Slow cooked navarin of lamb
When I first cooked this dish, the word navarin really intrigued me. I later discovered it’s a classic French meal that simply means a lamb casserole with vegetables, and it can be made at any time of year. If you use spring vegetables, it becomes navarin printanièr, which feels even more special.
This recipe uses the handful of vegetables I chose the first time I made it, but you can easily swap them depending on what’s in season or what you prefer. Wonderfully simple to make yet elegant enough for a special meal, this slow‑cooked navarin of lamb gently simmers with vegetables, herbs and stock until everything is tender, flavourful and beautifully comforting — a true French classic made effortless
What goes well along side this dinner?
I love serving this with a warm, buttered baguette, though it’s also delicious with a scoop of creamy mash potatoes.
Slow cooked navarin of lamb
Ingredients
- 700 g shoulder of lamb, diced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 g unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 150 ml white wine
- 700 ml beef or lamb stock
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 bay leaf
- handful chantenay carrots top and tail
- handful potatoes, peeled and quartered
- handful of frozen peas
- handful of green beans
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh parsley for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Season the lamb with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the lamb for around 5 minutes over a medium heat until browned, turning regularly. You may need to brown the lamb in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your pan.
- Transfer to the slow cooker, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Return the pan to the heat and add the butter and onions, fry over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, stirring constantly for around 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir until all the flour is fully mixed in with the onions.
- Gradually add the wine to deglaze the pan and then pour in the stock, tomato puree and stir together until all combined.
- Pour the stock into the slow cooker with the lamb, add the bouquet garni, bay leaf, carrots, potatoes and season with some salt and pepper.
- Cover with a lid and cook on high for around 6 hours. Half way through, add the peas and green beans and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender.
- Divide the lamb stew into bowls or plates, sprinkle with some fresh parsley and serve with a warm buttered French baguette.