Serves 8.
​Fix it and forget it.....this stew is super easy to put together.  The barley is a nice change of pace from traditional potatoes, so you get the hearty AND the healthy in this stew.  

1 lamb shoulder roast, 2-3 lb.
1 qt. chicken broth
6 carrots, peeled and cut into  2-inch pieces
1 onion, diced
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
2 t. dried thyme
1 c. barley
1/2 t. kosher salt, or to taste

Place roast in crockpot.  Pour chicken broth over the roast.  Add carrots, onion, tomatoes, bay leaves, and thyme.  Set crockpot to low for 6 hours.  After 6 hours, add barley and cook until it is softened, 60-90 minutes.  Continue to cook the stew until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.  When meat is tender, remove bones and shred the meat with two forks.   Add salt to taste.  

This simple recipe is from a beloved Norwegian relative (who lives in Norway, mind you) who shares a love of cooking.  We have had the privilege of eating at his table several times.  This recipe is very fun to put together, and the resulting tender stewed roast is amazing.  

1 shoulder roast of lamb, bone in or boneless, about 2-3 lb.
1 head green cabbage
2 lb. potatoes
12 pieces whole black pepper
2 t. kosher salt
3 T. white flour
4 c. beef broth, or 4 c. water heated with 2 T. beef bouillon powder mixed in
 
Norwegian bonus:  serve with flatbread and lingonberries
 
Remove the core from the cabbage.  Cut the head in half.  Lay the cut edge of the cabbage on the cutting board, then slice 5-6 wedges from each half, cutting at a slight angle across the head.  You will yield 10-12 boat-shaped wedges from the head.  

Slice roast into 1" thick pieces of meat, leaving one of the pieces with the bone in.  
 
Use a Dutch oven or large stock pot with lid.  

You will be layering meat and cabbage in the pot.  First, place the fattiest piece of lamb in the bottom of the pot, sprinkle 1/4 t. salt, a few pieces of pepper, and 1 T. flour over lamb.  Then spread 3-4 cabbage boats over meat.  Repeat meat/salt/pepper/flour layer and cabbage layers until gone, ending with a cabbage layer.  

Turn stovetop to high, and bring pot to a boil.  When it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and place cover on pot.  Let simmer for about 2 1/2 hours until the meat loosens from the bone.
 
During the last half hour, peel potatoes and boil them in water seasoned with 1 t. salt.  Cook 20-25 minutes or until soft.  

Serve stew over potatoes in bowls.

Stew:
​1 lamb shoulder roast, 2-3 lb.
32 oz. beef or chicken broth / stock, canned or homemade
1 large can whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
6-8 large green olives, sliced
1/2 c. raisins, regular or golden
2 T. dried minced onion or 1/2 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
1 T. cumin
2 t. smoked paprika
2 t. ground coriander
kosher salt to taste

Baked Rice:
1 1/2 c. brown rice - short, medium, or long-grained
2 1/3 c. water
2 t. olive oil or unsalted butter
1/2 t. salt

For the stew:  Place roast in slow cooker.  Add all stew ingredients except for the salt.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours or until meat is tender enough to fall off the bone.  When tender, use tongs to remove meat from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board.  Remove and discard excess fat, cartilage, and bone.  Shred meat and return to slow cooker.  Add salt to taste.

For the rice:  Preheat oven to 375. In 8 x 8 glass baking dish, pour rice evenly over bottom.  Bring water to a boil and pour over rice.  Add oil and salt, stir to distribute.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 1 hour, let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

To serve:  Place rice in bottom of soup bowls, label stew over rice.