Irish Stew

I have not been cooking last week. Charlie was visiting relatives but he is back now and this was dinner tonight.

Irish Stew

• DAVID TANIS YIELD6 to 8 servings TIME1

Evan Sung for The New York Times

The epitome of comfort food, traditional Irish stew has only a few ingredients: mutton, onions and potatoes. In southern Ireland carrots are added, and some cooks venture so far as to add turnips. These days, young lamb often replaces mutton for a more delicate version. Irish stew may be served brothy, or slightly thickened with mashed potato or flour.

Find more St. Patrick's Day recipes.

Featured in: A Proper Stew For St. Patrick’s Day. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds lamb shoulder cut in 2-inch chunks (or use thick shoulder chops)

• Salt and pepper

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 pounds onions (about 6 medium), cut in wedges

• 1 pound carrots (about 6 medium), cut in 3-inch lengths

• 4 cups chicken, veal or beef broth (or water)

• 1 large sprig thyme

• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 12 small), peeled and halved, or cut in 2-inch thick slices

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
1154 calories; 72 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 32 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 62 grams protein; 233 milligrams cholesterol; 660 milligrams sodium

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PREPARATION

1 Pat lamb dry and season well with salt and pepper. Put oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides, working in batches.

2 Set meat aside and add onions and carrots to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

3 Return meat to pot, add broth and bring to a simmer. Put in thyme sprig and arrange potatoes on top (it’s fine if potatoes are not completely submerged). Season potatoes, cover pot and transfer to oven.

4 Bake for about 1 hour, until lamb is quite tender when probed with a skewer or paring knife. Remove fat from top of broth. Ladle stew into shallow bowls and serve.

Tip

• Alternatively, cook stew on stovetop instead of baking; keep covered at a gentle simmer for about 1 hour. For a thicker stew, crush a few of the potatoes from the stew and simmer in broth, or thicken with a slurry of flour and water (about 4 tablespoons flour).

French Green Beans and Shallots

• JACQUES PEPIN YIELD4 servings TIME21 minutes

These are perfect green beans: simple flavors combined into an elegant dish that goes with almost anything. Mr. Pepin suggests a roast chicken, but they would pair equally well with a celebratory roast.

Featured in: The Chicken Dinner, Both Humble And Noble. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups water

• 1 pound very small, firm green beans, cleaned

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons peeled and chopped shallots

• ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

117 calories; 8 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams

polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams

dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 22 milligrams cholesterol; 163 milligrams sodium

PREPARATION

1 Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and cover the pot. Continue cooking the beans, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2 At serving time, heat the butter in a skillet, add the shallots and saute for about 1 minute, until the shallots start to brown.

3 Add the beans, salt and pepper, and saute briefly. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with the chicken.