Lamb Stew With Spring Vegetables

In my final version of this recipe, the peas have been omitted in favor of new potatoes. While nice an spring-like, the peas felt incongruous with the rest of the dish.

I love waking up on Sundays, making a cup of coffee, firing up iTunes and jamming to 80s New Wave classics while cooking. I love being in the kitchen. It's my own little space to do my thng without hassle. The product of my efforts makes people happy and I am so grateful to have people with whom to share my fare.

Thank goodness for dear friends.

Lamb Stew With Spring Vegetables

Ingredients
For the bouquet garni
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

For the stew
2 pounds boneless lamb, trimmed of excess fat
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 1/2 cups beef stock or broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 ounces pearl or boiling onions
1/2 pound baby turnips, peeled, halved lengthwise if large
1/2 pound baby carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise if large
1/2 pound baby zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/2 pound new potatoes, halved

For the white roux
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Wrap herb sprigs, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle to make a bouquet garni.

3. Pat lamb dry, then cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.

4. 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.

5. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and sauté chopped onion and garlic over moderately high heat, stirring, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes.

6. Add wine and stock and deglaze pot by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute.

7. Return lamb to pot along with any juices that have accumulated in bowl and add bouquet garni.

8. Braise lamb, covered, in middle of oven until tender, about 2 hours. Check after 1 hour to see if more broth needs to be added due to evaporation.

9. 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).

10. Next, boil turnips, carrots, zucchini, and sugar snaps separately in reserved cooking water until just tender, about 10 minutes for potatoes, 5 minutes for turnips, 4 to 6 minutes for carrots and 2 minutes for zucchini. Transfer vegetables as cooked with a slotted spoon to ice water and, when all are cooked, drain vegetables in a colander.

11. Make a white roux by stirring together melted butter and flour in a small saucepan.

12. Bring lamb stew to a simmer on stovetop and whisk in enough roux, bit by bit, to thicken to desired consistency, then simmer about 10 minutes. Add vegetables and simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes
This is a very nice recipe that will yield a delicious, hearty stew. Serve with bread and butter and your guests will be in heaven!