Pipestone Lamb Stew

2 Bay leaves

1 lg Bunch fresh thyme sprigs* or

1 ts Dried thyme

4 Allspice berries

4 lb stew meat with bones

-- trimmed 2 md Onions; peeled and halved

-- cut in 1/4" thick slices 6 lg Garlic cloves; peeled

-- coarsely chopped 1 1/2 c Dry white wine

1/4 c Prepared horseradish

1/4 c Worcestershire sauce

28 oz Can plum tomatoes

3 md Carrots; peeled**

8 oz Button mushrooms

-- stems trimmed -- caps coarsely chopped 3 lg Celery ribs; trimmed***

2 md Waxy potatoes

-- peeled and quartered 2 md Russet potatoes; peeled

-- cut in eighths Salt and pepper; to taste

--GARNISH
-- 1 sm Bunch Italian parsley

-- (opt'l.) *Strip leaves from the thyme sprigs, to equal abt. 2 tb. of fresh thyme. **Cut carrots diagonally into 1/2" thick slices. ***Cut celery ribs diagonally into 1/2" thick slices. Tie bay leaves, thyme and allspice berries together in a piece of cheesecloth; set aside. Brown lamb on all sides in a large (at least 8 qt.) heavy stockpot over medium-high heat, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cheesecloth bundle, wine, horseradish, Worcestershire and all the vegetables to the meat, crushing the tomatoes with your hands or a wooden spoon. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until potatoes are tender and lamb is falling from the bone, about 3 hours. (You can also transfer the stew to a preheated 350 F. oven and cook it there for the same amount of time.) Remove cover and continue cooking the stew until it has thickened somewhat but is still soupy, an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the cheesecloth bundle and season to taste, adding more horseradish if you like. Mince parsley; sprinkle over stew. Serve immediately. well with this. Note: This is a good dish to prepare a day ahead. Remove the cheesecloth bundle and refrigerate the stew overnight. The next day, skim any fat that has solidified on the surface and reheat the stew. Season to taste, adding more horseradish if you like. Garnish with parsley and serve. Loomis writes: "This recipe comes from Ann Olson, whose husband, Sherman, raises sheep - and the grains they eat - on their farm in Danvers, Minnesota. Ann makes a variety of lamb dishes throughout the year, and this is one of her favorites. ('Pipestone' is the name of a town in southern Minnesota, the home of a school where youngsters learn to raise sheep. This stew, which has evolved over the years, is made there.) "Horseradish is a curious seasoning for lamb, but it adds a pleasant bite... stew meat is often neck meat, which is some of the most flavorful on the animal. If you do use neck meat, consider removing the considerable amount of bone before serving the stew." From _Farm House Cookbook_ by Susan Herrmann Loomis. New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 1991. Pp. 135-136. ISBN 0-89480-772-2.

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