what does navarin of lamb mean

Navarin of lamb is a rustic French recipe and although it is a stew it’s light in flavour, packed full of fresh spring veg and given a further lift by the last minute addition of a fistful of herbs. It’s a one-pot dish too, saving on the washing up, always a bonus in my view. It’s not a classic for nothing: this one is a keeper.

Breast of lamb, or lamb belly, is a really cheap cut and like most cheap cuts it benefits from long, slow cooking. A lot of people are put off by its fattiness, but cook it this way and it’ll be meltingly tender and not at all greasy.

You can use neck chops instead of the belly if you prefer, or a combination. I’ve also made this with kid chops. And you can ring the changes on the vegetables according to taste and availability.

4-6 baby turnips or 1-2 larger ones, peeled and cut to roughly same size as the potatoes

Trim the lamb of as much skin and fat as you can and cut it into 3-4 cm squares. Drizzle the base of a large cast-iron casserole with a small amount of oil, place on a moderate heat, and add the lamb.

Cook with a lid partially on for about 30 minutes, turning from time to time, until the meat is brown all over and has released much of its fat.

Remove the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon, drain off and discard the fat and put the meat back in the pan. Scrape the meat back to make a space and add the tomato purée, cooking it off for a minute to remove any bitterness.

Scatter the flour into the pan, stir it in and cook for a minute or two more. Add the chopped onions and celery, the bouquet garni and the garlic.

Pour in the wine and let it sizzle up, stirring, then add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook either in an oven at 180C or at a gentle simmer on the hob, for an hour to an hour and forty-five minutes (it really depends on how hard your lamb worked those muscles) or until the meat is tender.

Add the new potatoes, carrots and turnips and continue to simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until tender, then add the peas and beans and cook for another five minutes. Stir through the chopped herbs, check the seasoning and serve, garnished with a sprig or two of parsley.

Trim the lamb of as much skin and fat as you can and cut it into 3-4 cm squares. Drizzle the base of a large cast-iron casserole with a small amount of oil, place on a moderate heat, and add the lamb.

Remove the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon, drain off and discard the fat and put the meat back in the pan. Scrape the meat back to make a space and add the tomato purée, cooking it off for a minute to remove any bitterness.

Breast of lamb, or lamb belly, is a really cheap cut and like most cheap cuts it benefits from long, slow cooking. A lot of people are put off by its fattiness, but cook it this way and it’ll be meltingly tender and not at all greasy.

Pour in the wine and let it sizzle up, stirring, then add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook either in an oven at 180C or at a gentle simmer on the hob, for an hour to an hour and forty-five minutes (it really depends on how hard your lamb worked those muscles) or until the meat is tender.

Cook with a lid partially on for about 30 minutes, turning from time to time, until the meat is brown all over and has released much of its fat.

American-born author Alan Furst has lived in Paris for long periods, and he creates a masterfully nuanced picture of place and time. The daily privations of wartime rationing—food, coal for heat, cigarettes—are made vivid. And the threat of danger, real, personal and ever-present, is palpable. But so is the enduring beauty of Paris and the daily lives of its citizens, even during war, expressed in perfect, quiet details.

Lamb Navarin (Navarin d’Agneau) is considered a spring stew, and the lamb, the peas and the new potatoes are all certainly springtime ingredients. But it is named for what many think of as a sturdy winter root vegetable. Navarin is French for turnip.

On the very day that Nazi tanks first rumble across the French border, the protagonist of The World at Night, Jean-Claude Casson, dutifully attends a dinner party thrown by his ex-wife in their former apartment. Lamb Navarin, a traditional spring stew, is cooking in the kitchen, and she offers him a taste. His approval of the dish, not spoken but “a kind of bear noise, a rumble of pleasure from deep within,” told me I had to taste it too.

Carrots, another key ingredient, probably also came from the root cellars of practical French cooks looking to use the last of their winter stores while creating something that tasted like the promise of spring. And it works. The natural sweetness of the turnips and carrots combines with that of the peas to give the stew a fresh brightness. And the lamb delivers a much lighter flavor than chunks of beef give to more wintry stews.

Lamb Navarin combines lamb, peas, carrots, new potatoes and turnips for a spring stew that is hearty, but lighter tasting than beef stew. Recipe below.

Navarin of Lamb (French lamb stew) | Classic French Recipes

FAQ

What is the meaning navarin?

Where does navarin of lamb come from?

What is the difference between ragout and navarin?

Which French stew is named after the French word for turnip?

What is Lamb Navarin?

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 spices. Like most rustic French recipes, the choice of vegetables and fixings may vary slightly depending on the cook, the region or the season.

Why is Navarin called Navarin?

(A better explanation is that navarin of lamb was eponymously named after the French word for turnip, i.e., “navet,” since turnips are one of the components. However the Battle of Navarino makes for more interesting reading). A navarin quite simply is a lamb or mutton stew, a dish as ancient as cooking itself.

What is the difference between French Navarin and lamb stew?

In any event, lamb stews are especially popular in Ireland. But unlike a traditional Irish lamb stew, the French navarin has two differences. Wine is substituted for beer in the broth and the vegetables are typically “spring” vegetables. Herein lies our next lexicological perplexity.

What does Navarin printanièr mean?

Though the word ‘navarin’ means a lamb casserole with vegetables, and can be made at any time of the year, ‘navarin printanièr’ means lamb with spring vegetables. In early June our spring lamb has that little bit more flavour, particularly if you can get salt-marsh.