Chinese-Irish Lamb Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

Sun, 29 November 2020

Chinese-Irish Lamb Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

 

The Chinese eat lamb in the Winter, as opposed to Westerners who tend to favor the meat in the Spring.  This recipe is a combination of Chinese and Western techniques.  This dish tastes best the day after, when the flavors have had a chance to mingle.

 

Ingredients:

1 kilo lamb shoulder on the bone

salt

pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

4 scallions

3 cloves garlic

3 slices of ginger

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

one glass white wine

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

generous grinding of fresh black pepper

 

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm slices and rinsed of starch

200g Haricot verts

250ml Chicken stock

 

Method

1. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, combine cold olive oil with scallions, garlic, ginger, star anise and cinnamon stick and a pinch of salt and let the olive oil come to a simmer.
2. Brown the lamb well on all sides (take your time with this; 6-8 minutes minimum, you want a nice caramel colored scorch on your meat). 
3. Add wine, soy sauce, honey, more black pepper, and just enough water to come up halfway to the lamb, and cover.
4. Bake at 180 for three hours until the meat is falling off the bone. This can be done a day ahead.
5. Taste the lamb for seasoning and adjust. Add potatoes, haricot verts, and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. 
6. Return the casserole to the oven and cook for another 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes and green beans are tender.