The Lamb Base

Name: The Lamb Base
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Eight to 10 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 5-pound boneless lean leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2- inch cubes; Salt to taste, if desired; Freshly ground pepper to taste; 1 cup finely chopped onions; 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic cloves; 1/2 cup finely diced celery; 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup dry white wine; 5 cups chicken stock (or lamb stock or water); 3 tablespoons tomato paste; Bouquet garni consisting of 1 bay leaf, 4 sprigs thyme, 6 sprigs parsley, the green of 1 leek; 4 turnips, about 1 pound; 12 small red potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds; 24 baby carrots, about 8 ounces; 1/2 pound string beans, trimmed and cut in 3-inch pieces; 3 ears shucked corn, with kernels cut from the cob, about 2 cups; 1 cup shelled peas; scallions, cut into one-inch pieces; asparagus, cut up lengthwise; spring onions, blanched in unsalted water for one minute; green, red and yellow peppers, cut into strips, blanched for one minute; eggplant, cut into one-half-inch dice, blanched for one minute; zucchini, cut into one-by-one-quarter-inch sticks, blanched for one minute; shallots, roasted on a tray in their skins for one-half hour at 400 degrees, then peeled; cauliflower and broccoli, cut into florets and blanched for one minute; summer squash, cut into one-by-one-quarter-inch sticks

By Pierre Franey

Total Time: 2 hours, plus refrigeration and freeze time
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: STRATEGIES FOR SAVING TIME; FREEZE AHEAD

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share this recipe
Print this recipe
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:Eight to 10 servings

2tablespoons vegetable oil
15-pound boneless lean leg of lamb, cut into 1½- inch cubes
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1cup finely chopped onions
1tablespoon finely minced garlic cloves
½cup finely diced celery
4tablespoons all-purpose flour
1cup dry white wine
5cups chicken stock (or lamb stock or water)
3tablespoons tomato paste
Bouquet garni consisting of 1 bay leaf, 4 sprigs thyme, 6 sprigs parsley, the green of 1 leek
4turnips, about 1 pound
12small red potatoes, about 1½ pounds
24baby carrots, about 8 ounces
½pound string beans, trimmed and cut in 3-inch pieces
3ears shucked corn, with kernels cut from the cob, about 2 cups
1cup shelled peas

Early Summer Vegetable Substitutions

scallions, cut into one-inch pieces
asparagus, cut up lengthwise
spring onions, blanched in unsalted water for one minute

Midsummer Vegetable Substitutions

green, red and yellow peppers, cut into strips, blanched for one minute
eggplant, cut into one-half-inch dice, blanched for one minute
zucchini, cut into one-by-one-quarter-inch sticks, blanched for one minute
shallots, roasted on a tray in their skins for one-half hour at 400 degrees, then peeled

Late Summer Vegetable Substitutions

cauliflower and broccoli, cut into florets and blanched for one minute
summer squash, cut into one-by-one-quarter-inch sticks

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large cast-iron kettle, heat the oil over very high heat and add the meat cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown well over high heat on all sides, turning as necessary. If the pot is not large enough to hold all the meat in one layer, saute the meat in several batches. The browning will take from 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2
Pour off the fat from the kettle, add the onions, garlic and celery, and stir well. Add the flour and cook over medium heat for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, stock, tomato paste and bouquet garni. Stir to loosen the brown particles that may cling to the inside of the kettle. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for one hour and 15 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
Step 3
Remove the bouquet garni. Transfer the stew base to a freezer container and cool for about two hours. Then place in the freezer.
Step 4
The day before serving, remove the stew from the freezer and defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Or, if you have a microwave oven, you can defrost the stew the day you want to serve it by heating it on medium power for 30 to 45 minutes or on the defrost cycle.
Step 5
When ready to reheat the defrosted stew, trim and peel the turnips, potatoes and baby carrots. Cut the peeled turnips and potatoes lengthwise into approximately one-and-one-half-inch wedges, so that all are roughly the same size. This makes cooking time uniform and adds to the visual appeal.
Step 6
In a pot, add the turnips, potatoes, carrots, string beans, corn and peas, and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and blanch for one minute. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
Step 7
Pour the defrosted lamb stew into a large kettle and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Add the vegetables and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Serve at once.

Tip

Other vegetables can be substituted for the ones listed in this recipe, depending on what is in season. Suggested substitutions in early summer are scallions, cut into one-inch pieces; asparagus, cut up lengthwise, and spring onions, blanched in unsalted water for one minute. Midsummer substitutions might include green, red and yellow peppers, cut into strips; eggplant, cut into one-half-inch dice, and zucchini, cut into one-by-one-quarter-inch sticks, all blanched for one minute. You could also try shallots, roasted on a tray in their skins for one-half hour at 400 degrees, then peeled. For late summer, in addition to the vegetables suggested here, you might use cauliflower and broccoli, cut into florets and blanched for one minute, or summer squash, cut into one-by-one-quarter-inch sticks. Add whatever combination you desire to the stew and cook until the vegetables are tender.