Spanish-Style Lamb Stew

This one I'll have to try.   I think lamb is excellent and often prefer it over beef.    Add in the Spanish flavors served as a nice stew and its a nice dinner.
www.nytimes.com April 13, 2010

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder), cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon pimentón de la Vera, preferably picante or agridulce (paprika)
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
3/4 cup red wine, preferably Rioja
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 bay leaves
3 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

1. Warm oil in a large heavy-bottom pot with a lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, sprinkle lamb generously with salt and pepper and cook in batches to avoid overcrowding, turning once or twice, until each piece is well browned all over, about 15 minutes total. Transfer pieces to a plate as they brown.

2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and add onions, bell pepper, garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers are softened, about 5 minutes. Add pimentón and stir for a minute. Stir in tomatoes, breaking them into bite-size pieces and scraping browned bits from the pot. Add wine, chicken stock, vinegar and bay leaves and bring just to a boil.

3. Return lamb to pot and reduce heat so mixture is bubbling very gently. Partly cover pot and cook, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until lamb is very tender, about 2 hours. Discard bay leaves. Stir in beans and cook another 10 minutes to heat them through. Stir in parsley and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Yield: 6 servings.