Lamb Stew for #SundayFunday

Welcome to #SundayFunday! Wendy from A Day In The Life on The Farm invited fellow bloggers to kick back, relax, and share something tasty and fun each weekend. "Sunday should be a Family Funday. Please join us in sharing recipes that will help you to enjoy your Sunday." If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join!

Stacy from Food Lust People Love said: "Spring lamb is one of the traditional main dishes for Easter but let's not limit ourselves to roasts. Share your favorite recipes with lamb, be they curries or burgers, slow cooked shoulder or roasted legs. Any recipe featuring lamb as the main ingredient!"

I can't say enough good things about this rustic, hearty, cozy meal. Seriously. It's just stunning. This is definitely special enough to serve to company, and simple enough to whip up on a busy afternoon. We made a loaf of soda bread to serve alongside, which was fabulous for sopping up that rich delicious gravy like broth. The earthiness of the mushrooms and sweetness of the carrots balance that incredibly buttery rich meat and salty bacon oh so perfectly. If you've never made lamb stew at home before - I think this is a fantastic recipe to start with! 

• Handi Mutton Mughlai from Sneha's Recipe
• Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lamb Stew from Making Miracles
• Stinging Nettle and Lamb Börek from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Stir-fried Mongolian Lamb with Scallions from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Strawberry Mint Glazed Roasted Rack of Lamb from Food Lust People Love

Lamb Stew

Ingredients

4 oz bacon, diced

1 1/2 lbs boneless lamb, in 1" pieces

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp salt, more to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, more to taste

1 lb mushrooms thickly sliced

1 1/2 cups good red wine 

4 cups beef broth or stock

4-oz tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 lbs potatoes, scrubbed and diced into bite sized pieces

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick pieces

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a 5-quart Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium to medium-high heat, until crispy. Remove bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a small plate or bowl.
2. Brown the lamb in the bacon grease for a few minutes, then add in the onion and carrots. Brown for another few minutes, then add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Lightly season everything with salt and pepper while browning.
3. Add in all remaining ingredients (except flour): bacon, salt, pepper, mushrooms, wine, beef broth, tomato sauce, bay leaves, thyme, potatoes, and carrots. 
4. Bring mixture to a low simmer. Cover and place the pot into the pre-heated oven for 90 minutes. Meat and vegetables should be very tender. 
5. Return the pot to the stove. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour with 1/4 cup of water to make a paste. Then slowly stream in about 1/4 cup of hot liquid from the pot, whisking rapidly to blend the hot liquid into the paste to prevent lumps. When mixture is smooth, pour most of it into the stew, and turn the stove onto high to bring to a simmer, allowing stew to thicken. Add more of the slurry as needed, until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
6. Serve ladled into bowls with a sprinkling of fresh parsley if desired. 

Recipe adapted from Natasha's Kitchen