Lamb Stew with Apples 

Modern apple cookbooks don’t seem to include recipes for true “sweet” apples that lack acidity. That’s probably no surprise since the old sweet apples are hard to come by, even at farm stands. But old timers grew a sweet apple or two in their home orchards to use for molasses, sauce and sweetening meat dishes. Before the days of pepto bismol Dr. Mom cooked up sweet apples in milk for family members with an upset stomach.

John is still a big fan of sweet apples in stew. They hold their shape through the hours of slow cooking and impart a subtle contrast to the savory meat. He served as advisor and taste tester for the following recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil

• 1 pound of lamb stew meat - cut into cubes

• 3 firm, sweet apples, such as Tolman Sweet, Pound Sweet or Pumpkin Sweet - cored and chopped into 1” cubes

• 2 medium onions - chopped

• 3-4 medium tomatoes - chopped

• 2 Tbs tomato paste

• 4 cups dry white wine or dry hard cider

• salt and pepper to taste

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp sweet paprika

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 bay leaf

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other oven-proof casserole. Brown the meat well on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the spices, and let them sizzle in the oil for a minute or two. Then add the onions, tomatoes, apples, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and tomato paste. Stir well so the vegetables and apples are coated with the spices.

3. Pour in two cups of the wine/cider, and bring to a boil. Give it a taste, and adjust the seasonings.

4. Cover the casserole, and place in the preheated oven.

5. Cook the stew for 2-4 hours. The longer you cook it, the more tender the lamb will be. Make sure you check on it every half hour or so and add more liquid (wine/cider/water/broth) as it dries out.

6. When the lamb is tender enough to melt in your mouth, it is time to eat. Serve over rice or with crusty bread to soak up the juices.