St. Patrick's Day Recipe: Irish Lamb Stew (Delia Smith)

Saint Patrick's Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March every year by the Irish. It is named after Saint Patrick, the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland. It is perhaps also one of the most well-known and celebrated British holiday in Malaysia, due to the many popular drinking events (ie Guinness) held in honour of this day.

Lately, when an occasion is coming up, I would check out recipes that I can prepare to celebrate that occasion. I feel it's good to expose my children all these different food from different cultures, and at the same time, I can explain the significance of that dish for that celebration to them. We get to eat and we get to learn :) Since St. Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday, I decided to make Irish lamb stew, a traditional dish popular in Ireland.  

Irish lamb stew

Irish stew (Irish: stobhach gaelach) is a traditional stew made from lamb or mutton as well as potatoes, onions and parsley and may sometimes also include carrots. I have made Irish stew once while I was still in UK, using a recipe by Dermot O'Leary, a popular TV and radio presenter of Irish descent, however this time I decided to try one of Delia Smith's recipes. Delia's version uses middle neck and scrag of mutton or lamb; these parts are said to be used as the bones impart delicious juices to the liquid. However, I have no idea where to get these in KL, so I settled for braising lamb (I used knuckle on this occasion) and also substituted water with lamb stock.

Other ingredients in her Irish stew are onions, carrots, leeks, potatoes, and pearl barley. I couldn't find leeks in the supermarket last weekend and since it is not a crucial ingredient in a traditional Irish stew, I did not worry too much about it. While researching Irish Stew recipes, I also came across Richard Corrigan's version, and he garnishes with spring onions and parsley and since spring onions are from the same family as leeks, I felt this would be a good substitution for leeks in Delia's recipe. 

My verdict on this Irish stew: this has to be the easiest stew I've ever made! No browning of the meat is required, all I had to do was coat the lamb with seasoned flour and arrange it in the pot along with the other ingredients and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Tender pieces of meat with a flavorful gravy - what is there not to love? My kids and both my parents enjoyed this tremendously. I served this with some hot herb and garlic loaf (aka garlic bread) to soak up the delicious gravy. (Original recipe serves this Irish stew with parsley dumplings but I could not get suet, an ingredient to make the dumplings)

Wishing all celebrating a very Happy St.Patrick's Day in advance! :)

Irish Lamb Stew
Recipe adapted from Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 - 2 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients
600-700g stewing lamb, in thick chunks
1litre lamb or beef stock
2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly milled black pepper
350g onions, quartered
225g carrots, sliced
2 medium leeks, washed and sliced
1 large potato, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon pearl barley
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

To garnish
2 spring onions, sliced thinly at an angle
Fresh parsley


1. Wash and pat dry the meat, then dip them in the seasoned flour. Now put a layer of meat in the bottom of a large saucepan, followed by some onion, carrot, leek and potato, then season with salt and pepper. Then put in some more meat and continue layering the ingredients until everything is in.  Then sprinkle in the pearl barley followed by 1 litre of lamb stock and bring to the boil.

2. Once boiling, lower to low heat and leave to simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, with lid on.

3. Check the seasoning, if required season with more salt and pepper. Place the stew in a serving bowl, then garnish with spring onions and parsley. Serve immediately with champ (recipe here) or like we did, hot herb and garlic loaf.

Soaking up all the delicious gravy

Check out my other Irish-inspired dishes such as champ, chocolate tofu mousse with Bailey's and gingerbread tiramisu with Bailey's.

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