A hearty Irish lamb stew braised low with turnips, riced celeriac, and thyme

This is not a weeknight recipe, and it does not pretend to be. You need a pot heavy enough to go from stovetop to oven, about 2 hours of unhurried time, and the patience to let a shoulder of lamb sit low and slow until it falls apart at the touch of a fork. On a body that is already asking for rest, a meal like this rewards you for slowing down instead of punishing you for it.

Lamb is a solid source of iron, which a body working hard to calm inflammation and repair tissue needs in real supply, and browning the meat first is what builds the depth the rest of the braise depends on. Turnip and riced celeriac stand in for potato here and take on the pan juices just as well.

When you lift the lid after 2 hours and the kitchen smells like thyme and browned meat, let that be worth something on its own, before you have even tasted a bite. Slow food is one way of telling your body you are not in a hurry with it either.

Ingredients

• 2-lb lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or other solid fat
• 2 medium red onions, each cut through the base into 8 wedges
• 4 large cloves garlic, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 long sprigs thyme
• 3 cups rich bone broth
• 3 small to medium (1 lb) turnips, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium celeriac, riced thickly to yield 2 cups
• 1/4 packed cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt, or to taste

Method

Heat the oven to about 325F. Warm the coconut oil in a heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Pat the lamb pieces dry, then brown them in batches so the pot is not crowded, turning to color them on all sides. Browning the meat first builds the deep, savory base the stew is built on. Set the browned lamb aside.

Lower the heat a little and add the red onion wedges, sliced garlic, celery chunks, and carrot. Cook, stirring now and then, until the onions soften and take on a little color. Return the lamb and any resting juices to the pot, lay in the thyme sprigs, and pour in the bone broth. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

Cover the pot and slide it into the oven. Braise for about 2 hours, until the lamb is becoming tender. Add the turnip pieces and continue braising until the turnips are nearly soft. Then stir in the riced celeriac and cook a little longer, just until the celeriac is tender and the broth has thickened slightly. Season with the Maldon salt to taste, fish out the thyme stems, and finish with the chopped parsley. Serve warm.

Instant Pot variation

To make this in an Instant Pot, brown the lamb in batches on the saute setting, soften the onions, garlic, celery, and carrot, then return the lamb with the thyme and bone broth. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for about 30 minutes with a natural release of about 15 minutes. Add the turnips and riced celeriac, then cook on saute or a short additional high-pressure cycle until both are tender. Finish with salt and parsley. (Pressure time is an estimate and untested against the source.)

*Adapted from autoimmunewellness.com*