A Lamb Stew for Two

Another recipe from the archives of my life. Not sure why I'm dredging up recipes from my past lately.  Maybe the quiet loneliness of the winter months makes me feel a bit nostalgic and reflective for some reason. Or maybe the fact that I'm getting older makes me think about the days of yore. Well, that's depressing! Never mind, it all ends happily as I get to make my once favourite stew again and post it for others to try.

 I grew up watching CBC (in the days without cable and internet...we only had about 3-4 channels with the help of our TV tower...some of you young folks may have to Google what those are- basically the ugly tower things that people had by their houses to help them receive 3-4 TV stations, on a good day.) In the days before there was a whole TV /cable network dedicated to Food  - there was James Barber's "The Urban Peasant" cooking show,  broadcasted at 4 pm I believe, on CBC  TV.  I always loved his approach to food; nothing fancy, just simple, easy, satisfying, real food meant to be enjoyed in the company of others. My parents (who are quite great cooks in their own right) gave me a James Barber cookbook called "Cooking for Two" way back in the day...when I was single, in that small bachelor apartment  with my fat cat that I mentioned in a previous post. I think they were trying to tell me something.  Doesn't matter. I enjoyed making and eating this recipe when I was single...and I love it even more when I get to share it with my hubbie, my favourite dining partner by far.  The star of this stew is lamb (from Thatcher Farms- love their lamb...and everything else there...) as well as a regularly featured ingredient on this blog, lentils. Love the lentils. Almost as much as I love the lamb. It's an incredibly simple stew to make, with a very short ingredients list.  So easy and so very delicious. Pour yourself a glass of red wine and share it with your loved one.

A Nice Lamb Stew for the Middle of Winter
from James Barber- the Urban Peasant  "Cooking for Two"

1- 19 oz can of brown lentils
1 small onion ( I used about 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped leeks. Love the leeks like I love the lentils)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2-3 fresh sage leaves, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
8 oz (250 g)  stewing lamb
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups or so of water
salt and pepper to taste


Drain and rinse the lentils under cold water. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Chop (or as Mr. Barber suggests, have your dinner companion  chop)  the onion (or leeks), garlic, sage, and tomatoes while you chop the lamb into bite-sized pieces.  Heat the vegetable oil in an oven proof pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb, and cook for 3 minutes, until it's nicely browned on all sides. Add the lentils, onions, garlic, sage, tomatoes, salt, pepper and water to the pot. Stir, cover, and place in oven. Let it cook for a total of 1 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is tender and the lentils have absorbed most of the water. Check the pot every 1/2 hour or so, add water if needed...I added about a 1/2 cup of water after about an hour of cooking. Serve with some nice crusty bread and some lovely red wine. Cheers!