Adventures in Eating: Lamb (or Beef) Stew with Dill

I am excited about this month’s recipe, you see I never get to write them, I just test them before I show them to you. This month, however, I gave our two food edi­tors the month off and set out to complement our imported red wine of the month with an appropriate meal.

The wine is so complex and has such wonderful flavors I felt that a dish equally as complex and fla­vorful would do the wine justice. So, I took the easy way out and called the retired food editor of Ad­ventures in Eating, my mother, and got her thoughts. After tasting the wine again we both felt that a nice stew would go well and one that both lamb and beef eaters could relish would be appropriate.

Here is a version of the country favorite, that I might add, would go great with any aged red wine you might have; Rioja, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Barolo.

 

Lamb or (Beef) Stew with Dill

6 servings:

2 1/2 lb’s boneless lamb (or beef),cubed

2 Tbls. butter

2 tsps. salt

1/2 tsps. dill weed

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups water

1 lb carrots, peeled in 1 1/2″ pieces

3 medium potatoes, quartered

3 stalks of celery cut to 2″ lengths

2 cups fresh peas or (1) 10 oz.

package frozen peas

3/4 cup milk

3 Tbls. flour

1 cup sour cream (optional)

1 Tbls. chopped parsley

In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, brown lamb evenly in but­ter. Reduce heat and sprinkle salt, dill weed, and pepper over meat and add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 1 1/4 hours, or until meat is almost tender. Add remaining 1/2 cup water, carrots, potatoes, and celery. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add peas and heat through. Blend milk and flour until smooth, add to stew, and cook until gravy is thickened, stirring frequently. Fold in sour cream (if you like creamier sauces), heat and sprinkle with parsley.

Salud! P.K. Jr.