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Category: Entrée
Title: Harvest Lamb Stew
Ingredients
1 lb. lamb (preferably loin), cut into ½ to ¾ inch cubes
2 T canola oil
2 c beef broth (preferably homemade; or Pacific Foods makes a nice alternative)
1 c Chinook Yakima Valley Red, a blend of cabernet Franc and Lemberger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried marjoram, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 T butter
1½ c sliced carrots
1½ c celery cut into ½ inch slices
½ - ¾ c onion, chopped finely
2 c peeled potatoes cut into ½ cubes
½ lb. chanterelle mushrooms, brushed and quartered
½ c sour cream
3 T all-purpose flour (you may substitute a GF blend of 1 ½ T Tapioca Starch and 1 ½ T Potato Starch and a pinch of Xanthan Gum)
2 T Marsala or Dry Amontillado Sherry
Dried thyme (optional)
Half & half (optional)
Directions
- In a large saucepan brown meat 1/3-1/2 lb. at a time in the hot oil, so as to brown, but not steam the lamb. Drain fat; return all meat to pan.
- Add beef broth, wine, garlic, marjoram, bay leaf, pinch of sea salt and a pinch of cracked black pepper.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cover for 20 minutes or until almost tender.
- Add butter to sauté pan over medium-low heat.*
- Once melted, add carrots, celery and onion (mirepoix) and stir often.
- When the mirepoix is ready (about the same time as the initial stew simmer) stir it into the stew base along with the mushrooms and potatoes.
- Return to a low boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until tender.
- Discard bay leaf.
- Whisk sour cream and flour. Whisk ½ cup of the hot stew base into the sour cream mixture.
Return to pan; cook and stir until bubbly.
- Add salt, crushed thyme and up to 2 T. Marsala or Amontillado Sherry to taste, and half & half to adjust the creaminess. Cook and stir 1 minute.
* The goal of mirepoix is to meld the flavors of the three ingredients, thus your heat is essential. Too cool and you’ll just poach the vegetables; too hot and you’ll caramelize them. A heavier pan can help moderate the temperature.
Makes 4 main dish serving. Pairs well with Chinook’s Cabernet Franc and a loaf of crusty, fresh-baked bread.
Recipe provided by Chinook Wines in Prosser, Washington.
