Best Roasted Leg Of Spring Lamb Gigotan With Baked Cannellini Beans And Confit Of Spring Vegetables Recipes

GIGOT A LA CUILLèRE - FRENCH SLOW COOKED SPOON LAMB

Steps:

• TRADITIONAL OVEN METHOD.
• Preheat the oven to 120 degrees C or 248 F, gas mark 1/2. Season the leg of lamb with salt and pepper to taste.
• Put the casserole or roasting tin on the hob and brown the lamb thoroughly on all sides (it is important to do this now as the meat will not brown in the oven). If the lamb sticks add a little oil to the casserole. Use the cooker extractor fan to disperse any smoke. Drain away any fat that has gathered in the bottom of the pan.
• Add the vegetables to the casserole along with the white wine and stock. Season and bring to the boil.
• Put on the lid or cover tightly with tin foil and place in the pre heated oven. Bake for 7 hours, turning twice during this time. The meat will be cooked after 5 hours and offer no resistance to the knife.
• The meat requires no resting time when cooked in this way. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Strain the meat juices into a jug and pour or blot away the fat with kitchen paper. Pour the juices into a pan and boil vigorously until reduced by a quarter.
• Adjust the seasoning and add the Armagnac or Madeira. Garnish the lamb with the sprigs of thyme and serve with the sauce. Use a spoon to carve and serve the lamb - a la cuillere as the French call it. It will be tender, succulent and delicious !
• CROCK-POT COOKING METHOD.
• Carry out steps 3 and 4 as shown above; then place into the crock-pot and cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for about 6 hours, or until the lamb is cooked as instructed above - soft and spoonable!
• Serve as before.

ROASTED LEG OF SPRING LAMB WITH ROASTED GARLIC AND ROSEMARY JUICE AND PORTOBELLO AND EGGPLANT RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Portobello and Eggplant Ratatouille: Place the portobellos, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, pepper, jalapeno and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a single layer over grill. Grill over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn and cook 4 more minutes. Starting with the tomatoes, remove all the vegetables from the grill. Place the vegetables on a cutting board and chop coarsely. Add garlic, rosemary, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit 1/2 hour. After 1/2 hour drain 1/2 cup of the juice from the vegetables and save for the Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Juice.;
• Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Juice: Puree the garlic, rosemary, olive oil and ratatouille juice in a blender. Season with salt and pepper.;
• Roasted Leg of Lamb: Combine garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl, or mortar, and crush together. Add oil and rub the mixture over the lamb vigorously, forcing the mixture into the meat. Skewer the lamb and place on a spit. Roast the lamb 1 1/2 hours over medium heat. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Take the bone out and slice the leg into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices into a circle around the outside of a platter. Place the ratatouille in the center and drizzle juice around the lamb.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH FLAGEOLET BEANS

Steps:

• For the Beans:.
• Rinse, pick over and soak the flageolet beans in cold water overnight.
• Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with the bouquet garni, carrot and onion.
• Cover with the 3 quarts of cold water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours or until the beans are thoroughly cooked.
• Bring the 2 quarts of salted water to a boil, add the green beans, and cook about 12 minutes or until crisp-cooked.
• Drain and refresh under cold running water.
• For the Lamb:.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Poke the leg of lamb with the tip of a knife in various spots and insert slivers of garlic into the slits.
• Make a bed of the onion and carrot in the bottom of a roasting pan and place the lamb on the vegetables and the roasting pan in the oven.
• Reduce heat to 350°F and roast for about one hour and twenty minutes for a rare roast (165°F internal Temperature) up to two hours for a well-done roast (175° to 180°F).
• Remove lamb to a platter and add the white wine and water to the roasting pan, mixing well to scrape up all carmelized juices from the bottom of the pan.
• Strain through a fine sieve and season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• To Serve:.
• Reheat the flageolets and season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat the green beans in a skillet with a little butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Carve the lamb, place the slices on a large platter on a bed of the flageolets (or white beans) surrounded by the green beans and douse the meat with some of the sauce.
• Serve additional sauce on the side.