Irish Lamb & Barley Stew Recipe

Ingredients

1 onion
3 carrots
2 celery sticks
45g butter
2 tsp olive oil
250g diced lamb leg
1 large potato
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
75g pearl barley
1 chicken stock cube
1 ltr hot water
1 bouquet garni
A hanful of flat leaf parsley

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Method

1. Fill your kettle and boil it. Peel and finely chop the onion. Trim and peel the carrots, then slice them into 1-2cm thick chunks. Trim the dry ends off the celery, then thickly slice it into 1cm-thick chunks.

2. Place a large pan or casserole dish on a medium heat to warm for 2 mins, then add half the butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Add the diced lamb and fry for 4-5 mins, turning once or twice, till the pieces are browned all over.

3. While the lamb fries, peel the potato and chop it into bite-sized chunks.

4. Scoop the browned lamb out of the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the remaining butter and 1 tsp olive oil to the pan. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring often, for 5-6 mins till the veg have started to soften and brown.

5. Return the lamb to the pan with any juices from the plate. Add the chopped potato and the pearl barley. Crumble in the chicken stock cube and add the bouquet garni (if you have kitchen string, you can tie the herbs together to make them easier to fish out at the end). Stir to mix, then pour in 1 ltr hot water from the kettle. Pop a lid on the pan, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down a little and simmer for 30 mins.

6. While the lamb cooks, roughly chop the parsley leaves and stalks. After 30 mins the lamb and pearl barley should be tender. Taste the stew and add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed.

7. Fish the bouquet garni out of the pan and discard. Stir in most of the chopped parsley. Ladle the stew into 2 warm bowls and serve garnished with the last of the chopped parsley.