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“Delicious Anytime” Lamb Stew

To celebrate Tara and Joy’s book, Almost Meatless, in today’s communal blog, I chose to prepare a dish I knew my      family would enjoy: Spiced Lamb and Vegetable Stew (p. 109). When I told Tara I wanted to make this, she replied    with a sarcastically cheerful, “What a perfect choice for the middle of summer, Jennifer!” I admit that although I  considered my recipe choices for this project with seasonality in mind, I wasn’t terribly concerned about making a cool  weather dish in the middle of July. Unusual for the Philadelphia area, our summer has actually been rather mild, so I  was less focused than normal on preparing something light and warm-weather friendly. As luck would have it,  though, the past few days in Philadelphia have featured wretched heat and humidity—the unbearable, intensely sticky  sort that keep me indoors most of the day with the windows shut and the air conditioner humming. I shouldn’t be surprised. Somehow I often find myself in my small, unventilated kitchen, baking meringues or working on a wedding cake during the hottest days of the year. Yes, Tara. You were right. What a perfect time to prepare lamb stew.

As it happens, however, it was just the right time. Yes, Spiced Lamb and Vegetable Stew would be deliciously comforting and satisfying on a cool fall evening. But, really, everything about this dish makes it desirable virtually any day of the year. First, as Tara and Joy describe in their head note to the recipe, the list of flavorful ingredients is fairly short and each one is easy to find in the supermarket. Next, although this dish features lamb, it is neither heavy with the meat nor overly rich or oily. Tara and Joy suggest using only a minimal amount of oil in which to brown the lamb, and the meat used in the quantity called for results in a rather lean stew. The dish is also filled with fresh ingredients—pungent aromatics like onion, garlic, and ginger, as well as sweet carrots, Yukon gold potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach infuse it with brightness. The spices Tara and Joy include here are just right, too. I usually keep cumin seeds, turmeric, and coriander in my cupboard, but I was so happy to add a jar of garam masala to my spice collection. I love its warm aroma and earthy perfume. In fact, I was so keen on cooking with it again, that I used it to spice up a pan of roasted broccoli and shallots I prepared later in the day. Yes, this dish is, in fact, as stew, but it is so fragrant, light, and filled with fresh flavors that, again, it is just right to make any time of year.

Spiced Lamb and Vegetable Stew comes together incredibly easily, as well—a characteristic I particularly appreciate these days. My five-month-old daughter, Kate, doesn’t permit me nearly as much time in the kitchen as I’m accustomed to enjoying. I often find myself at 8:30 PM putting together dinner with her cradled in one arm and trying somehow to cut, cook, and assemble using my one free hand. I feel like I’m moving ridiculously in swirling circles, as though hopelessly paddling a canoe with one oar. Why couldn’t I have a baby who actually likes the Björn carrier or sling? At any rate, this dish came together so quickly that I was able to assemble it while Kate took a quick nap. It then only required 40 minutes or so of simmering, so even though she had awakened by that point, the stew was done and the dishes were cleaned.

I had planned on serving the stew for dinner to my husband—a self-professed lover of all dishes lamb. It turned out, though, that my time spent mid-morning at the stove paid off early, as he was working in the home office that day and required some sustenance before heading out to an afternoon appointment. I admit I was slightly worried that the stew would be a bit too vegetariany for him (you know how some carnivorous boys who like their braised lamb shanks and roasted legs of lamb can be), but he scraped the bowl clean.

So, well done, Tara and Joy. Another yummy triumph. As for me, I am off to scoop up baby Kate from another of her half-hour naps. Perhaps at some point her sleeping sessions will last longer so I can try one of your recipes that require more time in the kitchen. I don’t know, though. You seem to have mastered the art of creating flavorful dishes that are not only straightforward and easy to prepare, but that are just downright delicious, too. Cheers!