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leg of lamb - breton style

Leg of lamb.  An average sized leg should feed six comfortably.

Vegetables to roast. Spuds, carrots, but any other veg you like roasted like parsnip, squash...

Rosemary, several sprigs.
Garlic - fresh! three or four cloves.

Find a roasting pan that's not to big - look for one that's just big enough for the leg (and don't worry if the thin end overhangs) rather than a big flat one.

Load up the tin with chopped up roasting veg. Don't worry if it makes a tall pile.

Cut up the garlic into long slivers, and trim the rosemary into short lengths.

Rub the lamb with olive oil.

Make stabs into the leg of lamb and into each "slot" slide a
sliver of garlic and a twigglet of rosemary.


Now lay the leg of lamb atop the pile of veg and put the dish in a medium oven (170) for long enough to cook the leg of lamb. Typically 20mins per lb plus 20.

Once it's done (remember lamb doesn't have to be "well done") take the meat out of the dish and set it to rest - cover with foil. Run a spoon around the dish to make sure the veg are not sticking, and to stir them about a bit. Slap the dish back in the oven and crank it up to help crisp off the veg.

Give the meat 20 mins to rest, by which time the veg should be perfect. Serve this up with:-

...

Well there's some debate in the house.

The french will typically serve this up with one of

- green haricot beans from a tin warmed through with some garlic (this is the quick-and-easy)
- white haricots which have soaked overnight, then simmered slowly in a stock with carrot, celery, boquet garnis, until soft and well flavoured
- chick peas

of which, the latter obviosly needs planning ahead! You can use tinned white haricots but you won't be able to infuse them with any flavour without reducing them to mush, as they're already well cooked.

Actually, I prefer a big mound of mash, or ratatouille :)

NOTE

This recipe doesn't call for gravy, the lamb will be moist and flavourfull. BUT the goop in the roasting tray is too good to lose. I recommend deglazing it and transfering it to a saucepan along with any "bits" trimmed off when you carve the lamb. This will make a fab gravy to have *tomorrow* in the unlikely event you have any lamb left over. Or freezing it and using it next time you make a lamb casserole.


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posted by ccomley on 14 Oct 06 - 9070 views


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