Lamb Stew with Vegetables Recipe (Navarin d’Agneau Printanier)

A navarin is a stew made with lamb and a selection of young tender spring vegetables such as carrots, new potatoes, baby onions, peas, French beans and especially turnips!

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INGREDIENTS

• 60 ml/4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1.3 kg/3 lb lamb shoulder or other stewing meat, well trimmed, cut into 5 cm/2 in pieces
• 45-60 ml/3-4 tbsp plain flour
• 1 litre/12⁄3 pints/4 cups beef or chicken stock
• 1 large bouquet garni
• 3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 5 ml/1 tsp tomato puree
• 675 g/1½ lb small potatoes, peeled if wished
• 12 baby carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
• 120 g/4 oz French beans, cut into 5 cm/2 in pieces
• 30 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter
• 12-18 baby onions, peeled
• 6 medium turnips, peeled and quartered
• 30 ml/2 tbsp sugar
• 1.5 ml tsp dried thyme
• 175 g/6 oz/1¼ cups peas
• 55 g/2 oz mange-tout
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Heat 30 ml/2 tbsp of the oil in a large heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add enough of the lamb to fit easily in one layer (do not overcrowd the pan or the meat will not brown). Cook, turning to colour all sides, until well browned.

2 Transfer the meat to a large flameproof casserole and continue browning the rest of the meat in batches, adding a little more oil if needed. Add 45-60 ml/3-4 tbsp of water to the pan and boil for about 1 minute, stirring and scraping the base of the pan, then pour the liquid into the casserole.

3 Sprinkle the flour over the browned meat in the casserole and set over a medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes until browned. Stir in the stock, the bouquet garni, garlic, tomatoes and tomato puree and season with salt and pepper.

4 Bring to the boil over a high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until the meat is tender. Cool the stew to room temperature, then chill, covered, overnight.

5 About 1½ hours before serving, take the casserole from the fridge and remove the fat from the surface, wiping the surface with kitchen paper to remove all traces of fat. Set the casserole over a medium heat and bring to a simmer.

6 Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender, then using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and add the carrots to the same water. Cook for 4-5 minutes until just tender and transfer to the same bowl. Add the green beans and boil for 2-3 minutes until tender, yet crisp. Transfer to the bowl with the other vegetables.

7 Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and turnips with 45-60 ml/3-4 tbsp water and cook, covered, for 4-5 minutes. Uncover the pan, stir in the sugar and thyme and cook, stirring and shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions and turnips are shiny and caramelized. Transfer them to the bowl of vegetables. Add 30-45 ml/2-3 tbsp of water to the pan to deglaze and boil for 1 minute, scraping the base of the pan, then add this liquid to the lamb.

8 When the lamb and gravy are hot, add the reserved vegetables to the stew and stir gently to distribute.
Stir in the peas and mange-touts and cook for 5 minutes until they turn a bright green, then stir in 30 ml/2 tbsp of the parsley or coriander and pour into a large warmed serving dish. Scatter over the remaining parsley.

NUTRITION FACTS

Calories: 327.1 Kcal
Fat: 3.7 g
Cholesterol: 36.9 mg
Sodium: 528.6 mg
Potassium: 1,457.1 mg
Carbs: 54.9 g
Protein: 20.4 g

NOTES

• We used the wine “Soft Red” by Ste Chappell. A Pinot Noir would also work well.
• For reduced fat stew, spoon out any excess oil from the surface when it comes out of the oven.