Lamb Stew with Onions and Mini Peppers

The weather is cooling down and the time for heavier dishes is almost here. However, it’s still not the time for very heavy dishes, so here is an easy to assemble solution.
In this stew, the lamb is not coated with flour and is braised in a fairly light sauce, that relies mostly on onions, peppers, cilantro and light tomato sauce for flavor. The gentle cooking and braising keep the shape and color of the vegetables, while the meat is tender and falls off the bones.
All this creates a perfect dish for the fall. I’m sure you’ll agree once you’ll try it.

Notes:
* Since mini peppers have delicate skin, removing the skin is not necessary. I cut them into large pieces, so that they will keep their shape.
* I’ve used my quick and homemade cherry tomatoes sauce (find the recipe HERE), which is light and has natural sweetness to it. If you’re using store bought sauce, use one that is mildly flavored and not too chunky
* This dish is perfect for easy entertaining, as it can be made a day in advance. In fact, the flavor will be even better. Keep in the fridge in a tightly covered pot and bring to room temperature before reheating gently on medium-low heat.

Makes: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced thick
2 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp Cayenne
2.2 lbs (1 kg) lamb shoulder, bone in
12-14 mini peppers, halved, seeds removed
1 cup fruity white wine
1 cup beef stock
1 Tbs honey (preferably orange blossom)
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped + for serving
1 cup tomato sauce (see notes)

1. Heat the oil in a large shallow pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, paprika and Cayenne. Mix and sauté until the onions start to soften. With a spatula, push them to one side of the pot and add the lamb. Fry the lamb for 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Spread the onions all over the pot and place the lamb on top. Add the peppers and mix gently. Add the white wine, beef stock and honey and top with cilantro and tomato sauce. Cover the pot and bring to the boil, tilling the pot gently to mix the ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200F (93C). Place the covered pot in the oven and braise for 1 hour. Uncover the pot, taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Place the uncovered pot back in the oven for half an hour. 
3. At this point the stew can be served immediately, but it will taste even better if kept in the fridge overnight and reheated gently the following day.