Braised Irish Lamb Stew

Today we all are a ‘wee bit’ Irish, so drink a glass of Irish Whiskey to all of those who have gone before and celebrate their glorious memories!

Whiskey, invented in Ireland, is derived from the Gaelic words “Uisce Beatha” – and means Water of Life. Whiskey has been enjoyed in Ireland for over 800 years and in many other civilized countries for over 500. Irish Whiskey is made from cereals grown in Ireland, mostly barley, malted and un-malted. Irish Whiskey is triple distilled and matured for seven years or more.

Irish Old-Fashioned
To a lump of sugar, crushed with a dash of Angostura Bitters, add ice cubes, a shot of Irish Whiskey, a twist of lemon peel, one slice of orange and a cherry. Stir and serve in a wide glass.

Irish Coffee
Heat a stemmed whiskey goblet; pour in one jigger of Irish Whiskey, 3 cubes of sugar, fill goblet to within 1 inch of brim with a rich brewed coffee. Stir to dissolve sugar, top with slightly aerated whipped cream, so that the cream floats on top.

Irish Handshake
Add together 2 parts Irish whiskey, 1 part Green Curacao and 1 part fresh cream. Using a cocktail shaker, shake well with chipped ice and serve as a cocktail.

Irish Cream Coffee
10 oz. rich brewed coffee
1½ jigger Bailey's Original Irish Cream
¼ cup heavy cream, whipped until stiff peaks form ground cinnamon (optional)
Pour hot coffee into the heated glass. Add the Bailey's and stir well to blend. Top with a mound of whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Yield: 1 serving

The luck of the Irish is legendary, so if you want a great Irish meal here is one that will definitely have you dancing the Irish gig for sure!



Braised Irish Lamb Stew

Ingredients
For the lamb:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2½ pounds boneless lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb, 1½ -inch cubes
For the stew:
1 onion, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 carrots, roughly diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 lemon, zested
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup dried apricots
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves

In a mixing bowl add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cardamom and salt. Mix well until the mixture has turned into a paste, if the paste is too thick add a little more olive oil. Add the cubed lamb to the bowl and toss around to coat well. Cover and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add ⅓ of the lamb, and brown well. Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining lamb.

Add onions and carrots to the pot and sweat for 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic and ginger; continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then return the lamb to the pot and stir in the lemon zest, chicken stock, apricots, and honey.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is tender. Sprinkle the stew with chopped fresh mint and serve right out of the pot.

Serves 6
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George's notes:

• Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Be it Ireland, America, Australia or Peru, the 'wearin' o' the green' is now a world-wide event embraced by dozens of nationalities. The spirit of St. Paddy's Day is such an infectious one, it cuts across all religions, nationalities and other man made barriers. So get decked in green, put a shamrock on your lapel and cry out "Top o' the morning to ye" to every one you meet!

I drink to your health when I'm with you,

I drink to your health when I'm alone,

I drink to your health so often,

I'm starting to worry about my own.

Happy Saint Paddy’s Day!

Braised Lamb Shanks...

Nothing warms the house like the aroma of something cooking in the kitchen. If your area of the country is under a "deep freeze" watch, like here in the deep South; I suggest you try my favorite meal that makes great use of a marginal cut of meat, a variety of common vegetables, some hearty wine and a few aromatics herbs ~ Braised Lamb Shanks. I love the warm fragrance that spreads throughout the house as it cooks, slowly, for several hours. Serving it to family or good friends just feels right. I usually take big meaty lamb shanks and slowly simmer them with fresh rosemary, garlic, carrots, onions and red wine. Then serve it with polenta, or my favorite roasted garlic mashed potatoes, as you need something to soak up the wonderful sauce that is created with these. A fantastic dish for company, as all the prep work is done at the beginning, and then you just have to wait for it to cook.



Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients:
6 lamb shanks
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, quartered
3 large carrots, cut into 1 -inch pieces
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle red wine
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
5 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook shanks until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer shanks to plate.

Add onions, carrots and garlic to pot and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, tomatoes, chicken broth and beef broth. Season with rosemary and thyme. Return shanks to pot, pressing down to submerge. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.

Remove cover from pot. Simmer about 20 minutes longer. Transfer shanks to platter, place in a warm oven. Boil juices in pot until thickened, about 15 minutes. Serve by spooning over shanks.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:

• Lamb shoulder square cut whole is a square-shaped cut containing arm, blade, and rib bones. The thin, paper like outside covering is called fell. This cut is usually prepared by slow roasting.