Why, Hello There!

I truly believe food is love; it calms the soul, and lightens the heart. I am pleased you are here to share my many recipes, crafts and thoughts. Thank you so much for joining me, and may you always eat, drink, and be merry!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Braised Lamb with Autumn Vegetables over Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Healthy, hearty, and easy to create: Throw the ingredients into your slow cooker and let cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Enjoy tucking into this late autumn supper! 






Ingredients

For Lamb and Vegetables:

1.5 pounds lamb cubed
2 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon vegetable base
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

For the Potatoes:

4 large potatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
--extra milk *optional





Method

For Lamb and Vegetables:

Sear lamb in a pan with 2 tablespoons butter on med high heat for about 1 minute on each side.  Add to slow cooker.  Deglaze the pan with 1/2 red wine and whisk in 1 tablespoon vegetable base; add to slow cooker. 

Add prepared garlic, carrots, onion, zucchini, salt, pepper, and fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary (tied together with butcher's twine) to the slow cooker. Reserve 2 cups of chopped vegetables to add later.  Set your slow cooker to low and let cook for 4-6 hours. One hour before the lamb is finished add reserved vegetables to your crockpot, and begin preparing the mashed potatoes. 

For the Potatoes:
Peel and cube the potatoes into 1" to 2" pieces. Add the potatoes to a pot and cover them with water.
Put a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over high to medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce
 the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender and falling apart.

After the potatoes are cooked all the way through, drain them and add the salt, pepper, parsley, crushed garlic, heavy whipping cream, butter, and extra milk if needed. Use either a potato masher or electric mixer to combine the potatoes until creamy.  

To Serve:

Spoon the finished lamb and vegetables over a bed of the mashed potatoes.  Garnish with finely minced rosemary, or parsley. Bon Appetite!