LAMB-YOU CAN-EAT-WITH-A-SPOON

By akselden

Buy a whole leg of lamb and if it is larger than your pan, have the butcher crack the shinbone so you can tuck it up alongside the meat as it cooks. A heavy casserole, such as a 14x11 oval LeCreuset is ideal.

Ingredients

• One 7-9 lb. leg of lamb,with bone in
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 2 lbs. carrots,peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 whole head garlic, cloves peeled and halved
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 bunch fresh thyme,or 1 T. dried thyme
• 2 bottles red wine, such as Rioja, Chianti or Zinfandel
• 5 lbs. all-purpose potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 8 turnips, peeled and halved

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F, with oven rack at lowest level.

Using a razor-sharp knife, cut most of the fat and all of the fell (this is the thin, tough membrane covering the meat) from the lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and rub into the flesh.

On the bottom of the casserole, make a bed of the onions, half the carrots, half the garlic, half the bay leaves and half the thyme. Put the leg of lamb on top. Roast 20 minutes. Remove the lamb from oven and lower the heat to 300°F.

Pour the wine over the lamb; add the rest of the carrots, garlic and herbs. Bring to a boil on the stove. Cover and put in the oven, Cook 2 hours.
Remove from oven, turn the lamb over and add the potatoes and turnips. Cook another 2 hours, checking occasionally and stirring vegetables so that they cook evenly.

The lamb is done when it falls off the bone in pieces when prodded with a fork, and all the vegetables are fork tender. (A large leg may require
more cooking time.)

Remove the lamb and vegetables to a platter. Cover with heavy foil to keep warm.

Pour off all the liquid into a saucepan, skim the fat and boil down about 20 minutes, until it is rich and thick. Serve as a sauce with the lamb and vegetables.