Hearty Irish Lamb Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lb lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-in pieces

• 2 medium red onions, each one cut through the base into 8 wedges

• 4 large cloves garlic, sliced into 1/4-in

• 3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/2-in chunks

• 3 large carrots, cut into 1-in chunks

• 6 sprigs thyme

• 3 salt-free beef broth

• 3 small-medium sized turnips, cut into 1 1/2-in pieces

• 1 medium celeriac, riced thickly to yield 2 cups

• 1/4 packed cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Because lamb is a fatty meat it requires no added oils for the browning process. Heat a large, heavy based lidded casserole (Dutch oven) over medium flame.

3. Add the lamb in small batches and brown the pieces all over, putting aside in a medium sized bowl as you go.

4. Once the meat is browned and removed, add the tablespoon of fat to the casserole, together with the onion wedges, garlic, celery and carrots and cook, stirring from time to time, on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly singed. If at any point your pan is looking overly brown and parched, a tablespoon of water will help release the sediment, so quickly scrape it up and incorporate into the vegetables before the moisture has evaporated. This adds extra flavor!

5. Now pour in the beef broth, throw in the thyme, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 1 hour.

6. Remove the casserole from the oven and add the turnips. Replace the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes.

7. Take the stew out of the oven again and add the riced celeriac. Put it back into the oven (again, with the lid on) and cook for a final 16-18 minutes or until the celeriac is slightly softened, with just a little bite.

8. Discard the now leafless thyme stalks, ladle the stew into large bowls and scatter parsley over the top.

9. Serve with your favorite greens, sautéed in coconut or olive oil with extra slices of garlic if you like.