From Chef Daniel Boulud

Recipe Serves: 8

In honor of the first anniversary of Chefs Deliver, Citymeals Board Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud shares his recipe for a Provençal lamb stew – the meal he prepared for our homebound elderly neighbors on the first delivery in January 2014. 

A hearty and comforting dish, this stew is perfect for serving on a cold winter night. Whether hosting guests, sharing with your family or dining alone, this recipe will warm both body and soul.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon Espelette or Cayenne pepper
• ½ pound slab bacon, cut into ½-inch dice
• 1 large head of fennel, cut into 16 wedges
• 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded
• 1 small orange, peel on, cut into thin slices
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 16 small Yukon potatoes, peeled
• 4 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, halved and cut into thick slices
• 4 celery stalks, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup taggiasche or other small olives, pitted
• 1 bottle (750ml) Pinot Noir or similar red wine
• 1 sachet (1 cinnamon stick; 2 teaspoons each fennel seed, black peppercorns and coriander seed; wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with butcher’s twine)
• 1 bouquet garni (3 sprigs basil, 1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme, and 2 sprigs rosemary, tied with butcher’s twine)

Instructions

1. The day before serving, season lamb and bacon on all sides with salt, paprika and Espelette or Cayenne pepper. Place a third of the lamb and the bacon on the bottom of a 5½-quart Dutch oven and top with a third of the vegetables. Repeat, creating three layers of meat and vegetables, finishing with vegetables. Add wine followed by sachet and bouquet garni, being sure to submerge them. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the center. Transfer the Dutch oven to a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 275°F and bake for another 2½ hours. Remove from the oven to rest at least 15 minutes before serving.