Navarin d'agneau (Lamb stew)

 Recipe from chef patrick

Ingredients :
Lamb stew with potatoes

Origin of this dish: the victory of the French fleet in 1827 fighting for Greece's independence in Navarin, close to Pylos.

Lamb stew for 6 guests:
1 kg of lamb shoulder (12 pieces weighing 80 grams each)
6 thin slices of lamb neck (for taste)
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 carrot
2 onions, diced
1 tablespoon sugar
50 gr of concentrated tomato paste
2 garlic cloves
1 bouquet garni
18 medium potatoes (BF 15 variety)
Olive oil

Direction :
Put the lamb meat in a pot with olive oil and let it brown. Add the onions, the crushed garlic cloves, the bouquet garni and the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and leave everything to cook on low heat for 10 min.
Add the tomato paste and the sugar (you may also add a little vinegar if you wish) and cover with water. Let it boil and season the mixture again.
Cook in the oven at 350°F (180°C or th6) for 1 hour.
Peel the potatoes and place them in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil. After 5 minutes drain the potatoes make sure you add them to the lamb stew 30 minutes before the dish is completely cooked.
Once you have taken the lamb stew out of the oven, pour off any excess fat and remove the lamb meat, the potatoes and the bouquet garni.
Mix the sauce and pass it through a sieve. Put everything back in the dish except the bouquet garni and bring to a boil.
Prepare a large bowl. Place the lamb meat in the center and surround it with potatoes. If you do not wish to use potatoes for this dish you may also change the recipe to make it a traditional Lamb Stew "Printanier" by adding several pre-cooked vegetables to the sauce, such as green beans, garden peas, baby carrots, baby turnips, snow peas, pearl onions, etc.
A delightful treat !!!