Lamb Stew with Rosemary Dumplings

A hearty stew to welcome the onset of Fall! Lamb is a staple in cuisines throughout the world including Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, Australia and countries of the Middle East. It is usually available in five different cuts including the shoulder, rack, shank, loin and leg. If you enjoy stews, click on any of these links: Swordfish in Tomato Sauce, Fast and Intense Gumbo, Fisherman’s Stew, Hunter’s Chicken Stew, Eggplant and Beef Stew, Old Fashioned Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings.

Serves 6
recipe adapted from Canadian House & Home
print this recipe

3 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2″ cubes
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
pinch of sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups dry red wine
3 large carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas

Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, minced well
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup water (approximately)

To make the stew, trim any fat or gristle off lamb cubes. Mix flour with salt, pepper and cayenne, toss with lamb, and pat off any excess. In a large pot, heat olive oil over high heat, then toss in cubes of meat, turning them every so often so that they are well browned. Make sure not to crowd the pot. You will have to sear the meat in a couple of batches. Once all the meat is browned, return all meat to pots, reduce heat to medium and add chopped onions and shallots, let sweat with the meat for several minutes. Add tomato paste and sugar, and stir in the water, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5 minutes. Then add wine, stir, and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper and sugar if needed.

Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot and let stew cook for 2 hours, stirring about every 20 minutes. After 2 hours, toss in carrots and frozen peas, and cook for 10 minutes. If the stew gets a little dry at any point, add a bit more water.

To make the dumplings, in a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and rosemary. Add the shortening, mixing it in with a fork so it breaks down and the mixture looks grainy. Slowly add the water until dough is light but solid and can be easily dropped from a soup spoon.

Remove the pot lid and stir. Wet a soup spoon and scoop up mounds of dough, and drop into stew. Space dumplings out around the perimeter first, then working your way in. Do not stir! Cover pot and allow dumplings to cook for 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: A rich, flavorsome stew topped off with delicious rosemary dumplings. I love the flavor of fresh rosemary and added this in lieu of dried. I added a cartouche (round cover made of greaseproof paper) which I placed on top of the stew before adding the cover of the pot.  This made the meat ultra tender.