Ingredients

3 pounds boneless lamb
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt, black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2-1/2 cups lamb or beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
Fresh rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
12 small pearl onions
12 new potatoes, peeled
12 baby turnips, quartered
12 young carrots, quartered
2 cups green beans, cut into 3-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups shelled peas
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Directions

You may mix lamb cuts if you wish. Remove excess fat and hard bits of skin. Bones may be added to stew for flavor and removed before serving. Cut lamb into 2-inch pieces; blot with paper towels.

Heat olive oil in a big skillet until very hot, then brown lamb cubes rapidly on all sides. Do not crowd pan, but brown a few pieces of lamb at time, removing them with a slotted spoon into a waiting flameproof casserole. When all lamb has browned and is in the casserole, sprinkle with the sugar and toss over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the sugar has caramelized. Season with salt and pepper and add the flour. Toss and cook to brown the flour, mixing it well with the lamb.

Remove any fat from skillet, then pour in stock. Bring to a boil, scraping any goodies from the pan as you do so. Pour over lamb in the casserole. Add tomato paste, garlic, herbs and, if necessary, additional stock or water just to cover the meat. Bring to simmering point; then cover and cook for 1 hour. If you prefer, you may cook the lamb in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.

Pour contents of the casserole into a colander or large strainer set over another pan. Remove any bones and return the meat to the rinsed-out casserole. Skim fat from the stewing liquid, season to taste and pour back over the lamb.

Cut a cross on base of each onion; add to casserole with potatoes, turnips and carrots and mix with lamb and sauce. Bring contents of the casserole to a boil; then lower heat, cover and simmer until everything is cooked, about 45 minutes.

Prepare the beans and peas by dropping them into a pan of boiling water and cooking 5 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water. Add them to the lamb stew 5 minutes before serving. From "Two Fat Ladies Obsessions" (Potter) by Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright.