Bouquet Garni For Lamb Stew With Young Vegetables Recipes

LAMB STEW WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Wrap herb sprigs, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle to make a bouquet garni.
• Pat lamb dry, then cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. 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.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and sauté chopped onion and garlic over moderately high heat, stirring, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Add wine and stock and deglaze pot by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Return lamb to pot along with any juices that have accumulated in bowl and add bouquet garni.
• Braise lamb, covered, in middle of oven until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in salt and pepper.
• 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). Remove onions and peel.
• Boil turnips, carrots, zucchini, and sugar snaps separately in reserved cooking water until just tender, about 5 minutes for turnips, 4 to 6 minutes for carrots, 2 minutes for zucchini, and 1 1/2 minutes for sugar snaps. Transfer vegetables as cooked with a slotted spoon to ice water and, when all are cooked, drain vegetables in a colander.
• Make a beurre manié by stirring together butter and flour in a small bowl to form a paste. Bring lamb stew to a simmer on stovetop and whisk in enough beurre manié, bit by bit, to thicken to desired consistency, then simmer about 2 minutes. Add vegetables and simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

LAMB STEW WITH YOUNG VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon butter over high heat. Add lamb and brown well on all sides.
• Add carrot, onion, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over meat and vegetables and continue cooking, stirring, until the sugar has caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Drain fat from the pot. Add flour and stir until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and bouquet garni. Pour over enough water to just cover meat and vegetables. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer about 1 hour.
• Transfer lamb to another 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot and add potatoes. Strain remaining liquid from the first pot over the lamb in the second pot, firmly pushing the contents through the strainer. If the liquid does not quite cover the lamb and potatoes, add enough water to just cover. Season with salt and pepper. Place the second pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the young carrots, pearl onions, and turnips in a deep, wide skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining scant teaspoon sugar, and remaining 1/2 cup water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until water has completely evaporated and vegetables are tender and glazed; set aside.
• Bring a medium pot filled three-quarters with water to a boil over high heat. Add salt and return to a boil. Place green beans in a mesh strainer basket; transfer basket to boiling water and cook green beans until tender. Remove basket and drain green beans. Place peas in mesh basket; transfer basket to boiling water and cook until peas are tender. Remove basket and drain peas.
• Skim fat from surface of meat mixture. Divide stew evenly between 4 bowls. Add vegetables to bowls with lamb and serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN STYLE LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Separately cooked white beans and braised fennel and 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil.
• Blue print stew technique: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Coat the meat with flour and shake off excess. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Brown the meat, in batches, until browned on all sides. Remove browned meat to a plate. Add seasoning vegetables to remaining oil in casserole, cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until totally tender. Return browned meat to seasoning vegetables with juices that have collected on the plate. Add optional tomato ingredients, bouquet garni and liquid. Season lightly with salt, bring to a simmer, cover and set in oven to cook for about 1 1/2 hours or longer or until meat is fork tender. Remove casserole from oven, remove meat and keep warm, degrease the liquid. Either puree the solids into the liquid to form a thick sauce, or strain the solids out and reduce the sauce until intensely flavored. Add any additional seasoning ingredient (like barbecue sauce) and fresh herbs at last minute. To cook the vegetable garnish, either cook it in the stew liquid before you puree or reduce it, then return the meat to the liquid to rewarm it. Or cook the garnishes separately.

BOUQUET GARNI FOR LAMB STEW WITH YOUNG VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Tie all ingredients together with cooking twine.