vLamb stew is made with lamb pieces on the bone. I have substituted lamb on the bone with lamb shoulder cubes. Now what would a fusion stew be if I didn’t take a bit of this and a bit of that and voila, you have a fusion dish. Taking from the French method, I add a cup of dry white wine. I also use chicken stock instead of water as we would in Fiji but that’s because I always have homemade chicken in my freezer. I also replace the carrot pieces with Dutch carrots like Lamb Navarin would. In Fiji, some add tomatoes and I have replaced that with tomato paste because it’s easier and gives a much deeper flavour and is enhanced by the addition of thyme, my favourite herb. The Fijian recipe traditionally drenches pieces of lamb in flour and then browns the meat but I prefer to make a roux then add browned meat to the gravy.
Anyhoo, now is the perfect time to try this recipe. It has all the elements of a wintry Sunday dinner.
I would love to hear from you so please write and tell me what your family thought of this dish.
Lamb stew
Ingredients
- 1 Kg diced lamb shoulders, fat trimmed
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 2 Tbs plain flour
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 8 baby potatoes
- 1 bunches baby carrots, ends trimmed, peeled
- 300 g green beans, top and tailed
- 11⁄2 cups frozen green peas
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat
- Add a half of the lamb and brown for 3-4 minutes. Once lamb is sealed, transfer toa plate. Repeat with the remaining lamb.
- Add garlic and saute for a minute. Next add tomato paste and stir in with the garlic for 30s and then add flour to make a roux, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Next whisk in the wine, stirring constantly, to avoid an lumps. Then add the stock / water and keep whisking to form a sauce. (If there are any lumps, just use a handheld beater to form a smooth sauce)
- Bring to the boil over high heat. Return lamb to pan and add in thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour
- Add the potatoes to the lamb mixture and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Next add the carrots and beans and cook uncovered for a further 5mins. Finally add the peas and cook everything together for a further 5mins.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Servecassava chips, taro chips, mash potato or crusty bread, as desired