chef Renate DeGeorge Double-smoked lamb stew with craft porter gravy

Preparation

Method:
For the double-smoked lamb: Soak 1 quart wood chips in water at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat a grill to LOW heat, 200 to 250 degrees F. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the onions for 3 minutes. Remove, peel and trim them. Toss the lamb, oil and vegetables together in a perforated pan or fine-mesh grill rack. Season with the salt. Drain the wood chips and place them in the smoker box or over a burner on a gas grill. Place the rack of meat and vegetables on the grill and close the lid. Smoke them for about 1 hour, or until the wood chips are fully depleted.

For the stew: Transfer the meat and vegetables to a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add the stock, rosemary and pepper. Simmer the stew uncovered over LOW heat, until the lamb is tender, about 60 minutes (1 hour). Remove the rosemary sprig after 10 minutes of simmering. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a measuring cup, make a slurry of the porter and flour. Slowly add the slurry to the stew over low heat, stirring gently. Simmer until the stew is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

For the phyllo: Working with one square of phyllo and keeping the rest covered with a towel, brush ¼ of the butter on the phyllo. Twist it into a knot shape and sprinkle it with ¼ of the paprika. Repeat with the remaining phyllo. Transfer the phyllo knots to a piece of parchment and slide the parchment onto a baking sheet. Bake until golden and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Ladle the lamb stew into bowls, top each with one knot of phyllo, and sprinkle with the parsley.