Irish Stew

I'm very proud of my Irish heritage and this recipe was passed down to me through my mother from her mother. I've edited it slightly to include more conventional ingredients such as beef stock cubes rather than real beef stock. It's a deliciously hearty and down to earth recipe great for winter. (Even if I do make it all year round!)

IRISH STEW
(serves 6)

INGREDIENTS
1.25kg lamb neck chops, trimmed*
1/2 cup plain flour
3 brown onions, chopped
1kg potatoes, peeled, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups boiling water
3 beef stock cubes, crumbled
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C (150°C fan-forced)

2. Cut the chops in half. Place flour in a plastic bag and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place chops in bag and shake well until chops are well coated. Transfer chops to a plate and reserve flour.

3. Place onions, potatoes and carrots in an ovenproof dish. Top with half the chops. Repeat layers with the remaining onions, potatoes, carrots and chops.

4. Whisk reserved flour, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a large jug or bowl until well combined. Slowly add boiling water, whisking constantly. Add stock cubes and parsley, stir to dissolve stock cubes.

5. Pour mixture over chops and vegetables. Cover and cook for 4 hours or until the meat is tender and sauce has thickened.

NOTES
This recipe can be cooked in a slower cooker. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker as directed above and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.

*I use lamb neck chops as a preference, however any thick cut lamb chop or steak will suffice. You can also cut the lamb into cubes and mix all ingredients together for a slightly different feel.