12423 Catalan-Style Shoulder of Lamb with Garlic and White Beans Serves 8 Wed Aug 06 01:06:49 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 04 15:52:44 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12423 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:52:44 GMT There is a superb version of cassoulet called en pistache in Catalan, as served in the central Pyrenees. If you like the combination of lamb and garlic—and who doesn't?—you will adore this dish.

Buy “choice” lamb rather than “prime”; it is less fatty, and lamb fat is not particularly appetizing. The method of cooking the lamb in its own juices with a small quantity of wine and aromatics was devised to bring out the true flavor of the meat. With the dish, pass a small bowl of pickled walnuts.

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  • Put the beans in a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water. Let soak overnight.
  • The next day, trim off as much fat as possible from each cube of lamb. Peel the 4 cloves of garlic and cut each clove into slivers. With a small paring knife, make a slit in each piece of meat and insert a sliver of garlic. Rub the meat with a little salt and pepper and sprinkle very lightly with sugar so the lamb will have a nice brown glossy color when browned.
  • In a 3-quart flameproof casserole, heat the oil over high heat. Add the lamb in batches without crowding and brown lamb on all sides. Avoid too high a heat, but do sear the lamb cubes. As they are browned, transfer the pieces to a plate.
  • When all the lamb has been browned, wipe the fat out of the casserole and return to low heat. Add the pancetta cubes, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the casserole often to prevent sticking. Uncover, add the chopped onions, and cook gently, stirring once or twice, until soft and golden.
  • Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Return the lamb pieces to the casserole along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, dried cèpes, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, tightly covered, for 2 hours, or until the lamb is tender. Set aside, uncovered, to cool slightly. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface.
  • Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Put them in a 4- or 5-quart flameproof casserole. Add the carrots, onion stuck with cloves, pancetta rind if you have it, and herb bouquet. Add enough water just to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the sausages, each pricked in several places, and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Remove and discard the onion stuck with cloves, and the herb bouquet.
  • Separate the head of garlic into cloves. Cook the garlic cloves in their skins in a small saucepan of water to cover for 10 minutes. Set aside and peel when cool enough to handle.
  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 5½-quart earthenware or stoneware bean pot with the rind, fat side down. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about one third of the beans to the pot, then add a layer of about half of the lamb. Cut the sausages into 8 slices and place them between the lamb chunks. Scatter the peeled garlic cloves on top. Cover with another layer of beans, add the remaining lamb, then the remaining beans. Pour all the meat cooking liquid over the beans and add enough of the bean cooking liquid just to cover. Bake, uncovered for l hour, or until a crust forms on the surface. Serve directly from the pot.
  • Parboiling the garlic cloves, then peeling and tossing them with the beans, makes for a pleasant surprise, since the peeled cloves and the white beans look alike.
  • You can make your own Catalan sausage for this dish by following the recipe for Toulouse Sausage and seasoning the meat with pinches of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, crumbled marjoram, and hot cayenne, while leaving out the nutmeg. Or substitute a mildly spicy Italian, Spanish, or Polish sausage.
  • This dish can be prepared 1 day in advance. When ready to serve, poke holes in the bean crust, add ½ cup water, and reheat in 350°F oven for 30 minutes, or until hot throughout.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 1 pound dried white beans, such as Tarbais or cannellini

    ]]>     3 to 3½ pounds boned lean shoulder of lamb, cut into 2-inch chunks

    ]]>     1 whole head of garlic plus 4 garlic cloves

    ]]>     Salt and freshly ground pepper

    ]]>     1 teaspoon sugar

    ]]>     2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    ]]>     10 ounces thick slices fatty pancetta or ventrèche, cut into ½-inch dice, any rind reserved

    ]]>     2 medium onions, chopped, plus 1 whole onion stuck with 2 whole cloves

    ]]>     1 cup dry white wine

    ]]>     3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 can (14½ ounces) organic diced, peeled tomatoes

    ]]>     1 tablespoon tomato paste

    ]]>     ½ ounce dried French cèpes, rinsed

    ]]>     1 wide strip of orange zest

    ]]>     2 carrots, sliced

    ]]>     Herb bouquet: 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme, 1 imported bay leaf, and 2 celery leaves tied together with string

    ]]>     1 pound French or Italian garlic sausage or homemade Toulouse Sausage (page 298) flavored with a pinch each of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, dried marjoram, and ground cayenne

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