This dish is essentially a deconstructed Navarin d’Agneau Printanier (Lamb and Spring Vegetable Stew). a classic French dish made with spring lamb and the season’s first peas, carrots, turnips and potatoes. Instead of stewing the lamb, lamb ribs are roasted and served with a medley of the vegetables.
Lamb with Peas & Young Spring Vegetables
Adapted from La Vie Rustic: Cooking & Living in the French Style, by Georgeanne Brennan, Weldon Owen, 2017.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lamb riblets, or ribs
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- 2 bunches young tender carrots, 12 to 15 total
- 2 bunches young tender turnips, 6 to 8 total
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ pounds small new potatoes
- 1 pound fresh peas in the pod, shelled
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375˚F.
- Cut the riblets or ribs into racks of 3 to 4 ribs each. Rub the lamb with about half the salt and the pepper and all the Herbes de Provence and place them on a shallow, rimmed baking sheet and into the oven. Roast, turning once or twice until the meat between the ribs is easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 50 minutes.
- While the lamb is roasting, prepare the vegetables.
- Trim the tops from the carrots, leaving ¼-inch of green and cut any large carrots in half lengthwise leaving smaller carrots whole. Trim the tops from the turnips, leaving a ¼-inch of green, then cut in half lengthwise.
- Place the carrots and turnips together on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with most of the olive oil, reserving 1/2 teaspoon or so, and sprinkle with most of the remaining salt and pepper. Turn well to coat and place in the oven. Roast, turning several times, until they are caramelized slightly and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 30 to 40 minutes, depending upon the size of the vegetables.
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover by 1½ to 2 inches of water. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until nearly tender when pierced with the tines of a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and drain. Add to the carrots and turnips, along with the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the peas. Reduce the heat to medium and cook just until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
- Warm 4 dinner plates. To serve, place a rack of riblets on each of 4 plates, divide the roasted vegetables equally among them and scatter all with equal amounts of the peas.
- Serve immediately.
