But even though spring tempts us with flowering dogwoods and daffodils, there’s still plenty enough blustery cool weather for a good stew! This spring lamb stew takes advantage of the young green garlic you can find at farmers markets, peas, and new potatoes. What takes it over the top is the flavoring that comes from adding a couple of heads of roasted garlic to the stock. This lamb stew is also a easy on the budget, using “off” cuts like shoulder and stewing chunks (we bought 4 pounds of lamb stew meat for $10 at Whole Foods). The best parts about these cuts are that they are both cheap and flavorful, with lots of bone pieces and connective tissue that make a stew richer-tasting. Put the garlic in the well you made in the foil, then drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over the open cloves. Close up the foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. (See our roasted garlic recipe for more detailed photos for this step.) Once the garlic goes in the oven, take the lamb out to come to room temperature. Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels, and salt generously. Working in batches, brown the lamb pieces on all sides in the sauté pan. Don’t crowd the pan (or the meat will steam and not brown), and don’t stir the meat until a side has browned. Once the meat has browned, transfer the meat into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot with a lid. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. When the vegetables begin to brown, transfer them into the Dutch oven with the lamb. Deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the browned bits, and mix the roasted garlic in well. Once this comes to a rolling boil, let it cook down for 2-3 minutes, then pour it over the lamb and veggies in the Dutch oven. Right when you serve, taste the stew again. Add some salt and lemon juice of you want. Sometimes an acidic kick brightens the whole stew. Add a little at a time. The stew will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
