Lamb And Cabbage Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium head cabbage, about 3 lbs
3 lbs lean lamb shoulder, boned and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup flour
5 cups beef stock
1/2 cup sour cream or 1/2 cup heavy cream
The Roux
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 300*. Trim the cabbage of any discolored outer leaves. Core it and slice it into slim wedges.
In a large Dutch oven or kettle, layer 1/3 of the lamb, generous sprinklings of salt and pepper, and 1/3 each of the flour and cabbage. Repeat twice more.
Pour in the beef stock, and set the Dutch oven over moderate heat. Bring the broth to a simmer.
Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 2 hours, until the lamb is tender.
In the meantime, prepare the roux by melting the butter in a frying pan and stirring in the flour. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Drain the juices into a medium saucepan, skimming off the fat. Quickly whisk in the roux, and simmer until thickened.
Whisk in the sour cream or heavy cream and season to taste. Pour the gravy back into the Dutch oven.
Serve with cooked unpeeled new potatoes if you wish.