Navarin is a French lamb stew made with root vegetables, including potatoes, onions, parsnips, carrots, garlic, and turnips. It is seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste, and often includes green beans or peas. The meat is browned and cooked in butter and oil, then simmered with the vegetables and broth for up to an hour.
Navarin is a French lamb stew made from root vegetables. Although mutton, or adult sheep’s meat, may be added in place of lamb, most recipes for this stew call for more tender pieces of lamb. Potatoes and onions are almost always included, as are a variety of other vegetables and spices. The term navarin is said to come from the French word for turnips: navet.
The meat for navarin is always trimmed of fat and cut into small pieces. Hence, it is often seasoned with salt and pepper before starting the cooking process. Shoulder or breast lamb meat is normally used for this stew.
In addition to potatoes and onions, parsnips, carrots, garlic and turnips may be included. A green vegetable, usually green beans or peas, is also typically added, although celery may also be added. Although tomatoes are sometimes found in navarin, tomato paste is almost always included. Mustard, often Dijon, is frequently added.
Most vegetables are peeled and chopped before cooking. Onions can be cut into wedges, but more often small pearl onions are used. Pearl onions are simply peeled and placed in the stewpan whole. Garlic is always crushed.
Thyme and bay leaves are the usual spices included. These are normally fresh and are grouped together in a garni, or small bouquet, so they can easily be scooped out of the stew before serving. The liquid base of Navarin is usually chicken or beef broth.
To make navarin, lamb is browned in butter and oil and then removed. The garlic, along with some of the root vegetables are added and cooked. Next, the flour is stirred in to help thicken the drippings just before the tomato paste and mustard are added. Once these are mixed, the meat is returned to the pot. The potatoes, herb bundle and stock are added last.
Alternatively, garlic can be added to brown the meat. Then the meat is coated with a mixture of flour, salt and pepper. The broth can be heated separately and the meat is placed in the broth after being covered in the flour mixture. Tomatoes and herbs are added before it is allowed to simmer. After simmering for about half an hour, most of the other vegetables are added.
In any version, the navarin can simmer for up to an hour after the vegetables are added. If green beans are used, they are included about half an hour before the stew is complete. Peas are added just a few minutes before completion. Once the stew is done, the herbs are removed. Navarin is often garnished with parsley.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
