IRISH STEW

Here is my Irish stew recipe as promised.  Believe me this is good!  I got the recipe from the newspaper one St. Patrick's Day when I was around 16 years old.  (For those of you in Philly it was the Evening Bulletin.  Remember that paper?)  I have given the recipe to so many people and everyone thinks it is the best stew around.

IRISH STEW

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. lean boneless lamb, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

(I have also used beef cubes and ground beef made into mini meat balls)

1 1/2 cups water

1 8oz can stewed tomatoes  (I often use a larger can and usually use diced tomatoes.  It all depends on your taste.)

1 1/2 cups sliced onions

1/2 cup celery and leaves

1/4 cup parsley

1 large clove garlic, crushed

1 beef bouilon cube

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

6 carrots, sliced

8 small potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp. cornstarch

Combine lamb, water, tomatoes, onion, celery, parsley, garlic, bouilon cube, salt, thyme and pepper in a Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook slowly 1 1/2 hours.  Add carrots and potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook 30 minutes.  Blend 2 tablespoons of broth into cornstarch.  Pour into remaining broth mixture.  Cover and cook 5 minutes until stew is thickened.

If anyone tries this, please let me know what you think of it.