I found a wonderful cooking Website from a fellow American who also happens to be living in France (only she's in Paris)...and she's got a fabulous Recipe for Lamb stew -- which not only goes great with the Bordeaux I told you about (The Mouton Cadet Rouge 2002), but it's also just the thing to warm you up and make you happy on these cold winter nights! (Hey...it rains here...and it's been cold -- relatively speaking!)

Anyway, here's the recipe, and the link to her site -- I strongly suggest that you go over and check out some of her food -- plus, she's got a wonderful new cookbook that will be coming out in February! (And no, she's not paying me to say that! I'm going to get the cookbook because she gives step-by-step, foolproof instructions for making each dish!)

Okay, here's the recipe...Ragoût d'Agneau avec Polenta (This means "Medium-rare Lamb Stew with Polenta) and it's an adaptation of an original recipe by Michael Chiarello.

1 pound lamb, fat and silver skin removed (ask the butcher for the stew meat cut)
sea salt and pepper
1½ teaspoons ground fennel spice (if you use whole fennel seeds, make sure you grind them using either a mortar and pestle or your food processor or even the bottom of a frying pan)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shallots, peeled & quartered through the root end to hold it together
1 cup carrot chunks, peeled (½” chunks)
1 cup turnip chunks, peeled (½” chunks)
1 cup button mushrooms (optional- you can also use the wonderful dried mushrooms that grow wild here in France)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup red wine (either use an inexpensive Bordeaux, or heck, open the Mouton Cadet now, and have a drink while you're cooking with it! Note to self -- bring up two bottles!)
4 cups chicken broth (if you're in France making this recipe, may I suggest making your own chicken broth, because all I've found here is the nasty powdered stuff, and it's not very good!)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (We picked our own fresh last winter and dried it -- I prefer fresh, but it's up to you)
2 large handfuls spinach, stems removed (you can substitute 2 cups swiss chard)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

COOK LAMB: (If you had the butcher cut it for you -- ours does, he's such a sweetie, you can skip this part!)1. Cut the lamb loin in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. The pieces should be fairly large so they do not get overcooked.

Season well with salt, pepper and fennel spice.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Dust the lamb with 2 tablespoons of the flour. Add the lamb to the pan, spreading out the pieces so there is room around them. Do not move the pieces until moisture begins to show on the tops and they have browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Then turn the pieces to continue to brown, about 2 minutes longer. Do not overcook. The lamb should be medium-rare. Remove the meat to a large plate.

3. COOK VEGGIES: Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onions, carrots and turnips to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the vegetables are well caramelized, about 10 minutes. Regulate the heat so the vegetables do not burn. Add the butter and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

4. MAKE SAUCE: Dust the remaining 1 tablespoon flour over the contents of the pan, stir, and cook over medium heat for another minute.

5. Add the wine, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced by half.

6. Add the stock, return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms as the stock comes to a boil.

7. Add the rosemary for the last few minutes. (The stew may be made to this point a day ahead. Refrigerate the liquids and meat separately. Do not freeze, or you will lose the freshness and texture of the meat. When ready to eat, bring the liquids to a boil.)

8. FINISH & SERVE: Return the meat to the pan, add the chard and parsley, and simmer for 1 minute.

9. Season with salt and pepper and pour stew into soup plates on top of a bed of soft polenta.

Yum-yum! If you try it, let me know how you like it!

By the way, here's the link to her Website... http://cucinatestarossa.blogs.com/weblog/