Name: Irish Stew
Ingredients: 3 pound mutton or lamb; 2 large potatoes; 4 ounce turnips (roughly chopped); 8 ounce carrots (roughly chopped); 1 tablespoon barley; 3 pint hot water; 12 ounce onions (roughly chopped); 1 small onion (whole); 1 medium leek; Salt and black pepper; Sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme; 2 tablespoon cornflour; 1 tablespoon milk

Irish Stew

Ingredients

3 pounds mutton or lamb
2 large potatoes
4 ounces turnips (roughly chopped)
8 ounces carrots (roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon barley
3 pints hot water
12 ounces onions (roughly chopped)
1 small onion (whole)
1 medium leek
Salt and black pepper
Sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Cut the meat into large rough pieces and place in hot water in heavy pot. Add turnips and carrots, thick and roughly chopped. Place small whole onion in centre bottom of pot. This remains right through to end of cooking time and adds wonderfully to the flavour. Bring to boiling point, reduce heat and simmer very slowly for at least 2 hours. During this time add chopped onions and freshly chopped parsley and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste at regular intervals. One hour before end of cooking or thereabouts place large potato chunks into stew and add cornflour mixed with milk to thicken. Add more thyme at this stage. When cooking is finished and vegetables are well cooked but not mushy remove onion from end of pot and discard. Serve stew on large soup dishes and eat with Irish home baked brown bread.