Lamb Stew with Cauliflower Couscous (AIP-Friendly)

This lamb stew is hearty and delicious. It's a perfect dish to transition from winter to spring, as spring lamb comes to the market, and evenings are still chilly. I serve this with cauliflower "couscous" rather than the traditional crusty bread. However, if bread isn't a problem for you, go for it--smeared with some salted grass-fed butter! This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

1/4 lb bacon
1 lb lamb shoulder, cut into 1" pieces
3 T arrowroot starch
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb carrots, chopped
1/2 lb parsnips, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 t tamarind paste (or tomato paste, if you can have nightshades)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried
1/4 c dry white wine
2 c bone broth
1/4 c chopped parsley
1 T lemon juice
Sea salt
Optional: freshly ground black pepper

1 large head cauliflower
2 T coconut oil (or grass-fed ghee or butter)
1/4 c shallots, finely chopped
1 T chopped parsley
1 T sea salt

Lamb Stew

1. Heat a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-low heat. Chop bacon into 1" pieces and cook in pot until nicely crisp. Meanwhile, dry the lamb thoroughly and combine 1/4 t salt with the tapioca starch in a shallow dish. Evenly coat the lamb pieces in the salt and starch on all sides, brushing off any access. When the bacon is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate.
2. Now turn on your oven fan and open some windows (and maybe turn off your smoke detector). In the lovely bacon grease, brown the lamb pieces on all sides. Don't crowd the lamb--you want it to brown, not steam. You may need to do this in batches. Each batch should take only a few minutes total to brown; watch to make sure the meat doesn't burn. When the lamb is browned, add it to the plate with bacon with  a slotted spoon.
3. The Dutch oven/pot should now be empty (except for about 1 T of bacon grease and some browned bits). If you don't have enough bacon grease in the pot, you might want to add some coconut oil, lard, or other healthy cooking fat. Add the onions and sauté until soft. Then add the garlic and stir for 1 minute or until very fragrant. Now add the carrots, parsnips, and celery. Stir in the tamarind paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir well, and let cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the lamb and bacon back into the pot, pour in the wine, and now it's really a party! Stir well and let the wine simmer away until it's mostly evaporated. Then add the broth. The meat and vegetables should be almost completely submerged in liquid. Feel free to add a little bit more broth or water if you need more liquid.
5. Bring to a boil, put the lid on the pot, and lower the heat to a bare simmer. Cook for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. When the stew is finished cooking, stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Cauliflower Couscous

1. In a food processor, or using a box grater, rice the cauliflower florets. If you are using a food processor, put the cauliflower in the base of the bowl with the blade and pulse until the cauliflower resembles couscous. Careful to not overdo it--you don't want puree. (If you do overdo it though, just switch gears and make a cauliflower puree instead). You will probably need to do this in batches.
2. Heat a large skillet and melt coconut oil. Sauté shallots until they are soft, then stir in 1 T parsley and 1 T sea salt. Add the cauliflower couscous, stirring often, until it is no longer crunchy (5-8 minutes).
3. Put a scoop of cauliflower in the bottom of each bowl and top with lamb stew.