A stew is one of those dishes where minimal effort is required for a delicious, hearty meal. And this classic lamb rib stew is no different.
The first step to perfecting this stew recipe is to sear the lamb. When searing meat, the natural sugars on the outside caramelizes as the proteins browns. As a result, a rich brown crust starts to form on the surface. And this crust amplifies the flavour of the meat.
The searing technique is a great way to prep the lamb before slow-cooking it with the rest of the stew ingredients. The reason being is because the searing speeds up the cooking time to the rest of the stew.
Chef’s tip
If you really want to get as much caramelisation out of the surface of the lamb, pat the meat dry before popping it into the pan. This will remove any moisture on the outside of the lamb, thus not interfering with the searing process.
Flavour and spice, and everything nice
The last thing anyone wants is a bland stew. But don’t worry, with this recipe that will be your last problem. The flavour of the dish is rich and fragrant as it is curry based. Combined with garlic, leeks, parsley, and the fresh zestiness of lemon, all flavours blend together perfectly. And as the lamb and potatoes cook in the mixture, they will get infused with all the flavours, creating a rich and hearty stew to be enjoyed.
Ingredients
- 20 ml oil
- 1.2 kg lamb ribs, cut into pieces
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Juice and zest of a lemon
- 100 g leeks, coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
- 15 ml moderate curry powder
- a handful of parsley, coarsely chopped
- 400 ml vegetable or meat stock (Good quality)
- 30 ml dry sherry
- 200 g 4 large potatoes, peeled or more small potatoes, 200g
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and sear the lamb ribs over high heat until golden brown. Season with salt, pepper, juice, and zest of lemon. Spoon the meat out of the saucepan and set it aside.
- Sauté the leeks and garlic in the same saucepan for a few minutes.
- Stir in the curry powder and fry until fragrant.
- Spoon the meat back, followed by the parsley, stock, and sherry. Bring the stew to a boil and season to taste. Slice the potatoes and arrange them in the stew.
- Simmer for about 40 minutes or until cooked through and tender. The longer and slower you cook them, the more tender they become.
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