Braised young lamb is the basis for this very classic French ragoût with spring vegetables, known as a la printaniere. Julia Child in The French Chef Cookbook (Knopf, 1968) devoted her sixty-fourth TV show to navarin. She recommended stew meat made from a combination of the breast, for fat and texture; shoulder, for lean solid pieces; short ribs, for texture and flavor; and neck, for texture and sauce consistency. She also sprinkles the stew meat with sugar as it cooks; you may do so if you like.
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