Traditional Lamb Stew ( RINGSEND STEW ) with Rosemary and Mint Dumplings

SERVES 3-4

Ingredients

1 KG Lamb Shoulder trimmed and cut into 3 cm chunks
4 Large Peeled Potatoes cut into large chunks
2 meduim white onions roughly chopped
1 medium swede cut into large chunks
3 large carrots cut into chunks
1 litre of lamb /BEEF STOCK
Small knob of butter
Fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
Sprig of thyme
4 celery stalks trimmed and cut into chunks
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 lamb bone optional
Salt and pepper

Rosemary and mint dumplings

125g/ 4 ½ oz plain flour
70 g /2 ½ oz suet
Pinch salt
1 egg
½ Teaspoon of Baking Powder
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary herb
1 teaspoon chopped mint herb
½ Teaspoon of mint sauce

Method

Pre heat oven to 375 f ( 190 c /GAS MARK 5 )
1-Melt butter and oil in hot pan
2-Fry lamb chunks till browned all over approx 5 mins
3-Transfer to casserole dish
4- Fry onions ,carrots and celery in same pan as lamb was sealed off in
5-Remove vegetables just before they begin to brown and place in to casserole dish
6-Pour stock into pan and stir till boiling point combining all the meat juices
7-Pour stock over the meat and vegetables in casserole dish and then add bay leaf ,thyme and the Lamb bone
8-Season with salt and pepper
9-Cover and place into pre heated oven for 1 ½ Hours or until meat is tender
10- Remove stew from oven and make Dumplings
11-To Make Dumplings
12- Mix the flour ,Suet, Baking Powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl
14-Add Rosemary ,mint ,mint sauce and egg then gradually stir in 3 tablespoons of cold water enough to form a sticky dough
15-Flour your hands and then roll the dough into 12 small balls
16-Place them on top of casserole Lamb and veg stew and return to oven for a further 25 mins till dumplings are cooked and golden
17- remove from oven and top with chopped parsley

ENJOY SEVED WITH HOMEMADE SODA BREAD