Braised lamb with white beans

Haricot de Mouton

Adapted from “Paris Bistro Cooking” by Linda Dannenberg, an assemblage of recipes from several bistros loaded with charm and old-fashioned food, in this case the venerable Chez Georges.

This cookbook is one of the reasons this blog exists, to make myself explore the wonderful world that awaits inside. It sits on my shelf, filled with enticing recipes that represent the way I want to cook -- leisurely, lovingly -- and the way I want to eat – savoring laid-back, lingering meals. It's as much lifestyle aspiration as it is food inspiration. You imagine yourself living the life of a bistro frequenter, a life somehow more relaxed and more focused on the things that matter. It's all poppycock of course, but the idea persists.

So out the book comes for another glimpse into another life.

Ingredients

11 ounces dried white beans (I used Rancho Gordo’s cassoulet beans)

2 sprigs thyme, divided

2 sprigs parsley, divided

2 bay leaves, divided

1 medium onion, peeled and studded with whole cloves

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces

Salt, pepper and sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups white wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 ripe tomatoes, quartered

4 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

Soak beans in water overnight. Rinse, drain and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Wrap 1 sprig of thyme, 1 sprig parsley and 1 bay leaf in cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni. Put beans in large Dutch oven with the herb bundle, clove-studded onion and carrot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven or deep skillet. Sprinkle lamb with salt, sugar and pepper. Brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Sprinkle with flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Add the wine, tomato paste, tomatoes, garlic and remaining herbs. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for an hour.

Drain liquid from beans (I strained it and kept it to use as a vegetable broth). Add beans and carrots to the lamb mixture and cook another 45 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve lamb and beans “heaped together,” a phrase that just smacks of comfort food.

Rating: I wasn’t transported to Paris, but it was a lot cheaper than airfare and it was good comfort food that didn't take that much hands-on time. The tomatoey sauce over the beans is the best part. I suspect the same method could work for beef chuck as well, if lamb isn’t your thing.

And speaking of traveling the world in search of food, I love Eatthispoem.com's literary city guides: http://www.eatthispoem.com/city-guides/

My other favorite food-related online stop of the day (thanks for sharing, Rebekah) is the Toast's bit on food blog commentaries.  But if you try this recipe with lentils, Gatorade and chicken, I don't want to hear about it.