Italian Lamb Stew

Name: Italian Lamb Stew
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes (once trimmed, lamb will yield about 3 pounds cubes); 4 teaspoons kosher salt; All-purpose flour, for dredging; 10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped onion; 4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled; 2 cups dry red wine; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 large sprig fresh rosemary; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand; 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 red bell peppers, cut into eighths

December 14, 2011

Italians eat a lot of lamb, especially in the spring and summer. I recall that on every major holiday I would always see the whole animal slowly turning on the spit, and it was indeed delicious. I particularly liked to nibble on the rib bones, and my second-favorite was part of the shoulder blade. But when there was no holiday, the slaughtered animals were butchered and sold and enjoyed as lamb shanks, chops, and stews. For this dish, either the boneless shoulder meat or boneless leg of lamb could be used, but the shoulder is more economical, and I am sure this cut is what the Italian immigrants used. In this slow cooking process, the flavors harmonize and the meat becomes fork-tender.

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