Lamb Stew Recipe

by The Best Recipes in the World

I find myself cooking lamb more lately as the taste of lamb is divine in this part of the Mediterranean- I’ve just moved here.

Here is a beautiful lamb stew recipe made with mushrooms, lamb shoulder, shiitake and button mushrooms, garlic, red wine, thyme, parsley and more.. Really yummy!


Lamb Stew Recipe- with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch cubes, or 3 to 4 pounds bone-in shoulder or neck, cut into roughly 2-inch chunks

• ½ ounce dried porcini

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• ½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded or reserved for stock, caps sliced

• ½ pound button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

• 3 or 4 fresh thyme sprigs

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 cup red wine or stock, preferably home made

• Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


Preparation:

• Soak the porcini in hot water to cover. Put the olive oil in a large deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid and place over medium-high heat.

• Add the lamb chunks a few at a time, removing them as they brown and seasoning with salt and pepper as they cook. When they are all nicely browned— this will take 15 minutes or so— pour or spoon off the excess fat, then add the shiitakes, button mushrooms, drained porcini (reserve the soaking liquid), and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes, then add the garlic.

• Two or three minutes later, add the wine, about ½ cup of the porcini liquid, and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, return the lamb to the pan, turn the heat to low, and cover. Cook at a steady simmer, checking and stirring occasionally, until the lamb is tender, about an hour (or 90 minutes atmost). (You can prepare the dish to this point and let sit for a few hours or cover and refrigerate for up to a day before reheating and proceeding.)

• Remove the cover; if the mixture is soupy, raise the heat a bit and cook until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve.


If you’d like to make your lamb stew with olives, as the lamb draws close to tenderness, add ½ pound good-quality black or green olives, or a mixture- pitted or not, your choice, and finish the cooking with them in the pot.