Navarin d'agneau printanier is the great spring stew of France — lamb shoulder braised with turned spring vegetables that are each added at precisely the right moment to arrive at the table tender, vibrant, and distinct within a rich, glossy sauce. This is not simply a lamb stew with vegetables thrown in, but a carefully timed sequence of additions that requires the entremetier's understanding of each vegetable's cooking time, ensuring that nothing is overcooked and the finished dish celebrates the first produce of spring. Begin with 1.5kg of lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm pieces. Season and brown in batches in oil and butter over high heat — achieving deep, mahogany colour on all surfaces. This fond is the foundation of the sauce. Remove the meat, pour off excess fat, and add 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook the roux in the residual fat for 2-3 minutes, then add 500ml of brown lamb or chicken stock, 200ml of dry white wine, 400g of crushed tomatoes, 4 cloves of garlic, and a bouquet garni. Return the lamb, bring to a simmer, cover, and braise in a 160°C oven for 1 hour. Now the vegetable choreography begins. Turn (tourné) 8 small carrots and 8 small turnips into olive shapes. Peel 12 pearl onions. At the 1-hour mark, add the turned carrots and turnips and the pearl onions to the braising pot. Continue braising for 30 minutes. Add 200g of podded fresh peas and 200g of cut green beans. Continue for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. The lamb should be fall-apart tender, the sauce reduced to a glossy, deeply flavoured coat, and each vegetable perfectly cooked: carrots and turnips yielding but not mushy, onions sweet and whole, peas bright green and tender, beans with a whisper of crunch. Skim any fat from the surface. Check the seasoning — braised dishes often need a final adjustment of salt and a squeeze of lemon to sharpen the richness. Serve in a warm, deep dish with the vegetables arranged atop the lamb, the sauce spooned generously over. Fresh parsley and chervil scattered at the last moment provide colour and a breath of spring freshness. Navarin printanier is the dish that announces the end of winter to the French table.
Deep browning of lamb for fond — the foundation of the sauce. Flour-based roux thickens the braising liquid into a glossy coat. Vegetables added in staged sequence by cooking time: roots first, then peas and beans. Braised at 160°C for controlled, even cooking. Each vegetable must be perfectly cooked — timing is everything. Finish with lemon juice to sharpen richness.
Blanch the green beans and peas separately and add them at the very end to preserve their vivid colour — purists cook everything in the pot, but this produces more beautiful results. The turned vegetable trimmings should go into the braising liquid for additional flavour — strain before serving. A navarin made the day before and reheated (adding fresh vegetables at reheating) has a deeper, more integrated sauce. Potatoes (turned) can be added with the root vegetables for a heartier version. In spring, baby artichokes (trimmed and quartered) are a luxurious addition.
Adding all vegetables at the start — roots overcook to mush while everything loses colour and identity. Insufficient browning of the meat, producing a pale, flavourless sauce. Not skimming fat from the surface, resulting in a greasy stew. Braising at too high a temperature, toughening the lamb. Using out-of-season vegetables — this dish only makes sense in spring.
Le Guide Culinaire — Auguste Escoffier