Dark, Sticky Stew

Name: Dark, Sticky Stew
Ingredients: 800g/1 3/4 lb stewing lamb, roughly diced; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 small handful of fresh rosemary, leaves picked; 2 heaped tablespoons flour; Extra virgin olive oil; 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped; 8 field mushrooms, torn in half; 1 handful of baby carrots, scrubbed; 1 parsnip, peeled and grated; 1 dessert spoon Marmite; 2 heaped tablespoons pearl barley; 285ml/ 1/2 pint rich ale (Guinness, Caffreys, John Smiths); 565ml/1 pint stock; 6 skewers or sticks of fresh rosemary, leaves removed; 18 chipolata sausages

15 ingredients

11 steps

Ingredients

800g/1 3/4 lb stewing lamb, roughly diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small handful of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
2 heaped tablespoons flour
Extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
8 field mushrooms, torn in half
1 handful of baby carrots, scrubbed
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
1 dessert spoon Marmite
2 heaped tablespoons pearl barley
285ml/ 1/2 pint rich ale (Guinness, Caffreys, John Smiths)
565ml/1 pint stock
6 skewers or sticks of fresh rosemary, leaves removed
18 chipolata sausages

Directions

1

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/gas Put your lamb into a bowl and season well with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
2

Finely chop your rosemary leaves and add to the bowl with the flour.
3

Mix around so that the meat is completely covered.
4

Fry the lamb in a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a hot casserole-type pan do this in batches so the pieces get a nice bit of colour, then remove from the pan and put to one side.
5

Turn the heat down, then fry your onion, mushrooms and carrots for about 5 minutes until softened and slightly coloured.
6

Add the lamb back to the pan along with the parsnip, Marmite, pearl barley, ale and stock.
7

Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes while you skewer 3 chipolatas on to each of the skewers or rosemary sticks.
8

Just before the stew goes in the oven, add the chipolatas to the pan.
9

Then place a lid on or make a cartouche, wet it and tuck this over the pan.
10

Cook for around an hour, or until the lamb falls apart.
11

I love to eat it just as it is, almost like a thick soup, with some crusty bread.