Navarin d'Agneau

Serves: 5
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
This is a wonderful springtime stew to warm you up during the rainy days of the season!
Ingredients
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6 large boned leg lamb steak, total weight about 1¼kg/2lb 12oz
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2 tbsp vegetable oil
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350g Charlotte potato, scrubbed or peeled and halved lengthways if large
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2 large leek, trimmed (with some green left on) and halved both lengthways and crosswise, then washed
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3 large carrot, peeled and halved both lengthways and crosswise
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6 small or 2 medium turnip, peeled, cut into thick rounds
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1 lamb stock cube
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4 tsp plain flour
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100ml dry white wine
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about 12 fat continental spring onions, white and green parts
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several sprigs of flatleaf parsley and lemon thyme
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Halve the lamb steaks and cut off any excess fat. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil over a medium heat in a large flameproof casserole that has a tight-fitting lid. Fry the lamb until it 'seizes' – it should be a little colored all over but not charred. Bring a kettle of water to the boil.
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Transfer the lamb to a plate and rinse out the casserole. Add the veg (but not the spring onions) and cover with boiling water. Season and cook for 15 minutes, then drain into a colander over a bowl. Measure 450ml/16fl oz of the cooking liquid, crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve.
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Mop the fatty juices from the lamb with kitchen paper. Heat the remaining oil in the casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb, season and sprinkle with the flour, then stir for a minute. Tip in the stock, wine, onions and herbs and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook gently for 1 hour, stirring a few times.
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Add the veg and stir well, cover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. (Cool then freeze for up to 1 month or keep chilled for up to 24 hours.)
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Lift out the meat and veg into a warm serving bowl. With the casserole over a low heat, stir in the cream, grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice. Adjust the seasoning, spoon over the lamb and veg, sprinkle with herbs and serve.