SERVES:

6-8

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds lamb stew meat (see hints below)

salt and pepper for seasoning meat

approx. 1/3 cup all-purpose flour for dusting seasoned meat

3-4 Tbs vegetable oil for browning meat in batches

1 large rough chopped onion

1 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups rough chopped peeled carrots

1- 2 cups rough chopped peeled parsnip

2 cups halved baby potatoes

one 12-ounce Guinness (or substitute 1 1/2 cups dry red wine)

15-ounce can chopped tomatoes

3 cups unsalted beef broth

PROCEDURE:

Generously season the stew meat with salt and pepper on a baking tray and then toss that with all-purpose flour to coat.

Next, brown the meat, in batches, in a large wide heavy bottomed pan on medium to medium high heat in a little vegetable oil and, once it has browned all around, add it to the slow cooker.

As soon as the meat is out of the pan, add one large rough chopped onion and 1 Tbs of finely minced fresh rosemary. Add one 12-ounce Guinness to the pan and then use a wooden spoon to help scrape up the flour that's stuck to the bottom of the pan and let that cook along for a minute to soften the onion.

At that point, add one 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes and 3 cups of unsalted beef stock and bring that up to a simmer.

Meanwhile, add 2 cups of peeled rough chopped carrots, 1 cup of peeled rough chopped parsnip and 2 cups of halved baby potatoes to the slow cooker and then, once the beef broth is warm, carefully add that to the slow cooker.

Then put the lid on top and cook it on high heat for 4 - 5 hours or low heat for 8 - 10  hours. (see hints below)

HINTS:

You could substitute 2 pounds of beef stew meat for the 2 pounds of lamb stew meat.

The reason for halving instead of quartering the baby potatoes is so they don't overcook in the long cooking time.

You can thicken the stew a bit when it's done by using a lidded jar to combine 3- 4 Tbs all-purpose flour with 1/2 - 3/4 cup water and shaking to combine (with the lid on top). Use a ladle to scoop 3 cups of the beef broth into a deep pan on the stovetop on medium heat and slowy whisk in some of the flour and water mixture to thicken as desired. You may or may not use all of the flour/water. Add the thickened broth back to the slow cooker, season to taste and serve.