Spring lamb navarin with rosemary

This recipe for Spring Lamb Navarin with Rosemary is by Xavier Mathieu, chef at La Table de Xavier Mathieu restaurant in Joucas. Discover the ingredients and step-by-step preparation instructions.

• Serves 4
• Preparation time: 35 minutes
• Cooking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients for Xavier Mathieu's Spring Lamb Navarin with Rosemary

A colorful spring dish that combines lamb simmered with Provençal herbs, thyme-glazed carrot tops and crunchy peas.

For the meat and herbs

• 500 g lamb shoulder or collar, coarsely diced
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 100 g crushed or pulped tomatoes
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 pinch sugar
• 10 black olives
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt and peppercorns

For the thyme-glazed carrots

• 8 small carrots with tops
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pinch sugar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

For the crunchy peas

• 200 g peas
• Salt

For the finishing touch

• Flat-leaf parsley
• Olive oil

Preparation of Xavier Mathieu's Spring Lamb Navarin with Rosemary

Here are the steps to follow to prepare this recipe. It's easy to make and requires only a little patience.

Meat and herbs

1. peel and halve the onion.
2. chop the first half, then prick the second half with the three cloves.
3. crush the garlic cloves with a pinch of coarse salt to obtain an aromatic paste. Set aside.
4. Heat a spoonful of olive oil in a casserole dish over high heat, then add the pieces of lamb and sear to brown on all sides for around 10 minutes.
5. Add the chopped onion, the studded onion, the garlic paste and a few peppercorns.
6. Sweat until lightly colored to concentrate the juices, then allow the water to evaporate completely.
7. Add the tomatoes, thyme and rosemary sprigs, and sugar to balance the acidity.
8. Stir in the black olives, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until the meat begins to soften and the juices thicken slightly.

Thyme-glazed carrots

1. peel the carrots, keeping a small piece of stalk for garnishing.
2. In a frying pan, brown the carrots raw in a drizzle of olive oil, without browning.
3. Season with salt and pepper and deglaze with a small glass of water.
4. Add the crushed garlic clove, thyme and sugar.
5. Cook and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes, until the texture melts.
6. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife: it should penetrate without resistance.

Crunchy peas

1. Blanch the peas for 1 minute in boiling salted water.
2. Cool immediately in iced water to fix the color and retain the crunchiness.

Finishing and serving

1. Place the navarin and reduced jus in a warmed soup plate.
2. Arrange the glazed carrots and peas in a harmonious arrangement.
3. Sprinkle with a veil of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and, if desired, add a drop of olive oil.