Comforting Lamb Stew

I made a lamb stew last night for dinner. The nights are cold; the fire is warm; and this kind of dinner hits the spot. We bought a lamb awhile back from a local ranch. If you have ever purchased a butchered animal before you know that part of the fun is choosing how you want the butcher to cut, prepare, and wrap it. With the lamb, for example, we had a choice of ribs: chops or Frenched racks, legs: bone in or out, shoulder: chops or ground or stew chunks, etc. I have used the stew meat for shish-kabobs in the summer. Last night I created a tasty and satisfying one-pot meal I will now share.


I started with just a one pound package of lamb stew meat. Use more if you like a meatier stew. Cut the pieces up until they are truly bite-sized. Salt and pepper and cumin the chunks and then roll them in flour. Pour a few glugs of olive oil into a heavy pot and heat till hot.  Brown the meat in the pot and then remove.

Add 2 chopped onions and a large chopped garlic clove to pan and another glug of oil if necessary and saute until tender.

Add the meat back in. In the fridge I had a half a can of Amy's Organic Soups Chunky Tomato Bisque which I added at this point. You could substitute a cup of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes and maybe a teaspoon of sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest and the juice from half a lemon. Also sprinkle on a teaspoon of cinnamon and stir well. At this point you can add 4 cups of beef stock and a bay leaf and let it simmer for 1 hour. After 1 hour add 2 cubed potatoes and a few sliced carrots.  Simmer for 25 or 30 minutes longer until vegetables are tender.  Salt to taste.  
Serves 4.

Ingredient List:
1 lb. lamb stew meat
2 onions
2 yukon gold potatoes
a few carrots
1 cup tomato soup or tomato sauce 
   or diced tomatoes
a lemon
salt
pepper
cumin
cinnamon
a bay leaf
olive oil
a little flour for dredging
a little sugar (optional)


Enjoy!