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Monday 6 January 2014

Greek Irish Stew

Kastellorizo, just off the Turkish coast
I was looking at a recipe for Arni me Fassolakia - Greek lamb stew with Green Beans, but it seemed a bit too Mediterranean for January in Belfast. So less tomato and more potato makes a lovely hybrid stew which left the husband very happy indeed. He's actually making me write it up now, ten minutes after dinner, so I don't forget the recipe.

Stock
1 leg of lamb leftover (the bone and about a pound of meat left on it from last night - you could use 2lb of bone in stewing lamb instead)
2 onions
Celery, carrot, whatever is to hand

The potato bit
2-3lb potatoes, peeled & quartered
100-200g sliced green beans
The skimmed stock

The oniony-tomato bit
A box of plum tomatoes, halved
2 onions, sliced
Plenty of olive oil

Bring the stock ingredients to the boil and simmer for 4-5 hours. Cool and discard everything but the meat. Allow the meat to cool, remove any skin & fat and chop up into 1" chunks.
Boil the spuds & green beans till the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Meanwhile fry the onions and tomatoes in plenty of olive oil on a medium low heat till the onions are translucent - they will be ready when the spuds are.

Drain the potatoes and beans (but keep the stock) - put them in with the onion mix, add the lamb and combine everythng, then add stock a ladle at a time till you get a nice stew consistency. Add salt & pepper to taste. Leftover stock can be used for soup. Like all stews, much better the next day.