St Patrick's Day

Today is St Patrick's Day, and the most Irish thing I could think of (other than Guinness which I'm pretty sure I couldn't make!) was lamb stew. So that's what I have for lunch today.

My sisters will understand why it is a truely unbelievable occurence that I have made this....but let me explain.

My Dad, being retired, does the week-day cooking at my parents' house. He's a pretty decent cook. I like his spag bol, and shepherd's pie is always a favourite. Bacon and egg pie, also good. And he passed on a fantastic recipe for a smoked fish and potato dish.

But, as you may have deduced from the above list, cooking light meals is not something my Dad ever does.

Now, don't get me wrong; I do not mean to sound ungrateful here, but I have to confess that my heart literally sinks into my boots whenever the question 'what's on the menu?' is met with the reply 'good old bog standard'.

This means lamb stew.

And for some reason, I don't know why, it always seems a bit too greasy, a bit too fatty, a bit too heavy. I don't HATE it, but I would NEVER choose it.

Except that today I have lamb stew.

I cooked it long and slow with no added oil. I skimmed the fat off when it had cooled, and again when I took it out of the fridge to warm it up. I have little new potatoes in it instead of serving it with mash. I have nice fresh carrots and onions in it. And herbs.

I hope that all of this makes it more palatable to me. But I suspect that lamb stew just is, by its very nature, a heavy, fatty meal. That's the point of it.

Wish me luck....

UPDATE - Nope. Still don't like it much. Ah well, I tried!