Mediterranean Lamb Stew over Creamy Polenta
Serves 6
Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, large dice
1 bell pepper, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ pound leg of lamb, medium chunks
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups red wine
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ tablespoon dried thyme
15 dried apricots, quartered
15 olives, pitted
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 medium zucchini, large chunks
Polenta
3 ½ cups water
½ cup milk of choice
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup polenta or coarse yellow corn meal
¼ cup butter
Stew
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Preheat oven to 350.
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Put a Dutch oven or ovenproof covered pot on a burner with medium heat.
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Add oil and sauté onions and peppers for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic. After a minute or so, add the lamb.
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Cook for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat all the ingredients.
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Add wine, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, apricots, olives, lemon zest and juice. Then season everything with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
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Let the stew come to a boil and then cover with a lid. Put into oven for 1 hour.
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After 1 hour, add zucchini and give everything a good stir. Put back covered in the oven for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
Polenta
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Bring water, milk, salt and pepper to a boil in a saucepot.
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Whisk in the polenta and lower the heat to a simmer.
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Cover with a lid, slightly ajar and cook for 45 minutes or until soft.
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Check on polenta every 5-10 minutes to give it a stir. Add more water or milk if polenta starts to become too thick.
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When the polenta is done, stir in butter and taste for seasoning.
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To serve family style, spoon the polenta onto a big platter. Let cool for about 5 minutes to firm up a bit. Then, top with stew or keep polenta and stew separate for all to help themselves.
suggestions
Vegan: Substitute 1-14 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for lamb in stew. Use vegan margarine for butter in polenta. Use a nut, seed, coconut or soy milk in polenta.
Vegetarian: Substitute 1 14-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for lamb in stew.
Gluten free: Use gluten free flour or potato starch in the stew, and cauliflower mash or quinoa in place of polenta.
Dairy free: Substitute dairy free margarine for butter in polenta. Use dairy free milk in the polenta.
Soy free: Use any milk other than soy milk in polenta.
Allium free: Substitute 1 large fennel bulb, sliced, for onions and garlic in the stew.
Kosher: Use a kosher wine in stew. Use dairy free milk and substitute pareve margarine for butter in polenta. To make recipe kosher for Passover, substitute cauliflower mash or quinoa for polenta.