Breton braised lamb and haricot beans

• beans↗250g g

  soaked overnight and drained

• large onions2

  1 coarsely sliced, 1 quartered

• whole carrots3

  peeled, 1 halved lengthwise, 2 diced

• celery↗2 sticks

  1 halved, 1 diced

• bay leaf↗2
• parsley↗bunch of

  stems and leaves separated, leaves chopped

• black peppercorns6
• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• braising lamb↗1kg kg

  (shoulder works), cut into pieces

• garlic cloves↗4

  finely chopped

• canned cherry tomatoes↗400g g
• tomato paste1 tbsp tbsp
• lamb broth400ml ml

  or chicken broth

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place the beans in a pot and cover with water. Add the quartered onion, halved carrots and celery, bay leaf, parsley stems and whole black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30‑40 minutes until the beans are tender. Drain well and set aside the liquid, discarding the onion, carrots and celery.

2. 2

   While the beans cook, heat half of the olive oil in a heavy, oven‑safe pot. Sear the lamb pieces in batches over high heat. When a batch is done, remove it and set aside on a plate. Reduce the heat, add the sliced onion to the pan together with the diced celery and carrots and cook until they develop a good colour. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

3. 3

   Return the lamb to the pot and add all remaining ingredients except the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add the beans 45 minutes before the end of cooking. Stir the lamb occasionally. If it looks dry, add a little of the bean‑cooking liquid.

4. 4

   Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking and season. This allows the liquid to evaporate. You will have a thick stew of tender lamb and soft beans. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.