Brandon's Rich Lamb Stew

• 1 cube lamb stock
• 3/4 to 1 qt. water
• 2 tbsp. olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
• 6 lamb necks
• 4 lamb shanks
• 1 md. onion, cut into lg. chunks
• 1 can plum
• cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 lg. sweet potato, diced
• 1 lg. leek, sliced into pieces
• 2 lg. carrots, cut into pieces
• 1/2 container button
• flat mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed with back of knife
• minced
• 1-1/3 tsp. mustard powder
• 3 splashes md. sweet sherry
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 whole cloves
• Freshly ground pepper
• Fresh thyme
• 1 dash salt
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 4 cups stale white bread, torn in pieces
• 2 tbsp. flour
• Chives, finely chopped
• Parsely, finely chopped
• Sage, finely chopped
• Rosemary, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 to 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. sodium bicarbonate

1. Dissolve lamb stock cube in water, using microwave if necessary; set aside.
2. Heat large pot uncovered on high.
3. Brush olive oil on lamb; brown each side of lamb.
4. Set meat aside.
5. Brown onion for 4 minutes, with minimal stir-frying to ensure you get a few caramelized bits.
6. Empty can of tomatoes into pot.
7. Add lamb (including resting juices), brown sugar, bay leaves, cloves, 1 clove garlic and lamb stock.
8. Scrape onions and brown bits off bottom of pot to avoid sticking.
9. Turn down heat and simmer gently uncovered for 2 hours.
10. Add sweet potato, leeks, carrots, mushrooms, rest of garlic and cook for another 10 minutes.
11. Add mustard powder, sweet sherry and pepper; stir well.
12. Add dumplings into pot, only half submerging them in stew.
13. Spoon stew over dumplings.
14. Put a lid over pot and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes.
15. Don't boil, otherwise you'll end up with dense clusters of rubbery dough.
16. After 15 minutes add fresh thyme, check for taste and add salt if necessary.
17. Add more sherry if you desire a warmer stew.
18. Squeeze in half a lemon just before serving.
19. Serve with steamed rice or mash.
20. Herby Dumpling Mixture: Tear the bread into pieces.
21. Mix all ingredients until it reaches a doughy consistency.
22. Handling the mixture as little as possible, form into balls set aside for 30 minutes.

lamb stock, water, olive oil, necks, lamb shanks, onion, plum, cherry tomatoes, brown sugar, sweet potato, carrots, button, mushrooms, garlic, mustard powder, sweet sherry, bay leaves, cloves, freshly ground pepper, thyme, salt, lemon, stale white bread, flour, chives, rosemary, salt, eggs, bicarbonate

Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/18374 (may not work)