Swedish-style lamb and dill stew
Tender lamb is cooked in a rich sauce which is then reduced to perfection before serving. Serve this comforting all-in-one stew alongside creamy mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Ingredients
For the lamb and dill stew
- lamb shoulder: 800g/1lb 12oz lamb shoulder, diced
- onion: 1 onion, diced
- celery: 3 sticks celery, chopped
- cloves: 4 whole cloves
- peppercorns: 1 tsp white peppercorns
- garlic: 6 garlic cloves, left whole
- fennel: ½ fennel bulb, quatered
- lamb stock: 500ml/18fl oz lamb stock
- bay leaf: 1 bay leaf
- rosemary: 1 rosemary sprig
For the sauce
- butter: 20²µ/¾´Ç³ú unsalted butter
- plain flour: 20²µ/¾´Ç³ú plain flour
- shallots: 4 small round shallots, cut into halves
- chestnut mushrooms: 100g/3½oz small Paris brown mushrooms or small chestnut mushrooms
- double cream: 120ml/4fl oz double cream
- lemon: 1 lemon, juice only
- dill: 1 bunch dill, chopped
- black pepper: salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the lamb and dill stew, put all the ingredients into a large pan along with some extra water, if needed, to almost cover everything. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1–1½ hours, skimming off any impurities that rise to the top.
When cooked, strain through a sieve and pour the cooking liquor into a saucepan. Place over a medium heat and reduce to about 500ml/18fl oz. Set aside.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan then add the flour. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes until a smooth roux is formed. Add the 500ml/18fl oz reduced lamb stock along with the shallots, mushrooms and cream and simmer over a medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the meat back to the pan, then taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Add some lemon juice to taste and stir in the dill.
Divide the stew between bowls and garnish with fresh dill and lemon juice.
