Call it comfort food with a twist, this stew is aromatic, flavorful and the perfect dish to share with family and friends on a chilly night. The rich gravy is made extra creamy with a secret ingredient—peanut butter! But it makes all the difference in this crowd-pleasing dish.
Pro Tip: Make it a complete meal by serving the stew in bowls with a side of bread or over couscous or rice. Also, you can substitute beef stew meat for the lamb, too—it’s just delish.
Ingredients
- 6 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 3 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- Salt and pepper to taste
Topping:
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Cookware Needed
Directions
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a 6-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Toss the lamb with 1 teaspoon salt; add one-third of the meat to the pan and brown on all sides. Transfer meat to a bowl with a slotted spoon; repeat with the remaining two batches, adding extra oil as needed.
- Add onion to pan; cook for four minutes or until translucent, stirring often. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in tomato paste. Add chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Return lamb to pan. Stir in the bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook on medium-low for two hours or until meat is very tender. Remove from heat.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water; stir into pot. Place peanut butter in a separate small bowl and whisk in 1 cup of up liquid from the pot, a one-quarter cup at a time, until smooth. Transfer peanut butter mixture to pot; stir in carrots, sweet potato, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until stew has thickened and vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
- To prepare topping, combine parsley, green onions, garlic, Serrano pepper, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the warm stew before serving.
Yield: 6 servings
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes prep + 2 hours, 30 minutes cook time
