Scouse is a type of stew well-liked in Northern Europe. The English phrase scouse is a shortened type of lobscouse, taken from related phrases just like the Norwegian lapskaus, Swedish lapskojs, and Danish labskovs. The dish, which doubtless originated within the Baltic, is a standard sailor’s stew consisting of salted meat or fish and thickened with ship’s biscuits. Right now, the phrase is carefully associated to the port metropolis of Liverpool, to the purpose the place inhabitants of Liverpool are colloquially referred to as “Scousers”.
In my analysis, I centered on the trendy Liverpool interpretation of Scouse, and shortly discovered that there’s a sure pleasure in making ready what’s identified as we speak as a “correct Scouse”. A correct Scouse, it appears, is low on elements, indicative of the dish’s humble origins. Right now, the dish is ready with lamb neck, onion, carrots, and potato – and never a lot else. In step with this custom, I saved the elements record to a minimal; no fancy parsley right here. This dish is usually served with pickled cabbage or beets, so seize these whenever you’re on the market, too.
My foremost goal in creating and sharing this recipe was to deal with it as an train in restraint, relying solely on salt and pepper to excellent the stew’s delicate profile. To spherical out the flavour, many will serve HP Sauce with the completed stew (HP Sauce is a UK-based brown sauce that is sort of a cross between ketchup and Worcestershire sauce). As a concession, I flavored my stew with Worcestershire close to the tip, for these of us with out entry to this condiment.
Scouse (Gluten-free, Primal, Paleo, Good Well being Food regimen, Whole30 adaptable)
2 tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil
2 lbs lamb neck, shoulder, or stew meat (or beef chuck roast), bone-in most popular
1 medium onion, chopped
1.5 lbs potatoes, peeled and lower into bite-sized chunks, divided
2 cups hen broth
3 giant carrots (about 3/4 lb), peeled and lower into bite-sized chunks
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to style
pickled purple cabbage or beets to serve
1. In a dutch oven or stockpot, warmth the butter over medium/excessive warmth till frothy; add the lamb items and brown on either side till simply crispy, about 4 minutes per aspect. Cut back warmth to medium, take away the lamb items, and add the onion. Saute till softened, about 6 minutes, then add 1/3 of the potatoes, hen broth, and browned lamb items, then add sufficient water to simply cowl the meat. Convey to a boil, then cowl and scale back warmth to low; simmer till the meat is simply tender, about 1.5 hours. Immerse the remaining 2/3 of the peeled potatoes in some cool water to remain recent because the stew cooks.
2. As soon as the meat is simply tender, fish out the meat items and set them apart. Utilizing a potato masher or a whisk, mash the potatoes to create a thick sauce; don’t overmash or the potatoes will develop into gluey. Return the lamb items to the pot, minus the bones; decide any meat from the bones and including it to the pot as properly. Stir within the carrots and remaining potatoes; cowl and simmer till the greens are fork-tender, about quarter-hour.
3. Add the Worcestershire sauce then season with salt and pepper to style; serve with pickled purple cabbage or beets.
