Le Gigot Dagneau French Roast Leg Of Lamb Food

LE GIGOT D'AGNEAU (FRENCH ROAST LEG OF LAMB)

Steps:

• The night before you want to roast your lamb, cut 1 inch slits in the leg of lamb. Stuff the slits with garlic slices and rosemary sprigs. Place the lamb in a roasting pan with a roasting rack. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to infuse with flavor.
• Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before you want to start cooking to let it come to room temperature.
• Preheat your oven to 450F.
• Drizzle the lamb with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you have an in-oven probe thermometer, insert it into the center of the meatiest part of the leg.
• Roast the lamb at 450F for 15 minutes.
• Reduce your oven temperature to 300F. Open the oven door slightly to help drop the heat more quickly.
• Continue to roast the lamb at 300F for 20-25 minutes per pound for medium rare (or 25-30 minutes a pound for medium). (For a 5-6 lb leg of lamb, this means you will be roasting 1.5-2.5 hours for medium rare or 2-3 hours for medium.)
• Remove the lamb from the oven when it has reached 135F internal temperature for medium rare (or 150F for medium).
• Rest the lamb on the counter for 10-15 minutes, tented loosely with aluminum foil. As it rests, it will continue to cook. Your ending temperature for medium rare should be 145F (or 160F for medium).
• Carve the leg (as instructed in our article) and serve with green beans and gratin potatoes!

ROAST LEG OF LAMB FRENCH-STYLE (GIGOT D'AGNEAU A LA FRANCAISE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• It is recommended that you have the butcher remove and set aside the hipbone of the lamb. This is the upper bone that is attached to the main (straight) leg bone. This can also be done in the home kitchen, using a thin, sharp boning knife, neatly cutting all around the meat attached to the hipbone and severing the hipbone from the main bone. Cut off and discard the skin, leaving a light layer of fat.
• Rub the meat all over with the oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and the thyme.
• Make 16 gashes in the flesh of the leg and insert the garlic slivers.
• Place the leg, the thickest side down, in a roasting pan and scatter around it the hipbone, onion halves (cut side down), bay leaves and carrot pieces.
• Place in the oven and bake one hour. Remove the lamb and pour off the fat from the pan.
• Return the lamb to the pan, the thickest side up.
• Pour the water into the pan and continue baking 30 minutes for medium-rare lamb (135 degrees internal temperature). If you wish the lamb well done, continue cooking 30 minutes or longer. In any event, remove the lamb from the oven, discarding the hipbone and vegetables, cover with foil and let it stand for 20 minutes before carving. Serve, if desired, with flageolet beans in cream.

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.

GIGOT DE SEPT HEURES (FRENCH SEVEN HOUR ROAST LAMB)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 F/ 150°C.
• Make small incisions in the lamb and put a sliver of garlic inside each incision.
• Rub the lamb well with the olive oil and season all over with the salt and pepper.
• Place it in a Dutch oven and add the sliced onions, whole carrots, whole garlic cloves, bouquet garni and wine.
• Put the lid on the Dutch oven.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour and water to form a rough dough, mixing well with a wooden spoon. (Don't worry you don't have to eat it).
• Use the dough like grout to create a seal that connects the lid to the Dutch oven.
• Place in the oven and cook for 7 hours.
• Remove from the oven and break the seal.
• Serve.