Healthy Irish Stew
Source: Cook Smart for a Healthy Heart, Reader’s Digest Canada
Servings Prep Time
4servings 20minutes
Cook Time
2hours 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4servings 20minutes
Cook Time
2hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). In a large casserole dish, make layers of the lamb, potatoes, onion and carrots, sprinkling each layer with parsley, thyme, chives and pepper. Finish with a layer of potatoes, then pour over the stock.
  2. Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven to cook for about 2 hours or until both the meat and vegetables feel tender when tested with a skewer.
  3. Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF (200ºC). Remove the casserole lid and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the potatoes on top are golden-brown and crisp. Serve Irish stew hot, sprinkled with more thyme and parsley.
Recipe Notes

Irish stew variations: Add 120 g whole small button mushrooms, layering them in the casserole with the onion and carrots. • If you want the cooking liquid to be slightly thickened, sprinkle 1 tablespoon pearl barley between the first few layers along with the herbs. • For a real taste of Ireland, you can replace half of the stock with Guinness.

Per serving: 383 calories, 33 g protein, 10 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 89 mg cholesterol, 39 g total carbohydrate, 12 g sugars, 9 g fibre, 583 mg sodium

Carrots are not traditional in Irish stew, but they are well worth including, both for their colour and flavour and also their nutritional properties. They provide vitamins A and C as well as potassium.