Winter is a time to eat your favourite hearty dishes such as stew, but you do not need a long list of ingredients or a complicated recipe is make an incredible home-cooked dish.
Mary Berry’s one-pot Irish strew is not only delicious but easy to make as it only takes around 10 minutes to prepare before you leave it to cook for a couple of hours.
In her ‘Classic’ cookbook, Mary said: “Full of flavour and one of the original one-pot dishes. I like to use the neck fillet, rather than the scrag end and middle neck joints on the bone, which is traditional.
“I also like to thicken the stock a little by tossing the meat in seasoned flour. Really tender, melt-in-the-mouth lamb, with flavoursome gravy and vegetables topped with tender potatoes.”
This tasty stew is the perfect recipe to make for large gatherings for anyone having family over in December as it is guaranteed to be loved by both adults and children alike.
Method
To begin, preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan or Gas Mark 4)
Mix the flour with salt and pepper then coat the lamb slices in the flour.
Place an ovenproof casserole dish with a lid on the stove and heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb and cook on a high heat for four to six minutes until the meat is golden.
Cook the lamb in batches and add more oil if necessary. Once the lamb is cooked remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to rest.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add your carrots, celery and onions. Cook on a medium heat for four to five minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme and browned lamb to the dish then pour over the stock.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and arrange the potatoes on top. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper as you layer them and press down on them so the stew liquid covers them.
Cover the casserole dish with the lid and carefully place it in the oven. Leave it to for an hour and a half to two hours until everything has tenderised.
Once the time has passed, take the lid off the casserole dish and increase the temperature of the oven to 200C (180C for fan or Gas Mark 6)
Cook the stew for eight to 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown.
Once ready, take the stew out of the oven and leave to rest for five minutes. Remove the bay leaves and your mouthwatering Irish stew is ready to serve.
