Huey's Irish Stew With a Touch of Paris

I found this intriguing recipe in Australian chef Iain Hewitson's book 'Tales and Recipes from a Travelling Cook'. Having tracked down the best Irish stew in Ireland - that served at The Common's Restaurant in Dublin - he arranged for the chef to cook it for him, only to discover that the chef was a Frenchman! Huey reports that the chef was "a terrific cook" and that his Irish stew was "thankfully, absolutely delicious". I've not yet tried this recipe. I've posted it for the Zaar World Tour 2005.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 -4  lamb necks (trimmed of all sinew, and most of the fat, and cubed. You can probably get your butcher to do this.)
• 1  carrot, peeled and diced
• 2  celery ribs, diced
• 1  large onion, peeled and diced
• 2  leeks, thoroughly washed and diced
• 6  spring onions, diced
•  salt, to taste
•  fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 8  black peppercorns
• 6  juniper berries
• 2  star anise
• 4 -6  large floury potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
•  chopped parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Place the cubed lamb necks in a large pot and cover with water.
3. Add all the vegetables to the pot, and season to taste.
4. Tie the spices in muslin and add to the pot.
5. Bring the pot to the boil, then tightly cover with both foil and a lid, and place in the oven.
6. Cook for 50-60 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.
7. Meanwhile, place the potatoes on a baking tray in the bottom of the oven, and cook until they are tender. Remove and allow them to cool enough that they are easy to handle, then peel and roughly mash them.
8. Add the mash to the pot and mix thoroughly.
9. Serve the stew sprinkled with parsley and with plenty of crusty bread.