Oh the time to pick apples has arrived and what better thing to do than actually make meals with them! I love making stews in the Fall, it always warms me up and they feel like a big hug after a long day at work. The best thing about stews is that they’re easy to do and if you make a big batch, you’ll have great left overs and amazing lunches (your colleagues will be jealous!) for the following days. And your kids and hubby will be more than happy that you have more quality time to spend with them and less time to give in front of the stove!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 kg of lamb cubes
1 onion (diced)
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 bouquet garni (or 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, 1 thyme branch, 2 bay leaves)
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
5 cups of beef broth (or lamb if you can find some)
2 cups of apple juice (the homemade looking kind…)
Apple garnish
2 tablespoons of butter
3 apples (peeled & sliced)
Preparation
In a large casserole, add the oil and cook the onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the lamb cubes and sear the meat on every side until it is evenly browned. It takes a few minutes but it’s worth it, the caramelized flavours are the secret! Add the flour, the broth and the apple juice. Then mix in the Dijon mustard and the bouquet garni.
Bring the pot to a simmer. Cook on medium heat for 1h45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add broth or apple juice if needed while cooking.
For the garnish, once your meat is cooked, put the butter in a pan and caramelise your apples. Don’t cook them too long as you want the a bit on the crunchy side!
The Little Chef 