French/Indian Navarin of Lamb Fusion Dish
I cook French Navarin of lamb frequently, it's family favourite food and quite delicate in it's own way, just diced lamb, a little white wine, a little tomato, some herbs and some lovely spring vegetables which are added at different times so everything becomes cooked and ready at the same time.
I also make a minty lamb curry often, it's a family favourite and also delicately flavoured with mint, fennel and cardamom seeds, garam masala and fresh chilli.
The other day as the Navarin was almost ready I transformed it into a French/Indian fusion dish. Looking and tasting like a French Navarin yet the Indian spices add an eastern influence. Such flavours would have you believe it was prepared by a French cook who had Indian parents.
3/4lb Diced lamb
Onion
Garlic
Carrots
Glass white wine
2 tbls Tom puree
Lamb oxo
Bay, Thyme
Courgette
Frozen peas
For the Indian Fusion
Cardamom seeds, removed from skin and crushed
Fennel seeds, crushed
Fresh chilli to taste
1 tsp garam masala
Method
Gently brown the diced lamb in butter, add onions - soften and then add tomato puree and garlic, fry another minute and once done add a glass of white wine, allow to reduce for a minute and deglaze, then add about two mugs of lamb stock, add herbs and then simmer on the stove for an hour.
Then add whole or halved baby potatoes, carrots and continue to simmer for another twenty minutes, till a knife will go easily through the potato and then add a sliced courgette and ten minutes later, lower the heat.
In a separate pan dry roast gently some cardamom seeds and fennel seeds, when you can smell them add them to the stew, add several chopped chilli to taste and then sprinkle a teaspoon of garam masala over. Add frozen garden peas or diced green beans and gently simmer for another fifteen minutes.
Thicken the stew if required with a 'Beurre Marie' which is a large teaspoon of flour mixed with half a teaspoon of butter, drop it in and mix until dissolved. At this point you may notice family members standing around salivating.
Enjoy
Another Navarin version here