Chef, Richard Corrigan, came up with the idea of using two sorts of potatoes and it works a treat. The floury ones disintegrate while the waxy remain just that. As a stew, it’s fairly wet but the flavour is in the juice so have some good bread handy. Using shoulder steaks, rather than neck fillets or best ends, makes it far cheaper but it will take a bit longer to cook. See the original version here. There is some controversy about whether carrots should be included in this dish. Escoffier says no, but what would a Frenchman know about Irish stew? I like them. Cold pickled red cabbage is a traditional accompaniment in Ireland.
Put the lamb steaks in a heavy-based saucepan. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, skimming off all the impurities.
Remove the lamb with a draining spoon and reserve. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Add the lamb and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the carrots into medium-sized pieces, and the potatoes a little bigger.
Add the carrots, onion and floury potatoes to the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the waxy potatoes and the thyme, and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes or until the lamb is very tender. The floury potatoes will have broken down to thicken the sauce, while the waxy potatoes will keep their shape.
Remove from the heat, cover and leave, without stirring, for 15 minutes. Skim off any fat and froth. Check the seasoning, then serve, sprinkled generously with chopped chives and parsley.
Serving Size 4 servings