Lamb Navarin
Instructions:
- Celebrate spring with this vegetable-laden classic French ragoût.
- 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 2 small onions, each cut into quarters, then crosswise into slices
- 11⁄2 cups dry white wine
- 11⁄2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 6 sprigs plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 thyme sprigs or 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces peeled baby carrots (11⁄3 cups)
- 2 small turnips (4 ounces each), peeled and cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces
- 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled (1 cup)
- 11⁄2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Pat lamb dry with paper towels. In nonreactive 5-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Cook lamb, in batches, until well browned, using slotted spoon to transfer meat to bowl as it is browned. Add onions to Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine, broth, water, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and lamb to pot; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and simmer 30 minutes longer.
- Add carrots, turnips, and pearl onions to Dutch oven; partially cover and cook until lamb is tender, about 30 minutes longer. Stir in asparagus and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer. 3. With slotted spoon, transfer meat and vegetables to deep dish and keep warm. Boil stew liquid over medium-high heat until it has reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Discard parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in sugar. Taste for seasoning; add salt as needed. Spoon stew liquid over meat and vegetables and sprinkle with parsley. Makes 8 main-dish servings.
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 2 hours