Lamb Stew With Spring Vegetables (navain D'agneau)

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 fresh parsley sprigs
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 turkish bay leaves or 1 california bay leaf
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 3 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry wine
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock or 2 1/2 cups broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 10 ounces pearl onions
• 1/2 lb baby turnip, trimmed and halved lengthwise if large
• 1/2 lb baby carrots, peeled, trimmed, and halved lengthwise if large
• 1/2 lb baby zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1/2 lb sugar snap pea, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Recipe

• 1 special equipment: cheesecloth
• 2 preheat oven to 325°f
• 3 wrap herb sprigs, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle to make a bouquet garni.
• 4 pat lamb dry, then cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
• 5 heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 6- to 7-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown lamb in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes per batch, transferring with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• 6 add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and saute chopped onion and garlic over moderately high heat, stirring, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes.
• 7 add wine and stock and deglaze pot by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute.
• 8 return lamb to pot along with any juices that have accumulated in bowl and add bouquet garni.
• 9 braise lamb, covered, in middle of oven until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. stir in salt and pepper.
• 10 while lamb is braising, cook pearl onions in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking (reserve cooking water).
• 11 remove onions and peel.
• 12 boil turnips, carrots, zucchini, and sugar snaps separately in reserved cooking water until just tender, about 5 minutes for turnips, 4 to 6 minutes for carrots, 2 minutes for zucchini, and 1 1/2 minutes for sugar snaps.
• 13 transfer vegetables as cooked with a slotted spoon to ice water and, when all are cooked, drain vegetables in a colander.
• 14 make a beurre manié by stirring together butter and flour in a small bowl to form a paste.
• 15 bring lamb stew to a simmer on stove top and whisk in enough beurre manié, bit by bit, to thicken to desired consistency, then simmer about 2 minutes.
• 16 add vegetables and simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• 17 season with salt and pepper.
• 18 cooks' notes:
• 19 • lamb can be braised 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. reheat before adding beurre manié and vegetables.
• 20 • vegetables can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped in paper towels in a sealed plastic bag.