40 minute lamb stew
Discussion
stew should be something that bubbles for hours on a gentle flame, using big chunks of meat with the bone in to give flavour.
but sometimes, you've been working late, you want stew but cant wait 3 hours. you need 40 minute stew.
fortunately, this is one of the easiest recipes known to mankind. and I made it up tonight, so im going to share it.
Serves 2
ingredients:
1 chopped medium onion
2 chopped cloves of garlic
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anis pod
2 cardomom pods
1 packet of M&S diced lamb
1 packet of M&S diced butternut squash
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3 glasses of red wine
1 tablespoon harissa paste
handful of dried apricots or prunes
a handful of fresh herbs...parsely is nice.
cooking:
soften the onions and garlic (for 3 minutes or so) in some olive oil, using a pan with a lid.
when translucent, add the dry spices and stir for 2 minutes
add the lamb, and fry until browned (5 minutes)
stir in the harissa, coating the lamb.
stir in the tomatos and 2 glasses of wine, then cover and simmer (very very gently...mb put a pad under the pot if it is boiling too hard) for 20 minutes.
drink the 3rd glass of wine as you watch the clock tick to half an hour of cooking time.
For the last five minutes, add the dried fruit, and the fresh herbs. salt and pepper very generously.
its done! Turn off the heat and leave it to sit on the table while you make the table and have another glass of wine. its important to leave it as it tastes better as it cools down and the juice thickens.
a couple of bowlfuls, with some bread, rice, or cous cous =
i also like some plain yoghurt with it, but i love yoghurt with curries too. so if you dont like yoghurt, dont add any.
but sometimes, you've been working late, you want stew but cant wait 3 hours. you need 40 minute stew.
fortunately, this is one of the easiest recipes known to mankind. and I made it up tonight, so im going to share it.
Serves 2
ingredients:
1 chopped medium onion
2 chopped cloves of garlic
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anis pod
2 cardomom pods
1 packet of M&S diced lamb
1 packet of M&S diced butternut squash
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3 glasses of red wine
1 tablespoon harissa paste
handful of dried apricots or prunes
a handful of fresh herbs...parsely is nice.
cooking:
soften the onions and garlic (for 3 minutes or so) in some olive oil, using a pan with a lid.
when translucent, add the dry spices and stir for 2 minutes
add the lamb, and fry until browned (5 minutes)
stir in the harissa, coating the lamb.
stir in the tomatos and 2 glasses of wine, then cover and simmer (very very gently...mb put a pad under the pot if it is boiling too hard) for 20 minutes.
drink the 3rd glass of wine as you watch the clock tick to half an hour of cooking time.
For the last five minutes, add the dried fruit, and the fresh herbs. salt and pepper very generously.
its done! Turn off the heat and leave it to sit on the table while you make the table and have another glass of wine. its important to leave it as it tastes better as it cools down and the juice thickens.
a couple of bowlfuls, with some bread, rice, or cous cous =
i also like some plain yoghurt with it, but i love yoghurt with curries too. so if you dont like yoghurt, dont add any.
Edited by Wadeski on Monday 26th November 20:42
40 min stew? are you having a laugh? If any of my chefs suggested such a thing i'd either have them medically examined or joining the dole queue!
1. not enough time to cook all the flavour of the meat into the stew
2. vice versa of point 1
3. The meat (especially if you're using a dense red meat like lamb) unless you have braised it first, is going to be very very tough. a stew should melt in the mouth with hardly any need to chew.
you're reciepe sounds quite tasty though, if i were you, i would either invest in a slow-cooker and make up your stew the night before and cook it during the day, or simply cook the night before. Stews and casseroles are ALWAYS much better made the day before and reheated to order, due to the extra time allowed to allow the sauce to emulsify properly.
Treat such a meal with the love and respect it deserves, dont rush it!
A fine red wine I trust?
1. not enough time to cook all the flavour of the meat into the stew
2. vice versa of point 1
3. The meat (especially if you're using a dense red meat like lamb) unless you have braised it first, is going to be very very tough. a stew should melt in the mouth with hardly any need to chew.
you're reciepe sounds quite tasty though, if i were you, i would either invest in a slow-cooker and make up your stew the night before and cook it during the day, or simply cook the night before. Stews and casseroles are ALWAYS much better made the day before and reheated to order, due to the extra time allowed to allow the sauce to emulsify properly.
Treat such a meal with the love and respect it deserves, dont rush it!
A fine red wine I trust?
Edited by Adam_BGT on Monday 26th November 23:45
Edited by Adam_BGT on Monday 26th November 23:46
yes. i can also invest in a time machine so i can go back to the night before and remember to make it.
or, just do the 40 minute recipe and enjoy having something thats closer to a curry but with the flavour of a stew, which is better than no stew when you want stew.
came out tender, but the lamb i bought was diced small, and was not a "stew" cut.
a slow cooker would work, but the problem is "slow" again
try it and see if it comes out tender enough for you.
and yes, if i was in a restaurant and someone told me they had cooked the stew in 40 minutes i would be upset. because restaurants are supposed to do things properly. but if you have just worked a 10 hour day and havent got the time, this works quite well
or, just do the 40 minute recipe and enjoy having something thats closer to a curry but with the flavour of a stew, which is better than no stew when you want stew.
came out tender, but the lamb i bought was diced small, and was not a "stew" cut.
a slow cooker would work, but the problem is "slow" again
try it and see if it comes out tender enough for you.
and yes, if i was in a restaurant and someone told me they had cooked the stew in 40 minutes i would be upset. because restaurants are supposed to do things properly. but if you have just worked a 10 hour day and havent got the time, this works quite well
Edited by Wadeski on Tuesday 27th November 00:03
Edited by Wadeski on Tuesday 27th November 00:28
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