Traditional Irish stew, Stobhach Gaelach in Gaelic, was made with what was readily available at hand & cheap cuts of meat. Since the Irish raised primarily sheep and
root vegetables, the original stew basically consisted of fatty cuts of lamb, onions & floury potatoes layered with salt & pepper. Potatoes were
the main food crop, prior to the potato famine. The result was a stew that was filling, simple & rustic.
The first time I ever made Irish stew was during my teen years back in Mumbai. I got hold of a recipe from a neighbor who was attending culinary school and I recall using a rather generous quantity of peppercorns in it (all on my own accord of course, the tinkering gene was on the loose again! ) What I do remember most about the meal was it punctuated coughing fits all around the table. Needless to say I didn't attempt the exercise again until many years later.
The 'later' was to be in Sydney as a graduate student constantly tethering towards the exciting world of brokedom. Thanks to the fellow Irish students on the same floor at my housing
college at Uni, who also happened to be foreign students just like myself, we found a favorite lunch pub-grub hangout for when we had the dough which was P.J's on King Street. Any excuse for us to venture into the CBD for a little time away from assignments & deadlines.
One of the guys O'Farty....sorry... O'Flaugherty decided that we should all pool our resources together and fix a traditional Irish dinner, starring Irish stew of course, all on our own. We ingratiated ourselves onto a fellow Aussie student who rented an apartment (with an oven mind you) not far from the Uni and off we went.
O'Flaugherty pulled out his Mum's recipe, heavily embellished the stew with stout and so it was we had our first authentic homemade Irish stew. He also insisted we make traditional Irish Soda Bread to go with but I think the stout must have kicked in by then because the bread that popped out of the oven was so hard, that as we exchanged nervous glances we must all have been thinking the same thing. Namely, how none of us were covered for dental work should our molars decide to give in! Needless to say the stew pot was wiped clean - the bread, not so much.
Since then, I have continued to follow O'Flaugherty's recipe but with some tweaks. I have fused some aspects of traditional boeuf
bourguignon, such as the use of bacon lardons and browning the meat to seal in the juices. I also use
fresh herbs as well as root vegetables such as carrots & parsnips that are not traditional to
the dish. The result I think you will agree is a more updated, haute
cuisine version that is absolutely delicious!
To begin, preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
The main ingredients for the stew are - boneless leg of lamb, parsnips, carrots, onions, leeks, fresh rosemary, fresh parsley, baby red potatoes, thick bacon slices, all purpose flour & beef broth.
Cook's Note - If you want a thick stew then also add 1/3 cup pearl barley , 1 tbs at a time between each layer as is traditionally done in this recipe. In our family we like this stew the way it is so I have omitted the pearl barley.
Prepare the ingredients -
Parsnips - Peel & cut into 1/2" thick circles. Discard the top. If some pieces near the top are very large (like 2" in diameter) then halve
Carrots - Peel & cut into 1/2" thick
circles. Discard the top.
Onion - Peel, discard the skin. Halve, then quarter. Slice into 1/4" thick quarter circle slices.
Leeks - Discard root tip. Halve and slice into 1/4" thick semi-circles. Use only the white & light green parts. Discard the thick dark green portion & leaves.
Garlic - Peel & chop cloves. Set aside.
Parsley - Discard the stalks. Finely chop the leaves and set aside.
Rosemary - Separate the leaves from the stalk and roughly chop with the knife or a herb cutter.
Baby red potatoes - Wash, cut away any 'eyes' or brown spots. Set aside.
Bacon - Cut into 3/4" lengths. Set aside.
Seasonings - Combine 1-1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp black ground pepper in a bowl & set aside.
Lamb - If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest. Return the rest of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.
Cut away the thick skin if attached from the meat & then cut into 1-1/2" cubes.
Sprinkle 2-1/2 tbs all-purpose flour all over the meat and rub will the meat in thoroughly coated with the flour.
Use a heavy bottom pan, dutch oven or as in my case a copper saute pan. Yup, its time for my Mauviel pan again...smiles..
On medium heat, add olive oil and heat for about a minute. Add the bacon and saute for about 5-7 minutes till crispy. Remove from the saute pan and set aside in a clean bowl.
Discard 2 tbs of the fat. Return the remaining fat & pan to the heat.
In a single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over crowd the pan.
Once golden brown, remove the meat & set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.
To the saute pan add 2 tbs olive oil. Add the sliced onions & leeks. Saute for about 2 minutes on medium heat till slightly softened.
Add the carrots & parsnips ans saute for another 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Return the pan to the heat. Add 1 cup of the beef stock and de-glaze the pan by dislodging all the yummy bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan. Remove from heat and place on a trivet, ready to begin layering the stew.
Layering the stew -
To the de-glazed pan juices, add 1/2 the onion-root vegetable mixture (not potatoes)
Sprinkle, 1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley.
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Add 1/2 the lamb.
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley.
Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture. Add 1/2 the potatoes & 1/2 the bacon.
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley. Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Add the remaining onion-root vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley. Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Add the remaining lamb & bacon.
Sprinkle all the remaining herbs & salt-pepper mixture. Add the remaining baby red potatoes.
Pour the beef stock over it all.
With a large spatula or metal spoon, press down on the meat & potatoes so they are more or less covered by the stock.
Very important - Cover with a tight fitting lid.
Place in the oven and bake for 2-1/2 hours straight.
At this point no opening oven door, no peeking, no fussing, no messing around with the stew. Leave it alone. Period.
When you take it our of the oven 2-1/2 hours later, the meat will be fork tender, the vegetables cooked and the aroma of lamb & rosemary will fill the air.
Traditionally, the stew is made the day before so the flavors mature. I have eaten this both ways and it is delicious either way. Make sure you serve it piping hot.
The flavors from the lamb & rosemary is wonderful. There is an explosion of flavors from each bite and the root vegetables are soft having absorb all the wonderful juices from the meat & herbs. Even our kids lapped it up as we served the stew. Serve hot with thick slices of
Irish Soda bread with a generous spread of butter. You'll find the post for excellent Irish Soda bread coming up next.
This is wonderful meal on a cold blustery evening & even better with tall pints of the black stuff!
Recipe for
Stobhach Gaelach, Old Irish Stew, Modern Makeover
Preparation
time - 30 minutes
Baking time - 2-1/2 hours
Serves 4
2-3 lbs boneless leg of lamb (I used Australian)
1 large onion (to get about 1-1/2 cups sliced)
2 leeks
3 thick bacon slices
2-3 tbs all-purpose flour
2 carrots
2 parsnips
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbs olive oil
3-4 sprigs rosemary (enough to get 1 tbs chopped leaves)
6-7 sprigs parsley (enough to get 2 tbs chopped leaves)
1 carton (1 litre) beef stock - 4 cups
1/3 cup pearl barley (optional, for thicker stew)
Preparation-
Parsnips - Peel & cut into
1/2" thick circles. Discard the top. If some pieces near the top are
very large (like 2" in diameter) then halve
Carrots
- Peel & cut into
1/2" thick
circles. Discard the top.
Onion - Peel,
discard the skin. Halve, then quarter. Slice into 1/4" thick quarter
circle slices.
Leeks - Discard root tip. Halve
and slice into 1/4" thick semi-circles. Use only the white & light
green parts. Discard the thick dark green portion & leaves.
Garlic
- Peel & chop cloves. Set aside.
Parsley - Discard the stalks.
Finely chop the leaves and set aside.
Rosemary - Separate the leaves from the stalk and
roughly chop with the knife or a herb cutter.
Baby
red potatoes - Wash, cut away any 'eyes' or brown spots. Set aside.
Bacon
- Cut into 3/4" lengths. Set aside.
Seasonings - Combine
1-1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp black ground pepper in a bowl & set
aside.
Lamb
- If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a
kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest. Return the rest
of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not
refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.
Cut
away the thick skin if attached from the meat & then cut into 1-1/2"
cubes.
Sprinkle all-purpose flour all over the meat and rub will the meat in thoroughly
coated with the flour.
Cooking method -
Preheat
the oven to 350 deg F.
Use
a
heavy bottom pan, casserole or a dutch oven.
On
medium heat, add olive oil and heat for about a minute. Add the bacon
and saute for about 5-7 minutes till crispy. Remove from the saute pan
and set aside in a clean bowl.
Discard
2 tbs of the fat. Return the
remaining fat & pan to the heat.
In
a
single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then
flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes
for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over
crowd the pan.
Once
golden brown, remove the meat &
set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.
To
the
saute pan add 2 tbs olive oil. Add the sliced onions & leeks. Saute
for about 2 minutes on medium heat till slightly softened.
Add
the carrots & parsnips ans saute for another 2 minutes on medium
heat. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Return
the pan to the heat. Add 1 cup of the beef stock and de-glaze the pan
by dislodging all the yummy bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the
pan. Remove from heat and place on a trivet, ready to begin layering the
stew.
Layering
the stew -
Cook's Note - If you want a
thick
stew then also add 1/3 cup pearl barley , 1 tbs at a time between each
layer as is traditionally done in this recipe. In our family we like
this stew the way it is so I have omitted the pearl barley.
Layer 1 : To
the
de-glazed pan juices, add 1/2 the onion-root vegetable mixture (not
potatoes)
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley. Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Layer 2 : Add
1/2 the lamb.
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley. Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Layer 3 : Add 1/2 the potatoes & 1/2 the bacon.
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley. Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Layer 4 : Add
the remaining onion-root
vegetable
mixture.
Sprinkle,
1/2 tsp rosemary & 1/2 tsp parsley. Sprinkle
1/2 tsp salt-pepper mixture.
Layer 5 : Add
the remaining lamb & bacon.
Sprinkle
all the remaining herbs & salt-pepper mixture.
Layer 6 : Add the remaining
baby red potatoes.
Pour
the beef stock over it all.
With
a
large spatula or metal spoon, press down on the meat & potatoes so
they are more or less covered by the stock.
Very
important - Cover with a tight fitting lid.
Baking -
Place
in the oven and bake for 2-1/2 hours straight.
At
this point no opening oven door, no peeking or touching the stew. Leave it
alone.
When
you take it our of the oven 2-1/2
hours later, the meat will be fork tender, the vegetables cooked and the
aroma of lamb & rosemary will fill the air.
Traditionally, the
stew is made the day before so the flavors mature. I have eaten this
both ways and it is delicious either way. Make sure you serve it piping
hot.
Enjoy with warm Irish Soda Bread.
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