A hearty Irish stew — seared lamb and root vegetables slow-braised with wheat berries, white wine and herbs. Deeply savoury, rustic and warming.
- 300g soaked overnight in water Whole Wheat
- 2kg cut into 3cm cubes Lamb Loin Chops
- 120ml Olive Oil
- 24 Skinned Shallots
- 4 large Carrots
- 2 Turnips
- 1 Celeriac
- 350g Charlotte Potatoes
- 150ml White Wine
- 1 tsp Caster Sugar
- 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 4 sprigs Oregano
- 450ml Chicken Stock
Tags:
Stew MeatVideo
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Drain and rinse the soaked wheat, put it in a medium pan with lots of water, bring to the boil, and simmer for an hour until cooked, then drain and set aside.
- Season the lamb with a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, deep lidded sauté pan over medium-high heat, sear the lamb in batches (don't overcrowd) for four minutes on all sides, then transfer to a bowl, adding oil as needed.
- Lower the heat to medium, add a tablespoon of oil, and fry the shallots for four minutes until caramelised, then add to the lamb bowl. Repeat with the remaining vegetables until all are nicely browned, adding more oil as needed.
- Once all the vegetables are seared and removed, add the wine with the sugar, herbs, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and boil hard for about three minutes.
- Return the lamb, vegetables and wheat to the pot, add the stock, cover, and boil for five minutes, then transfer to the oven for an hour and a half.
- Check the liquid — if there's a lot, remove the lid and boil for a few minutes to reduce.
