Lamb Navarin
A classic French lamb stew with fall-apart shoulder, turnip, potatoes, pearl onions, carrots, and peas in a glossy white-wine sauce.
Navarin takes its name from navet, the French word for turnip, and the root vegetable is more than a garnish: it sweetens as it braises and rounds out the lamb-rich sauce. Browning the meat in batches and delaying the sturdy vegetables keeps both the flavor and texture precise.
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), or 160°C fan. Spread the lamb on a tray, pat it thoroughly dry, and season it evenly with the measured 1 3/4 teaspoons salt.
- 2
Heat the oil in a 24 cm heavy ovenproof pot over high heat. Brown one-third of the lamb aggressively for about 3 minutes, transfer it back to the tray, and repeat with the remaining two batches.
9 min
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Brown the pearl onions for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, then transfer them to a bowl for the later braise.
2 min
- 4
Add the carrots to the lamb fat and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 20 seconds, then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3.3333333333333335 min
- 5
Return the lamb and all collected juices to the pot. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and stir until no dry flour remains and the meat is coated in a loose pale-red paste.
1 min
- 6
Pour in the chicken stock. Add the separate 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaves, then stir well and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- 7
Cover the pot and braise in the oven for 1 hour, giving the lamb a head start before the vegetables are added.
1 hr
- 8
Remove the pot from the oven. Gently stir in the potatoes, turnip, and browned onions, pushing them into the sauce as well as possible. Cover and return to the oven for 1 1/2 hours, until the lamb is fall-apart tender.
1 hr 30 min
- 9
Gently fold in the frozen peas with a spatula, cover, and leave for 2 minutes to heat them without dulling their color. Taste the sauce and add more salt only if needed.
2 min
- 10
Serve hot with warm crusty bread if desired. For deeper flavor, cool and refrigerate the stew overnight, then reheat gently over low heat before serving.
Ago's Notes
- Buy a whole boneless lamb shoulder and cut it into large 5 cm pieces. Pre-cut stew meat is usually too small, while lean lamb leg can dry out during the long braise.
- The two salt quantities have different jobs: 1 3/4 teaspoons seasons the lamb before browning and 1 teaspoon seasons the sauce. Halve both amounts for fine table salt or increase them by 50% for salt flakes.
- Chardonnay or another dry white wine works well. For an alcohol-free stew, use non-alcoholic wine or replace the cup of wine with an equal amount of additional low-sodium chicken stock.
- Turnip is traditional and gives Navarin its name. Rutabaga or extra potatoes can replace it. If pearl or pickling onions are unavailable, use 2 regular brown or yellow onions, halved and cut into 1 cm wedges.
- The covered stew can cook on the stove over very low heat for the same braising time, but stir carefully and regularly. The source does not recommend a slow cooker because it does not develop the same flavor.
- The stew improves overnight. Refrigerate airtight for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently, loosening with water or stock if needed.
Serve the Navarin piping hot, with enough sauce in every bowl to coat the tender lamb and vegetables.
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