Lamb & Damson Stew

*Lamb and Damson Stew*
with herby dumplings
Serves 4 to 6


A delicious lamb stew filled with lots of tender pieces of lamb, veg and sweet/tart plums.  Topped off with some crisp crusted herbed dumplings.  If you don't have Damsons, feel free to use other types of plums, apricots, etc.   This is just a lovely, lovely stew.

For the stew:
 2 TBS rapeseed oil
900g (2 pounds) leg of lamb, cut into a medium dice, trimmed of fat, etc.
1 TBS butter
4 baby leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced into 1 inch lengths
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into 1 inch chunks
1/3 of a small swede (rutabaga) peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 TBS soft light brown sugar
2 TBS plain flour
275ml red wine (1 1/4 cups)
570ml beef or lamb stock (2 1/2 cups)
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
1 spring fresh rosemary
350g damsons, plums, greengages or apricots. halved and stoned
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
 
For the dumplings:
4 ounces of self raising flour, plus extra for shaping (1 cup)
2 ounces shredded suet (about 1/4 cup heaped)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 TBS chopped fresh sage
4 TBS cold water
salt and black pepper to taste
 
Heat a flame proof casserole over a medium heat and add the oil.  Once the oil is hot, begin browning the lamb a few bits at a time, so that they get a nice colour.  Don't be tempted to add too much meat at a time or it will stew instead of browning.  It is the browning which will give your stew its lovely colour. Remove the meat as it browns and add more.  Repeat until all is browned.

Add the butter and then add the leeks, carrots, parsnips and swede.  Cook gently over a low heat until they are just coloured.  Add the brown sugar and stir in.  Add the flour and stir it in, cooking it for a few minutes.  Add the red wine and allow it to bubble up.  Pour in the stock and bring to the boiling point, stirring.  Add all of the herbs and return the meat to the pot.  (Make sure you bend the bayleaf in half so that the flavour  is released.)  Cover and bake in a preheated 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3 oven for 1 1/2 hours, until the lamb is tender.  Remove from the oven.  Add the fruit, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.  Increase the oven temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Make the dumplings by placing the flour, suet, mustard, herbs and seasonings into a bowl.   Add enough of the water to make a firm but soft dough.  Break off the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape with lightly floured hands into round balls. Drop these on top of the hot stew, pushing them down a bit into the hot liquid.   Cook, uncovered,  for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the dumplings have doubled in size, turn a bit golden and crisp on the surface, and the stew is nice and tender. 

Serve hot, spooned out onto warm plates with some mash on the side.

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