to reduce until the carmelized liquid is thick and coats the onions. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate the onions and any leftover coating.
6. Stir the pearl onions and frozen peas into the stew 30 – 60 minutes before serving.

Peeling and glazing the pearl onions is the most fiddly part of this process, but well worth it — the carmelized onions finish the stew beautifully. Serve with thick chunks of lovely fresh bread and some really good butter.

Followed by crumble…