Lamb and Orange Stew

Seasonal cooking can seem something of a chore at this time of year, especially if you are not a fan of turnips and cabbage.

Carrots and parsnips however, are almost as tasty at this time of year as in the summer and autumn. Winter fruits such as oranges and satsumas offer a promise of warmer times and don’t forget the bitter Seville oranges are now available for making marmalade or flavouring duck.

Lamb is often at its cheapest in the winter. For example Donovans butcher in Rathgar is currently offering 2 shoulders for 13 Euro, surely some of the cheapest lamb in the country.

Adding fruit flavours to meat dishes is more common in North Africa and the Mediterranean (e.g. Morrocco’s Lamb and Date Tajine and Pigeon and Date Pastilla) but is worth an experiment or two in these colder climes.

Lamb and Orange Stew
This is an adaptation of a Lebanese dish and the orange peel along with the spices adds pleasant warming flavours perfect for this time of year. Feel free to add Mediterranean vegetables such as courgettes, aubergines and peppers which will work just as well as the root vegetables mentioned below.

Ingredients: 500g Gigot Lamb Chops (or lamb pieces), 1tbs Butter, 2 Onions finely chopped, 3 Carrots, 2 Parsnips, 2 x 400g Cans of Tomatoes, Peel of 1 whole Sweet Orange, Peel of ½ Lemon, 1tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1tsp Ground Allspice, Salt, Black Pepper.

Trim the lamb chops of most of their fat. Heat the butter in a large frying pan until sizzling and fry the trimmed chops until browned. Remove to a plate. Fry the chopped onions until brown and caramelised. - add a little more butter or oil if necessary.

Add the tinned tomatoes, break them up with a wooden spoon, and replace the chops. Peel the orange and ½ lemon with a potato peeler, tie with a piece of string and add to the pan. Peel and chop the carrots and parsnips into small batons and stir in along with the cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper.

Cover the pan with tin foil and cook on low heat for 90 minutes. Remove the orange/lemon peel and check to ensure the lamb is tender – it should come off the bone. Cook for longer if wished.

Serve with plain boiled rice or some flat bread.