Lamb Stew with Vegetables

Ingredients:
60 ml (4 tbsp) vegetable oil
1.5 kg (3 - 3½ lb) lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 5 cm (2 in) pieces
120 ml (½ cup) water
45-60 ml (3-4 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 litre (4 cups) lamb stock
1 large bouquet garni
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
3 ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
5 ml (1 tsp) tomato purée (paste)
675 gr (1½ lb) small potatoes, peeled or scrubbed
12 baby carrots, scrubbed
115 gr (4 oz) French (green) beans, cut into 5 cm (2 in) pieces
25 gr (1 oz) (2 tbsp) butter
12-18 baby onions
6 medium turnips, quartered
30 ml (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
¼ tsp dried thyme
175 gr (6 oz) (1¼ cups) peas
50 gr (2 oz) ½ cup) mangetouts (snowpeas)
salt and ground black pepper
45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley or coriander (cilantro) to garnish

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan. Brown the lamb in batches, adding more oil if needed, and place it in a large, flameproof casserole. Add 45 ml (3 tbsp) of the water to the pan and boil for about 1 minute, stirring and scraping the base of the pan, then pour the liquid into the casserole.
Sprinkle the flour over the browned meat in the casserole and set it over a medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes until browned. Stir in the stock, the bouquet garni, garlic, tomatoes and tomato purée. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil over a high heat. Skim the surface, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until the meat is tender. Cool the stew to room temperature, cover and chill overnight.
About 1 ½ hours before serving, take the casserole from the refrigerator, lift off the solid fat and blot the surface with kitchen paper to remove all traces of fat. Set the casserole over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and add the carrots to the same water. Cook for 4-5 minutes and transfer to the same bowl. Add the French beans and boil for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the other vegetables.
Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan and add the onions and turnips with a further 45 ml (3 tbsp) water. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and thyme and cook until the vegetables are caramelized. Transfer them to the bowl of vegetables. Add the remaining water to the pan. Boil for 1 minute, incorporating the sediment, then add to the lamb.
When the lamb and gravy are hot, add the cooked vegetables to the stew and stir gently to distribute. Stir in the peas and mangetouts and cook for 5 minutes until they turn a bright green, then stir in 30 ml (2 tbsp) of the parsley or coriander.
Pour the stew into a large, warmed serving dish. Scatter over the remaining parsley or coriander and serve at once. Serves six.

Tips:
A wide variety of vegetables can be used in the stew but the trick for success is to avoid overcooking tender young produce. For example, baby broad beans can be added instead of the French beans.
Young red radishes are delicious instead of, or as well as, the turnips.
Mint is uplifting and refreshing with the lamb and vegetables - add some instead of the parsley or coriander to garnish, or chop a large handful of fresh mint leaves and add them with the other herbs.