Lamb Stew

A hearty Irish lamb stew that's pretty easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs bacon, diced
• 6 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 cups carrots, diced
• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 potatoes
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:
Saute the bacon in a large skillet, and then set aside (save the meat and the fat). In a bowl, coat the lamb meat with salt, pepper and flour. Brown in the bacon fat. Remove the lamb from the pan and put in a large stock pot.

Leave about a quarter cup of fat in the pan. Saute the garlic and one chopped onion until soft. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan to deglaze then pour pan contents into the stock pot along with the bacon, beef stock and sugar. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for another 20 minutes.