LIGHT STEW WITH LAMB

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds lamb shoulder, well-trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-1/2-inch
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup Red Red sauce
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 cups water, plus 2 tablespoons more for cooking onions and garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 small sprig fresh thyme
• 4 large carrots or parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on diagonal
• 1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in quarters
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the lamb in three batches, adding one more tablespoon of oil for each batch. Do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a brown crust before turning with tongs. It should take 5-8 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meat to large bowl and set aside.
2. Add the onions, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water to the pot. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes more.
4. Add the lamb with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the Red Red sauce, beef broth, water, bay leaf, and rosemary and thyme sprigs. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for one hour and twenty minutes.