Haggis Stew (Slow Cooker Lamb 'n Oats)

It has been years since I had haggis, "Great chieftain o' the puddin-race." It was in Scotland on my honeymoon--we had haggis several times and I thought it was great. I would like some right now.

With Robbie Burns Day in the recent past (January 25) and steel-cut oats in the cupboard, the least I could do was invent a slow-cooker recipe with haggis-y overtones. Mainly, it contains sheep bits and lots of oats. Note that steel-cut oats are key, with rolled oats this would just be mush.

Ingredients

• 1 cup steel-cut oats, soaked overnight in lots of water and then drained
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced (include leaves if you like)
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 lamb shoulder chop (cheaper than stew meat, just cut out the bone and cube)
• 1 small can chicken broth (or water, or lots of broth, or bouillon)
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of rosemary, crushed
• salt & pepper to taste

Assembly

1. First, note this is a trick recipe where you have to do something at least 8 hours beforehand (soak the oats). If you do this the night before, you can assemble the stew in the morning and have it for dinner.
2. Place the vegetables (carrot, celery, potato) and drained oats in your slow cooker.
   
3. Sauté the onion on olive oil. When it becomes glassy, add the lamb cubes. Brown. Deglaze with the chicken stock (or water or whatever you're using). Add all to slow cooker.
4. Add bay leaf and rosemary. Make sure there is enough liquid to fully cover because the oats will expand quite a bit. That means add some extra stock/water if your deglazing liquid does not seem adequate.
   
5. Turn to low and cook for 8 hours. If possible, stir during the day and add more liquid if things look too gummy. You can add liquid even at the last minute to get it to the right texture to serve. Add salt & pepper.
   

Serve with a side of oatmeal! Just kidding. A beer would be nice though.