MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Irish Stew
 Categories: Irish, Stews
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
  1 3/8 kg Lamb shanks or middle neck
           -of lamb (3 lb 4 oz)
    1/2 c  Parsley stalks (handful)
      3 lg Onions; peeled
    500 g  Carrots (1 lb 2 oz); peeled
      6    Black peppercorns
      3 lg Floury potatoes; very large,
           -peeled
           Salt and pepper
      3    Fresh thyme sprigs; leaves
           -only
           Fresh flat leaf parsley;
           -finely chopped, to serve
 
  Put the lamb in a large saucepan with the parsley stalks, 1 onion
  (halved), 1 large carrot (halved), and the peppercorns. Cover with
  water, bring to a boil and skim. Turn the heat down to a simmer,
  cover and cook the lamb over a very gentle heat until it is
  completely tender and almost falling off the bone. It should take
  about 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
  
  Remove the lamb from the stock and strain the stock. Cut the remaining
  carrots into small chunks, the potatoes into big chunks, and the
  remaining onions into half-moon shaped sliced. Put these into a clean
  saucepan, add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Cook until
  the vegetables are tender and the potatoes have partly fallen apart,
  stirring from time to time. You need them to fall apart a little in
  order to thicken the stew.
  
  While the vegetables are cooking, remove all the lamb from the bones
  and cut it into large, irregular chunks. Add the meat to the stew
  along with the thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Heat through and check
  the seasoning. Scatter with the parsley and serve.
  
  Recipe by Roast Figs Sugar Snow by Diana Henry, 2005
 
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