Lamb navarin with mushrooms and peas (navarin d’agneau aux champignons et petit pois)

This classic French lamb stew from Normandy uses pieces of boneless lamb shoulder, but you could use lamb neck if you prefer. While it traditionally incorporates turnips (navets), here I use mushrooms and peas.

• serves

  3

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  2:15 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 800 g boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 12 pieces
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250 ml (1 cup) strong chicken or beef stock
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 300 g button mushrooms, sliced
• 130 g (1 cup) fresh or frozen peas
• ¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 140ºC.

Heat half the oil in an oven-proof casserole over high heat. Brown the lamb, in batches until golden. Return all the meat to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Add the onion and thyme and stir for 1 minute. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat the meat, then add the stock, tomatoes, garlic and carrot.

Cover the pan with foil, then a tight-fitting lid and cook for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Remove from the oven. 

Just before the lamb is ready, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden and tender.  

Meanwhile, cook the peas in lightly salted boiling water for 1-2 minutes or until tender. Drain, then stir the mushrooms and peas into the lamb stew. If the sauce is too runny, simmer the stew uncovered for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Check the seasoning, then serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd. Food preparation by Alice Storey. Creative concept by Lou Fay. 

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.