Ingredient List

• Serves 4
• 1.5kg lamb chops not less than 1-inch thick (neck chops are sweetest)
• 6 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 8-12 potatoes
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Nestled in the rolling green fields of East Cork is Ballymaloe, a picturesque country house and farm and cookery school owned by the Allen family. Cork County has an abundance of Saint Patrick’s festivities, and Ballymaloe plays an integral role in those traditions.  Darina Allen, Chef of the Ballymaloe Cookery School, says their traditional family feasts on the holiday include stews, homemade breads and puddings. The Allens assemble big spreads on tables swathed in Irish linen. Everything on the tables is made with produce, poultry and meats from the Ballymaloe farms, and the fish is caught fresh from the nearby seashore. The celebration overflows with whiskeys and local ales.

Preheat oven to 180degC.
Cut the lamb chops in half and trim off some of the excess fat. Set the lamb aside. In a heavy bottomed pan, cook the fat trimmings to render liquid fat. Discard the remaining pieces.
Toss the lamb chops in the hot liquid fat and cook until slightly brown on both sides. Remove the lamb chops and reserve. Toss the chopped onions and carrots in the fat. Build the meat, carrots and onions up in layers in a casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using the stock, deglaze the pan the meat was cooked in, and pour the liquid into the casserole dish. Peel the potatoes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and lay them whole on top of the stew – they will steam as the stew cooks. Add the sprig of thyme, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover and put in the oven until stew is cooked, 1 to 2 hours.
When ready, pour the cooking liquid out of the stew. Transfer the meat and the vegetables to a clean pan. Skim the grease out of the cooking liquid, and pour the remaining cooking liquid over the stew. Sprinkle with the parsley and chives to garnish. Serve immediately.
From Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook by Darina Allen – (Pelican Publishing Company 2002)

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