3 carrots
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, cleaned and cut in 1½ inch cubes
½ cup all-purpose cake flour
1 head garlic
1 leek, white only, halved
4 sprigs parsley stems also
2 bay leaves
1 stalk celery
3 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper
1 cup dry white wine, more as needed
1.1 lbs. turnips, peeled and cubed
1.1 lbs. baby potatoes, scrubbed
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice two of the carrots into circles about 2 cm thick. Cut the other carrot in half and reserve for the *bouquet Garni. Melt the butter with the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat. Add sliced carrots and chopped onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables have softened but not browned. Add the lamb; brown the meat on all sides. Drain off excess grease and sprinkle flour over the pan. Toss to coat meat and vegetables. Bury the whole garlic head in the mixture.
Tie together the reserved carrot, leek, parsley sprigs, bay leaves, and celery with a piece of string and bury the bundle in the mixture. Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 cups water and the wine. The liquid should just cover the meat; if it does not, add more wine. Place the turnips together on one side of the pan. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Place the baby potatoes together on another side of the pan; re-cover and continue to bake for another 30 minutes or until everything is tender.
Remove and discard the garlic and Bouquet Garni*. Remove the turnips and potatoes separately with a slotted spoon. If you wish to strain the pan sauce, remove the meat with a slotted spoon and pour the sauce through a strainer. Serve the lamb, carrots, and onion with plenty of pan sauce and the turnips and potatoes on the side. Serves 4
*Bouquet Garni is a combination of fresh sprigs of thyme, parsley stalks, and a bay leaf added in a small muslin bag or tied together round a celery stick and placed mainly in stews, soups and casseroles for flavor. Once food is cooked, the Bouquet Garni is removed and discarded.