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Recipe Detail Page
Lamb, Sausage and Bean Witches’ Brew
Autumn 2011
For a luxurious addition to the stew, add two legs of duck confit if you are able to find it. It can be placed in the pot at the same time as the beans, and then the meat is shredded into the stew just before serving. Pork belly can be found at most eastern European shops but if unavailable you can use pancetta, which has more spicing on it.
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, duck fat or bacon drippings
2 lbs (1 kg) boneless lamb shoulder, cubed into stew-size pieces
3 cups (750 mL) onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup (125 mL) tomato paste
2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cloves, optional
½ lb (250 g) piece of cured pork belly
10 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine, or leaves removed and chopped
3 fresh bay leaves, or 2 dried 1 lb (500 g) garlic sausage (andouille or mild Italian are good options)
4 cups (1 L) white beans, drained (use a variety such as Great Northern or cannellini)
Salt to taste
1 In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Working in batches, add the cubed lamb and cook until well browned, about 12 minutes each batch.
2 Remove lamb from pot and set aside. Add onions to pot, cook for 5 minutes, add tomato paste, garlic and cloves and cook for 1 minute longer.
3 Place browned lamb, cured pork, thyme and bay leaves in pot, add just enough water to come to the top of the meats, barely covering. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 1½ hours then add the sausage, beans and just enough water to come to the top of the ingredients, barely covering. Simmer for another hour, making sure that the mixture doesn’t become too dry. If needed, add another ¼ cup (60 mL) or more of water to loosen the mixture.
4 Before serving, make sure the lamb is tender; if not, cook another 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Once ready to serve, discard the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Slice the sausages into quarters and place back in pot. Slice pork into small strips and place back in pot.
5 Add water to adjust consistency if needed, salt to taste if needed and serve with crusty bread.
Serves 6 to 8
