Strange how a French name for an ordinary dish sounds better than than it should. Lamb Navarin is lamb stew with turnips (Fr. navet ).
I make this with carrots and onions as well as turnips. Or I just leave out the turnips.
In the ingredients list, I’ve included a swede – or a turnip – but that’s your personal choice.
You can also make this with lamb neck.
Lamb Navarin
Ingredients
- 1.5 kilo boneless lamb shoulder
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 100 ml olive oil
- 150 g butter
- 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
- 1 turnip, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
- 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
Instructions
- Tie lamb into a roll about 30cm long and 8cm diameter and secure with kitchen string every 3cm (or ask your butcher to do this). Cut in half crossways to make 2 rolls about 15cm long.
- Heat oil in a casserole or saucepan that holds the lamb snugly over high heat. Add lamb and brown all over (5-6 minutes), then remove lamb and set aside.
- Add onion, carrot and butter to pan, reduce heat to medium and sauté until softened and edges are starting to brown (5 minutes). Deglaze pan with wine and simmer until slightly reduced (3-4 minutes).
- Return lamb to pan with tomato, diced turnip, garlic and herbs. Pour in enough chicken stock to just cover lamb (add water if needed to cover completely), season to taste, cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat until lamb is tender (1-1¼ hours).
- Set aside in stock for 30 minutes to rest, then skim fat from the top of stock
- Remove lamb from pan and strain sauce through a fine sieve into a large frying pan. Reduce stock over high heat until it reaches a glaze consistency (15-20 minutes). Keep warm.
- To serve, remove string from lamb, thickly slice and place on plates, spoon sauce over