French Lamb & Bean Stew

Someone asked me the other day how we survive the winter in Chicago. It’s frigid, icy, and miserable. But our summers are the stuff of dreams…the promise of summer and the 73% lift in our moods, help us trudge through winter. And besides, you get to eat stew during winter! I guess you could eat a summer stew but winter is the canonical Stew Szn.

I have had a couple of bags of Rancho Gordo flageolet beans in my cabinet - in year 1 of the pandemic, I decided to “treat myself” to heirloom beans (what was that sentence? who am I?). I had been waiting for a good recipe to break them out and I read up on a few French recipes. This recipe with creamy beans, tender lambs, and fluffy potatoes hit the mark. It starts with the classic trinity (onion, carrot, celery) and is loaded with gorgeous herbs like mint and tarragon that work perfectly with lamb. I’ve been adding a little mushroom powder (available at grocery stores like Trader Joe’s or online) to my meats, to make it a little extra meaty.

You can use canned beans to speed this up but if you’re looking for a lazy Sunday supper and have the time, the extra work to cook dried beans makes a difference. A toasty piece of sourdough and some red wine are the perfect accompaniment.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry white beans (like flageolet) or 1 15 oz can white beans

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1 celery rib, diced

• 1 carrot, diced (about the same amount as the celery)

• 1/2 bell pepper, diced

• 4 cloves of garlic, diced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 lb lamb shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into chunks

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp mushroom powder (optional)

• 1 tsp herbs de Provence (or dried oregano, rosemary, basil)

• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves

• 1/4 chopped tarragon leaves

• 1/2 15oz can of whole tomatoes

• 2 medium potatoes, cut into eighths

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

If using dry beans, soak the beans 6-8 hours in cold water. Then, boil them for 30-40 mins. Once they are done, drain the beans and reserve 1 cup of the bean liquid.

To make the stew, prep your meat and vegetables. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add your onions, carrot, celery, peppers, and garlic, and cook for 5-8 mins. Next, add the tomato paste and cook for an additional 3-4 mins to deepen the flavor.

Add your lamb chunks in and incorporate to the vegetables. Cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, to seal the meat. Now season the meat with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, mushroom powder, and the dried herbs. Toss well and let it incorporate for 1-2 mins.

Then add in your fresh herbs, canned tomatoes, and white beans. Break down the tomatoes with the back of your spoon. If you’re not using canned beans, add in the bean liquid. You may also need to add 1/2 of water, if the consistency is too thick. Cover the pot and let cook for 40-45 mins over medium heat.

After 45 mins, check the stew - if it’s too dried up, add another cup of water. At this stage, add in your potatoes. Cover the pot again and let cook for 30 mins over medium heat, to finish the stew.

If you have the time, let the stew rest for 15-20 mins to let the flavors settled. Serve with some crusty bread and a side salad!