An Adventure: Irish Lamb Stew

Do you ever go on an adventure and want to try new things?

I found myself entering a new whole foods store right here in my area called, All Things Food.

This store is very strict on the food items that they sell. The beef has to be grass fed right along with the lamb and goat meat that they sell.

I have never had the opportunity to try lamb, so I grabbed up a pound and brought it home.

What do I do with ground lamb?

Make stew, of course.

So, that's what I did.

This is the lamb cooking with the onion and garlic.

The lamb meat is very clean in color, don't you think?

I had purchased a bag of tri-colored potatoes. I wish I would have taken a picture of them. Have you seen them in your grocery store? They are a mixture of golden, red, and purple potatoes.

Purple potatoes? Yes indeed-y.....

One thing I noticed about the purple potatoes is, they have a very strong potato taste. A lot stronger than the normal baking, or Idaho potatoes.

Have you ever eaten a stew that is rich and creamy in flavor? If you want to try one, you will have to make this stew. Sure did knock my sock off.....

Irish Lamb Stew

1 lb. thick sliced bacon, diced (I always dice my bacon before frying it. That way you can skip the crumble part)

1 lb. ground lamb

1/2 tsp. salt (I didn't use any seasoning for the meat)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 c. water

4 c. beef stock (I used beef soup base according to package directions)

2 tsp. sugar

4 c. diced carrot

6 small tri-colored potatoes, cut in bite sized pieces

1 tsp. dried thyme (I used fresh)

1 c. white wine

Place bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly browned. Place on paper towels to drain.

Brown the lamb in a little of the bacon fat along with onion and garlic. When lamb is browned add the water and flour. Stir until thick. Pour the cooked lamb mixture and bacon in a dutch oven. Add beef stock, carrots, potatoes, spices, and white wine. Simmer covered for 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.