The recipe above is taken from Anne Willan's Cooking with Wine. Her next book "Good Food, No Fuss" is due to be published Autumn 2003. For information about Anne Willan's cooking courses in Burgundy, visit www.lavarenne.com |
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Daube of lamb with white
wine and olives
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| daube
of lamb with white wine and olives daube d'agneau à la provençale |
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| Serves 8 | ||
| 3lb
boneless lamb leg or shoulder 1 calf's or pig's foot, split ½ lb green olives ¾ lb piece of lean bacon, preferably with skin 3 medium onions (about 1lb), thinly sliced 3 large carrots (about 1lb), thickly sliced 2lb tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped pepper 1¼ pt water, more if needed salt (optional) 3 tablespoons chopped parsley for the marinade pared zest of 1 orange large bouquet garni a 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 bottle (750 ml) full-bodied white wine |
Many countries have
traditional stews which are made by layering meat and vegetables in a
single pot to be simmered over the fire - Irish stew with lamb, potatoes
and onions, and Lancashire hot pot with beef, turnips, onions and
carrots are examples. One of the most famous is Provençal daube,
cooked in a buxom terracotta pot called a daubière. In the
old days, a daube was assembled at home, then taken to be baked in the
communal village oven so as to save fuel. There are may versions,
some with beef, some with lamb, and all moistened with red or white
wine. Preparation of a daube is in three stages: marinating, cooking of the meat and vegetables, and further cooking of the calf's or pig's foot which takes twice as long as the meat. Shoulder is the most economical cut of lamb for daube with it will be less fatty if you use the lean meat of lamb leg. This recipe includes olives - I like the meaty brine-cured variety and I don't bother to remove the pits, but if you prefer, use pitted olives stuffed with almonds for a treat. 1 Cut the lamb into 2-inch cubes, discarding sinew
and fat. Layer it in a non-metalic bowl with the marinade
ingredients and pour over the wine. cover and refrigerate at least
12 hours and up to a day and a half, stirring occasionally. |
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| 2 Heat the oven to
400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Blanch the calf's or pigs foot by putting it
in cold water, bringing it to a boil, simmering it 5 minutes and then
draining. Cut skin from the bacon in one piece and set it in the
bottom of an earthenware pot or heavy casserole (it will prevent the
ingredients sticking on the bottom). Cut the meat into dice (lardons).
Drain the meat, strain and reserve the marinade. Tie the
flavourings in Cheesecloth. 3 Layer the ingredients as follows: lamb, bacon, olives, onions, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic and top with fresh pepper. Tuck the calf's or pig's foot down one side with the bag of flavourings. Pour over the reserved marinade and add water to just cover. Add the lid and bring to a simmer in the oven - this will take about half and hour but may vary with the thickness of your casserole. 4 Lower the oven heat to 300°F/150°C/Gas 2 and cook the daube until the lamb is tender enough to crush easily between your finger and thumb, 2 to 2½ hours. 5 the calf's or pig's foot will not yet be done. Transfer it to a saucepan. Pour over as much cooking liquid from the daubes as you can conveniently drain and set the meat and vegetables aside. Add the bag of flavourings to the food, cover and simmer on the stove 2 to 2½ hours longer until the meat is tender and gelatinous. Take out the foot and boil the broth to reduce to about 16 fl oz. Meanwhile discard the bones from the foot and dice the meat and skin; add it to the lamb and vegetables. 6 When the broth is well reduced, taste it and adjust the seasoning - salt may not be needed as the olives and bacon are already salty. Pour the broth over the meat and vegetables. If you can, keep the daube covered a day or two in the refrigerator as the flavour will mellow wonderfully. 7 To finish, reheat the daube, stir in the parsley, and check the seasoning once more. Serve it from the casserole along with a loaf of country bread. Quick Fix |
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The recipe above is taken from Anne Willan's Cooking with Wine. Her next book "Good Food, No Fuss" is due to be published Autumn 2003. For information about Anne Willan's cooking courses in Burgundy, visit www.lavarenne.com |
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