Do not be deceived into thinking that a scarcity of ingredients makes a tasteless stew! The following recipe is absolutely delicious. I've often made it using lamb chunks instead of the chops. (Sorry, not a grain of barley in any of the following!!)

Irish Stew
750g lamb chops
1 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups water
6-8 large potatoes, peeled and halved
1-2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)

Lay the chops in a casserole dish, cover with the onion slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour over the cold water. Simmer slowly for 2-3 hours. Add the potatoes to the meat, and simmer for a further hour until the potatoes show signs of breaking up. Add the tomatoes with the potatoes if liked. Add more water if necessary, but the stew should not be too watery.

This one is nice, too.

Lamb Hotpot with Crunchy Dumplings
1kg boned stewing lamb (breast or shoulder)
3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons flour
450ml stock
2 bay leaves
salt and ground black pepper
250g can butter beans, drained

Dumplings:
185g self-raising flour
90g shredded suet
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs
salt and ground black pepper
water to mix

Cut the meat into cubes and fry quickly in the oil to brown. Remove to a plate. Add the onion and carrots to the pan and fry gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, then add the stock and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Add the bay leaves and seasoning and return the meat to the pan. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish, cover and cook for about 1 hour at 180C. Stir in the butter beans. Make up the dumplings by mixing the dry ingredients together and mixing to a stiff dough with the water. Divide into eight small balls. Drop into the casserole and cover again and return to the oven another 30 minutes, uncovering after 15 minutes to let the dumplings go crunchy and browned on top. Serve hot with green leafy vegetables or leeks.

And a couple more:

Lamb Stew
1kg boneless leg or shoulder lamb, cubed
seasoned flour
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter
90g bacon, cubed
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter, extra
12 small onions
12 baby carrots
3 small turnips, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon sugar
500g green peas, shelled
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Roll meat cubes in seasoned flour, shaking off excess flour. Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan and fry bacon until starting to brown. Add lamb and garlic, brown lamb all over, over moderately high heat. Add stock, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan well. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Heat the extra butter in another saucepan, add onions, carrots and turnips, toss for a minute to coat with butter. Sprinkle sugar over and toss again until all vegetables are glazed. Add to the stew and cook for 15 minutes, covered. Add peas and cook for another 15 minutes, or until lamb and vegetables are tender. Stir in parsley and taste for seasoning. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and crusty bread. [I don't like turnips, so I omit these.]

Lamb Wine Hotpot
400g lamb, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
I small sweet potato, diced
1/2 cup diced pumpkin
1/2 cup sweet white wine
1/2 cup water or stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
pinch powdered sage
pinch ground cumin
pinch dried coriander
generous pinch cayenne
pepper
1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with a little water

Saute the meat, onions and garlic in a non-stick pan until brown. Transfer to a saucepan, add remaining ingredients except cornflour. Simmer covered for 1 hour until meat is tender. Thicken with cornflour and serve with steamed vegetables or wild rice. Beef or veal can be used instead of lamb. [Naturally, I omit the pumpkin in this one! I use yellow sweet potato instead.]

I like this one:
HEARTY IRISH STEW (serves 6-8)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lb lean lamb stew meat
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
3 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1 TBL salt (or less)
1/2 tsp pepper
Assorted vegetables: small new potatoes, carrots, pearl onions
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add meat & brown on all sides. Add onion & garlic; cook until onion is soft & golden. Add wine & next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover & simmer 1 1/2 hours. Add vegetables as desired; simmer until tender (about 1 hour.) Mix cornstarch & cold water; stir into stew. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.~~ From Food for Thought

Here are a couple of T & T lamb stew type recipes.

Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Lamb Ragout With Winter Vegetables
==================================
I sometimes Substitute

3 Medium garlic cloves
1 Large onion
3 Pounds Boneless Lamb, cut into 1 1 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 Cups Beef Broth
1-1/2 Cups Red Wine
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
2 Japanese Eggplants, cut Crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
12 Large Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 Red, Green and Yellow Peppers Julienned
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Butter
12 Dried Apricots, Cut into Slivers
1/2 Cup White Raisins (I omit these)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Coarsely Chopped
Salt and Pepper to Taste
. Peel garlic and onion, coarsely chop and saute in 1 T each of oil and butter
until softened and golden. Transfer to a large pot. Saute lamb in batches in
1 T. oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning~ as it
browns adding oil and butter as necessary. Transfer to pot already
containing garlic and onion. Use stock and wine to deglaze the skillet,
bring to a boil, then add this to the meat mixture. Simmer lamb for one hour
until almost tender. Add tomato sauce, simmer an additional 20 minutes.

Meanwhile saute separately eggplant, mushrooms and peppers and apricots,
using oil and butter as necessary. Combined and serve on top of of the lamb.
Very colourful. Serve with Couscous or rice.

with basil.

Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Lamb with Wild Greens and Egg-Lemon Sauce (Arni Fricassee)
==========================================================

Source: Krinos

Ingredients
1/2 cup Krinos olive oil
2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb, cut into stewing size pieces
2 large red onions, peeled, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Salt, pepper to taste
1 cup dry white wine
Water
3 pounds dandelion, chard or spinach, trimmed, washed and drained well
1 bunch dill, chopped
2 eggs
Strained juice of 1-2 lemons

.
1. Heat the olive oil and brown the lamb. Add the onion and saut until
golden. Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper. Add the wine and enough water
to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 40
minutes.

2. In a separate pot filled with a little water, steam the greens until
wilted and drain. Add the steamed greens to the lamb, together with the
dill, and continue cooking another 25-30 minutes. Add water if necessary.

3. Beat the eggs until frothy and add the lemon juice, beating. Take a
ladleful of the simmering pot juices from the lamb and gradually drizzle
them into the egg-lemon mixture, beating all the while. Quickly pour the
mixture back into the pot, stir to combine and remove from heat. Season with
salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Servings: 4

I did a search on lamb recipes after reading the Greek Food recipe thread, and this discussion came up.

That Lamb Ragout recipe looked wonderful!

I have never done a lamb shank before, and that recipe looks more difficult to me than most becuase I haven't used things like a Japanese Eggplant before, but I am going to try this recipe very soon.