Full Belly Stew
1 lb lamb w/bones (the most economical and quite delicious is 1 or 2 lamb necks)
Large Stock Pot
Water
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 medium tomatoes (or leave them and hot pepper out at this stage and add some Primavera roasted tomato salsa at the end)
1 jalapeno or some cayenne pepper to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 TBL dried oregano (Rancho Gordo mexican oregano is a good choice)
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 small head green cabbage, chopped
4-6 small potatoes (yukon, red and german butterball are good)
1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed
3 ears fresh corn kernels or 1 cup frozen
a few carrots, diced
a few handfuls of green beans, chopped in 1/2 in pieces
1 small winter squash, chopped bite sized chunks
1 cup fresh shelling peas or 1 cup frozen 1 summer squash (a nice firm light green zucchini is nice)
1 small bunch cilantro
1 small bunch mint
Put the lamb in a stock pot and cover with water, bring to a boil then simmer several hours until meat is tender. Remove meat from pot and cool, then pick meat from bones.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and chili peppers and saute for 10 minutes.
Stir in spices and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add this mixture to the lamb stock Add quinoa, hard squash, carrots and potatoes and simmer about 20 min.
Add remaining veggies (except mint and cilantro) and cook until tender.
Correct seasoning with salt and pepper and add hot water if soup needs to be thinned.
Turn off heat then stir in mint and cilantro.