Lamb Stifado Red Wine Stew With Pearl Onions Recipes

LAMB AND RED WINE STEW

Steps:

• Place a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat another 30 seconds. Dry the lamb meat well and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Place the meat in the pot and leave undisturbed for about 4 minutes. When the first side is deeply browned, use tongs to flip the meat. Continue to brown the meat for about 4 minutes on each side until the pieces are evenly browned on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a plate. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and onions. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Deglaze with the red wine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often to reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, thyme, bay leaf and reserved meat. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Stir in the olives. Partially cover the pot, leaving a small opening, and simmer until the meat is completely tender, about 30 minutes more. Stir in the parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to sop up the juices.

LAMB STIFADO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil (2 tbsp) in a large, heavy-based pot. Fry sliced brown onion (1 large) and baby onions (12) until starting to soften, then remove to a plate.
• Fry lamb shoulder (1.5kg cut into 4-5cm/2" pieces) in batches until browned then add to the plate with the onions. When the last of the lamb is finished browning, add reserved lamb and onions back to the pot.
• Add garlic cloves (4 - crushed) and fry for 30 seconds.
• Then add in tomato paste (2 tbsp), ground cumin (2 tsp), fresh rosemary (1 tsp - finely chopped), ground cloves (¼ tsp), and cinnamon (a pinch) then fry for a further minute.
• Add red wine vinegar (1 tbsp) and dry red wine (375ml) to the pot and simmer to reduce by about a third.
• Add tinned cherry tomatoes (1 x 400ml tin - tomatoes broken up slightly), beef stock (375ml), and fine salt (1 tsp) then simmer with the lid on but slightly ajar (see my notes) for 1½ hours or until lamb is tender. Add more cinnamon or salt as required then serve.

LAMB SHANK STIFADO WITH SAUTEED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a 9-quart heavy ovenproof kettle cook sugar on top of stove over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook sugar, stirring with a fork until melted and cook without stirring, swirling kettle, until a deep golden caramel. Add vinegar and stir until caramel is dissolved. Stir in tomatoes with juice, wine, rosemary, cinnamon, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add lamb shanks and braise, covered, in middle of oven until tender, about 2 hours. Braised lamb shanks improve in flavor if made 1 day ahead. Cool mixture, uncovered, and chill, covered. Skim and discard fat from mixture and reheat on top of stove before proceeding.
• In a saucepan of boiling water blanch onions 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain. Cool onions and peel.
• Quarter potatoes and in a steamer set over simmering water steam potatoes, covered, 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender. In a large non-stick skillet cook garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden. Add potatoes with salt and pepper to taste and sauté mixture over moderately high heat 5 minutes, or until potatoes are golden.
• Transfer meat with a slotted spoon to a platter. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Add onions to sauce and boil until sauce is thickened slightly. Spoon sauce and onions over meat and surround with potatoes.