O'Brien Irish Stew

Traditional Irish stew is typically cooked in the oven for two hours. To adapt the recipe to a slow cooker, simply cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. While this stew may certainly be eaten right away, it tastes even better as leftovers. As an added benefit, any fat that cooks out of the meat can be easily removed once the stew has cooled in the refrigerator overnight. If you are a fan of peas in your stew, you may add a cup or two in the final 15 minutes of cooking.

Yield: approximately 6 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless lamb for stew (may substitute beef, i.e., boneless chuck roast)
2 large onions, peeled, thickly chopped
2 pounds potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into big chunks (small new potatoes are an excellent option)
2 stalks celery, chopped, leaves included
2 carrots, chopped
1 turnip, diced
1 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper
1½ cups chicken broth
I bay leaf
Chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Cut lamb or beef into 1-inch cubes, removing large pieces of fat. Layer vegetables and meat in a 2 1/2 quart, lightly greased casserole or Dutch oven, beginning and ending with vegetables. (See comments above for slow cooker adaptation.) Add some of the salt and pepper to each layer. Add the chicken broth and bay leaf; cover tightly.
Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Stir and sprinkle with parsley. Remove bay leaf and check for seasoning before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.