French Canadian Ragout (fricot)

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 6 -8 pieces lamb legs (top meaty part)
• 1 large onion, studded with
• 8 -9 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• water, to cover by about 2 inches
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 2 slices bread, without crust soaked in a little bit of milk and squeezed dry
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2-2 cups of browned flour (home made or commercial if available, but home made is better)

Recipe

• 1 home made browned flour: turn oven on to broil.
• 2 in a large skillet put about 3 cups of all purpose flour.
• 3 place in the oven on the middle rack.
• 4 let the flour brown for about 5-6 minutes.
• 5 remove and stir well.
• 6 repeat, mixing every 5-6 minutes.
• 7 be careful not to burn.
• 8 this may require 4-6 times.
• 9 brown and mix until flour is a nice light caramel colour.
• 10 in a large pot put the lamb pieces, the studded onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• 11 cover with water about two inches above.
• 12 bring to boil.
• 13 reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hour.
• 14 the meat should be well done.
• 15 remove the meat and let cool so you can handle it.
• 16 remove the skin and most of the fat, leaving the meat in chunks.
• 17 refrigerate.
• 18 meanwhile let the broth cool overnight so the fat comes to the top and congeals so it can be removed.
• 19 for the meatballs: mix all the other ingredients, (except browned flour) in a bowl.
• 20 mix well and form meatballs about one inch in diameter.
• 21 cover a baking pan with foil and cook the meatballs in a 350°f oven for approx 15 minutes.
• 22 refrigerate.
• 23 the next day put the reserved lamb meat in the pot and pour enough of the degreased broth to cover by about 3 inches.
• 24 bring to a light boil.
• 25 meanwhile, mix the flour with cold water a bit at a time until you get a medium thick paste.
• 26 pour one large spoonful at a time in the broth and let simmer a few minutes.
• 27 repeat until the sauce is thickened to your taste (not too thick).
• 28 add the meatballs and cook another 7-10 minutes.
• 29 serve with boiled or mashed potatoes.
• 30 if you want to be traditional, also serve with the tourtiere.