Springtime Lamb Stew
Stewing in a pressure cooker can turn unpredictable meats into tender forkfuls of deliciousness.
Springtime Lamb Stew
2016-01-25 17:49:10
Serves 4
A typical Irish lamb stew would involve potatoes and dill, perhaps some carrots, likely some onions and garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt. This version replaces the typical aromatics with leeks to spectacular effect (think silkier, sweeter, and softer flavors). It also makes use of a pressure cooker. Don't underestimate this technique: a foolproof method that tenderizes like a long braise or stew, concentrates flavors, but doesn't risk scorching, over-reducing the liquid, and takes a fraction of the typical cooking time. Note: these directions are for an electric pressure cooker; a stovetop cooker requires slightly less cooking time.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds boneless lamb stew (shoulder) meat; cut into 2" chunks
- Salt and freshly ground pepper; to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil*
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 leek, cleaned, white portion halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/8" semicircles
- 1 cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 bouquet garni**
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and halved, skins on***
- 2 large carrots
- 1 cup fresh shelled or frozen peas (thawed)****
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
Instructions
- Pat lamb dry; season lightly with salt and pepper. In pressure cooker pot on saute/brown mode (or over medium heat for stovetop cookers), working in batches, brown meat in oil; transfer to plate. Add butter and leeks to pot; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bouquet garni; return meat and juice to pot.
- Lock lid into place; cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Let steam release naturally. When pressure valve drops, remove lid, tilting it away from your face. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into quarters. Peel carrots; cut into 2" chunks.
- After removing lid, discard bouquet garni. Put potatoes in pot; scatter carrots on top. Season lightly with salt (do not stir). Lock lid into place; cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release steam. When pressure valve drops, remove lid.
- Stir peas, vinegar and dill into pot. Briefly set cooker to brown/saute mode again (electric) or place stovetop pot over medium heat; simmer until peas are heated through, 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- *My favorite oil for this recipe is a fresh, springy, almost bitter young olive oil - except that the smoke point is low enough to risk a hazy kitchen during the meat's browning. Avocado oil is my second choice: very light in flavor but a lovely high smoke point. Bonus: a great monounsaturated, "healthy" fat! Any oil can work here if you're careful with the heat level (use a pan on the stove instead of the saute function of the cooker if you use an oil with a very low smoke point).
- **If you don't have the herbs/string/cheesecloth setup to make a proper bouquet garni (I usually don't), toss in a half tsp dried parsley, thyme, and rosemary into the cooker at this step.
- ***My family isn't as enamored of potatoes as I am. Often we omit the potatoes entirely, and instead serve the dish with farro, barley pilaf, or with a lovely crusty bread with butter and cheese.
- ****Some varieties of peas are incredibly tender when young and need no cooking at all to be delicious; others are very firm and benefit from at least a blanching before adding to this recipe. If shelling your own peapods, taste test a few and see if you need to precook them a bit before adding to the recipe.
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