Irish stew

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Begin the night before: cover the whole wheat berries (300 g) generously with water and leave to soak overnight. Next day, heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4. Drain and rinse the soaked wheat, put it into a saucepan with plenty of fresh water, bring to a boil and simmer for one hour, or until the grains are cooked. Start this timer for the one-hour simmer, after soaking and bringing to the boil.

   Simmer wheat berries after overnight soaking · 60 minUses 300 g whole wheat berries, soaked overnight before cooking · Water to cover wheat generously for overnight soaking, as needed · Plenty of fresh water for wheat simmer, as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: Drain the fully cooked wheat berries thoroughly and set them aside; discard their used cooking water.

   Uses All the cooked wheat berries

3. 3

   Step 3: Bone and trim the lamb loin chops (2 kg), if necessary, and cut the meat into 3 cm cubes. Season all the lamb with its one teaspoon of salt and black pepper to taste. Put one tablespoon from the measured stew olive oil in a large deep ovenproof saute pan with a lid over medium-high heat.

   Uses 2 kg lamb loin chops, boned, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes · 1 tbsp from the measured 120 ml stew olive oil for the first lamb batch · 1 tsp salt for lamb seasoning · Black pepper for lamb seasoning, to taste

4. 4

   Step 4: Sear the seasoned lamb in uncrowded batches for about four minutes, turning to brown all sides. Transfer each browned batch to one holding bowl and repeat until all the lamb is browned, adding more oil from the same measured stew allocation only as needed. Keep the used cooking oil in the pan.

   Brown one uncrowded batch of lamb, repeat as needed · 4 minUses All seasoned lamb cubes and hot pan oil · Further olive oil from the same 120 ml stew allocation, as needed for batches

5. 5

   Step 5: Peel all twenty-four shallots (24), keeping them whole. Lower the pan heat to medium, add one tablespoon from the remaining measured stew olive oil and fry all the shallots for four minutes until caramelised. Keep the browned lamb aside.

   Caramelise whole peeled shallots · 4 minUses Retained pan fat; keep all browned lamb in its holding bowl · 1 tbsp from the same 120 ml stew olive oil for shallots · 24 shallots, peeled and left whole

6. 6

   Step 6: Tip the caramelised shallots into the bowl holding the browned lamb. Peel the carrots (4 large), turnips (2) and celeriac (1); cut the carrots and celeriac into 2.5 cm by 5 cm batons and the turnips into 3 cm wedges. Scrub and halve the baby Charlotte potatoes (350 g). Brown these prepared vegetables in batches in the retained pan fat, adding further oil from the same measured stew allocation only as needed. Put every browned batch into the lamb-and-shallot bowl.

   Uses All caramelised shallots plus pan fat · 4 large carrots, cut into 2.5 cm × 5 cm batons · 2 turnips, peeled and cut into 3 cm wedges · 1 celeriac, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm × 5 cm batons · 350 g baby Charlotte potatoes, halved · Remaining oil from the same 120 ml stew allocation, as needed to brown vegetables

7. 7

   Step 7: Wash and tie together the four fresh thyme sprigs, four oregano sprigs and two parsley sprigs with food-safe kitchen string. Once all browned meat and vegetables are out of the pan, pour in the white wine (150 ml), add the caster sugar (1 tsp), tied herb bundle, the separate sauce teaspoon of salt (1 tsp) and a good grind of black pepper. Boil over high heat for about three minutes, scraping up the browned cooking residue.

   Boil wine and tied herb sauce · 3 minUses 150 ml white wine · 1 tsp caster sugar · 4 fresh thyme sprigs for tied herb bundle · 4 fresh oregano sprigs for tied herb bundle · 2 parsley sprigs for the tied stew herb bundle · 1 tsp salt for wine and herb sauce · A good grind of black pepper for stew sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: Return all browned lamb, shallots and root vegetables from the holding bowl to the pan. Add all the cooked drained wheat berries and prepared liquid chicken stock (450 ml). Cover and boil for five minutes on the hob, then transfer the covered ovenproof pan to the 180°C oven and braise for ninety minutes, until the lamb is fully cooked and tender and all root vegetables are tender. The timer is for the full ninety-minute oven phase after the initial five-minute hob boil.

   Oven-braise stew after its 5-minute hob boil · 90 minUses All actual wine-herb sauce and bundle · All browned lamb held in the shared bowl · All browned shallots and root vegetables held with the lamb · All actual cooked drained wheat berries · 450 ml prepared liquid chicken stock

9. 9

   Step 9: While the stew bakes, peel and roughly chop the two paste garlic cloves, wash and chop the 30 g paste parsley, and process these with the grated orange zest (1½ tsp), the separate 60 ml paste olive oil and one pinch of salt to make a rough paste. After the full braise, remove the stew from the oven. If there is excess liquid, uncover and boil it on the hob for a few minutes until reduced as desired. Remove the tied herb bundle and let the cooked stew stand for at least three minutes before serving. Divide between six to eight portions, spoon the freshly made parsley-orange paste over each and scatter with washed chopped extra parsley.

   Uses All the finished braised stew · 2 garlic cloves for parsley-orange paste · 30 g parsley for fresh orange paste · 1½ tsp grated orange zest for paste · 60 ml olive oil for parsley-orange paste · 1 pinch salt for parsley-orange paste · Extra parsley leaves for final scattering, as desired