Irish Stew with Pearl Barley & Cheddar Dumplings

Name: Irish Stew with Pearl Barley & Cheddar Dumplings
Ingredients: 1.2kg boneless lean lamb, trimmed of excess fat and shoulder or neck, cut into large chunks; 2 tbsp plain flour; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 large onions, sliced; 2 celery sticks, chopped; 2 carrots, chopped; 3 tbsp pearl barley; 1 bay leaf; 2-3 thyme sprigs; 1 liter chicken stock; 2 large waxy potatoes, diced sea salt and black pepper; 175g self-raising flour; 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 75g butter; 50g cheddar, grated

Irish Stewing Lamb Dumplings Winter Comfort Food Stew

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Total: 90 minutes

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Ingredients (15)

1.2kg boneless lean lamb, trimmed of excess fat and shoulder or neck, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp pearl barley
1 bay leaf
2-3 thyme sprigs
1 liter chicken stock
2 large waxy potatoes, diced sea salt and black pepper
175g self-raising flour
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
75g butter
50g cheddar, grated

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When you’re sitting by the fire at night, hungry and just a touch too cold, nothing satisfies better than a warm hearty stew. If you’re looking for a meal that you can make yourself that won’t take too long, try this Irish Stew from Donal Skehan’s “Donal’s Meals in Minutes: 90 Suppers from Scratch, 15 Minutes Prep”. The delicious one-pot stew with cheddar dumplings tastes best when cooked in a cast-iron casserole dish and eaten when you’re just a little bit too cold.

You can make it with beef if you prefer, but lamb is more traditional and delicious, especially with lamb neck added to the pot for a richer broth.

from: Donal's Meals in Minutes: 90 Suppers from Scratch, 15 Minutes Prep by Donal Skehan

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Donal's Meals in Minutes: 90 Suppers from Scratch, 15 Minutes Prep

by Donal Skehan

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Tips for Lamb

Tip

How to Pick Lamb

Lamb is readily available in most supermarkets. The freshest lamb will have soft pink and red flesh with marbling throughout. Avoid anything that looks grey in color.

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Next: How to Freeze Lamb

Tip

How to Freeze Lamb

Wrap the lamb in it in its original packaging, airtight, with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. From there, you can also place the meat in an airtight freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Chops and loins fare best when wrapped individually.

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Next: How to Thaw Lamb

Tip

How to Thaw Lamb

Lamb can be defrosted in three ways. As with most meat, refrigeration is the most effective, albeit slowest method. Lamb meat defrosted in the fridge can actually be re-frozen before or after cooking, though there may be a loss of moisture. If you're in a pinch, lamb can be defrosted in the microwave, or placed in a bowl of cold water (which should be replaced every 30 minutes).

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Next: How to Pick Lamb

Instructions

1Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan).
2Season the lamb and dust lightly with the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large casserole over a medium heat and brown the lamb all over in batches.
3Remove from the casserole and set aside.
4Add the remaining oil to the casserole and gently fry the onions, celery and carrot for 5minutes until softened. Scatter the pearl barley into the casserole then place the lamb chunks on top along with the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and stock. Add the potatoes, season well then bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours.
5Add all the ingredients for the dumplings to a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. Season well, then gradually add up to l00ml of water until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Using floured hands, shape into 12 evenly sized balls and set aside.
6Remove the casserole from the oven and increase the heat to 200°C (180°C fan). Place the dumplings around the edge of the stew. Re-cover and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes until the dumplings are pillowy . To brown the dumplings, cook for another few minutes uncovered. Serve in deep bowls.

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