Leg of Lamb with Roasted Garlic and Shallots

By corlear

Gigot à l'Ail et aux Echalotes Rôtis

Work time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/4 - 2 hours

The flavors of garlic and shallots sweeten and mellow when they are slowly roated in their skins. Here, they are cooked with a leg of lamb and softened to a purée that is delicious spread directly on the meat, or on a piece of crusty baguette.

In this simple recipe, the lamb and vegetables are best roasted just before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 smll French-cut leg of lamb, weighing about 5 lb
• 2 heads of garlic
• 1 lb shallots
• 5-7 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup water, more if needed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup beef or veal stock
• 1 small bunch of watercress for decoration

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients:
1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Using the boning knife, trim all but a thin layer of fat from the lamb. Anne says, "A thin layer of fat helps keep the lamb moist while it is cooking."

2. With the heel of your hand, press sharply down on the heads of garlic to loosen the cloves. Separate the cloves, and discard the root and any loose skin.

3. With the small knife, trim the tops and roots from the shallots but do not peel them.

4. Strip the thyme leaves from half of the sprigs, and reserve the remaining sprigs for garnish.

Roast the lamb and vegetables; finish the dish:
1. Put the lamb into the roasting pan and spoon over the oil. Sprinkle the lamb with the thyme leaves and salt and pepper. Roast in the heated oven until browned, 10-15 minutes. Anne says, "Cooking at high heat forms a crust around the meat and seals in the juices."

2. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Add the garlic cloves and shallots to the roasting pan with the 1/2 cup water, and stir to mix with the pan juices.

3. Continue cooking the lamb, basting often, and adding a little more water if necessary, 1 - 1 1/4 hours for rare meat or 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours for medium done. When rare, the metal skewer inserted into the thickest part of the leg for 30 seconds will be cool to the touch when withdrawn, and a meat thermometer will show 125°F. When the meat is medium done, the skewer will be warm and a meat thermometer will show 140°F. Ann says, "The garlic and shallots should be tender when pierced with the metal skewer. If necessary, continue cooking them 5-10 minutes longer."

4. When the lamb is cooked to your taste, remove it from the pan, cover with foil, and keep warm. Remove the garlic and shallots, cover, and keep warm. Let the lamb stand 10-15 minutes before carving.

5. Meanwhile, make the gravy: discard the fat from the pan. Add the wine and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the pan juices. Simmer, stirring, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the stock and continue simmering until the gravy is well flavored, 2-3 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning.

6. Carve the meat: set the lamb rounded side up. Hold the leg by the shank and cut thin horizontal slices.

7. Turn the leg over and carve horizontal slices from the other side of the bone. Finally, carve slivers from the meat left next to the bone.

To serve:
Arrange the lamb, garlic, and shallots, on a warmed platter. Decorate the lamb with the reserved thyme and a watercress bouquet. Serve the gravy separately.