Navarin is the French term for a rich mutton or lamb stew which has been cooked with root vegetables, usually including small onions or potatoes. A traditional stew with spring vegetables such as green peas and carrots. It may be called “navarin” because of the turnips in the recipe, which stands for “navet” in French. Origin of this dish: the victory of the French fleet in 1827 fighting for Greece’s independence in Navarin, close to Pylos.

Ingredients

• 1 kg lamb (shoulder, neck and breast)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups lamb or beef stock
• 4 tomatoes, ripe, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 5 carrots, peeled
• 4 turnips, peeled
• 10 spring onions
• 400 gm green peas or snow peas
• 2 garlic gloves, mashed
• Herbs: 1 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme
• Kosher Salt and pepper
• Cooking oil

Direction:

• Cut the lamb into 2-inch pieces.
• In a large saucepan or casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Brown over medium heat a few pieces of lamb at a time. Sauté until brown on all sides.
• Put all pieces of meat in the casserole, add garlic gloves and cook over high heat for 1 minute.
• Remove half of the fat. Toss the meat with flour, salt and pepper. Cook over high heat for two minutes.
• Warm the stock in a different saucepan. Add to the meat. Boil. Stir. Add the tomatoes and herbs. Boil and simmer for 30 minutes over medium to low heat.
• Add the carrots, onions and turnips. Simmer for 30 minutes again over medium to low heat.
• Cook the peas in a saucepan with salted water for 5 minutes. Add to the lamb just 5 minutes before serving. Remove the herbs.

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