French lamb stew (Navarin)

Roux:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the flour and stir.
3. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly until the roux just begins to change colour.
4. Set aside.

Lamb stew:

1. In an enamelled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil and butter over high heat.
3. Sear the lamb on all sides for 3 to 4 minutes. Season.
4. Remove the meat and set aside.
5. Remove almost all the fat.
6. Cook the onion for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.
7. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
8. Add white wine an reduce by two-thirds.
9. Add the demi-glace sauce, tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme. Stir well.
10. Place the lamb back into the casserole.
11. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour without stirring. 
12. After 1 hour of cooking, temporarily turn off the heat.
13. Transfer almost all of the cooking liquid into another saucepan.
14. Bring to a boil.
15. Gradually add the roux, stirring with a whisk. Do not add all of the roux as your sauce will need to be thickened more or less depending on the demi-glace used.
16. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
17. Pass the sauce through a sieve above the casserole.
18. Place the casserole back on the heat.
19. Add the vegetables (except the peas).
20. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
21. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, check the seasoning as well as the tenderness of the meat.
22. Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes.
23. Serve immediately with buttered noodles or rice pilaf on the side.