Lamb Navarin (Navarin d'agneau)
A Lamb Navarin stew, or “Navarin d’Agneau” in French, combines tender lamb chunks with loads of seasonal vegetables – including carrots, peas, turnips and new potatoes. It is a hearty, but lighter stew often enjoyed in France to wave goodbye to Winter. Embrace this Spring classic, fit for Easter celebrations or any festive gathering! What is a Lamb Navarin stew (Navarin d’Agneau)? Lamb Navarin is a classic French stew that showcases the rich taste of lamb with the sweetness of vegetables, stewed in a light broth flavored with herbs and…
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2.2 lbs (1kg) lamb shoulder, skin and fat trimmed, cut in 2-inch cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 carrots (300g), peeled and cut in large sticks
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced in half rounds
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp (14g) tomato paste
- 4 tbsp (30g) all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 thyme sprigs
- 2/3 cups (150 ml) white wine
- 4 cups (950 ml) chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium
- About 12 new potatoes (400g)
- 2 medium turnips (200g), cut in large chunks
- Peas, fresh or frozen (200g)
- 10 pearl onions, peeled and cut in half
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter
- 2 tbsp (25g) sugar
- For garnish:
- A handful of fresh parsley, stemmed and leaves
Instructions
- 1
Half an hour before cooking, take the lamb out of the fridge, season it with salt and pepper and leave it on the counter to rise slightly in temperature.
- 2
Step 1 - Heat up the olive oil in large heavy bottom pot (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling, add the lamb cubes and brown them for about 3 minutes on each side. Do not rush this process, the lamb pieces should develop a nice brown crust.
- 3
Step 2 - Once the lamb is browned, add the carrots, onion and garlic. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat. Add the flour, stir to coat and until no dry flour remains. Add the bay leaf, the thyme, the white wine and stock. Stir, cover with a lid and bring to boil. When the liquid is boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.
- 4
Step 3 - Add the potatoes and turnip and simmer for 15 minutes. Finally, add the peas and cook until they rise to the top (1-2 minutes for fresh peas, 3-4 minutes for frozen). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 5
Step 4 - In a separate pan, heat up the butter, sugar, pearl onions and 3 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Let the butter and sugar melt and slowly caramelize the onions. Cook until all the water is evaporated and onions are caramelized. This can take up to 8-10 minutes.
- 6
For serving, ladle the navarin into serving bowls, dress with a few caramelized onions and fresh parsley leaves.