Slow Provencal Lamb Food

EASY PROVENCAL LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the leg of lamb in a large roasting pan fat side up and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the mustard, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, the rosemary, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and pulse until the garlic and rosemary are minced. Spread the mixture on the lamb.
• Place the tomatoes, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the honey, the onion, the remaining 2 tablespoons garlic, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a bowl and toss well. Pour the tomato mixture around the lamb and tuck in the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle the lamb with the remaining 1/4 cup of honey.
• Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and roast for another 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare. Place the lamb on a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Discard the herb stems and return the tomatoes to the oven to keep warm. Slice the lamb, arrange on a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve with the tomatoes and pan juices spooned on top. Garnish with a branch of rosemary.

4-HOUR LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb all over with olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a very large Dutch oven such as Le Creuset over medium-high heat until its hot. Add the lamb and sear on all sides for about 12 minutes, until its browned all over. Remove the lamb to a plate.
• Add the wine and 2 cups of water to the pan and cook for a minute or two, scraping up all the brown bits in the bottom. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves and the lamb on top. Place the lid on the pot and bake in the oven for 4 hours, basting occasionally. (If you dont have a lid, you can cover it tightly with 2 layers of aluminum foil.)
• After 4 hours, the lamb should be incredibly tender and falling off the bone. Remove the lamb to a plate, cover it tightly with foil and allow it to rest. Strain the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce. The lamb will be too tender to slice; serve it warm with spoons and the sauce.

EASY PROVENçAL LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the leg of lamb in a large roasting pan fat side up and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the mustard, 1 tablespoon of garlic, the rosemary, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a mini food processor and pulse until the garlic and rosemary are minced. Spread the mixture on the lamb.
• Place the tomatoes, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the honey, the onion, the remaining 1 tablespoons garlic, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a bowl and toss well. Pour the tomato mixture around the lamb and tuck in the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle the lamb with the remaining 1/4 cup of honey.
• Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and roast for another 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees for medium-rare. Place the lamb on a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Discard the herb stems and return the tomatoes to the oven to keep warm. Slice the lamb, arrange on a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve with the tomatoes and pan juices spooned on top.

SLOW PROVENCAL LAMB

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 300 degrees F\150 degrees C.
• Sprinkle the lamb generously with salt and pepper. Heat a spoonful or two of the oil in a cocotte (Dutch oven) and brown the meat well on both sides, about 15 minutes per side. Remove the meat.
• Add another spoonful of the oil and cook the onions until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. While the onions are browning, peel, quarter and seed the tomatoes over a sieve set over a bowl to catch the juices. Reserve the tomatoes for later. Pour the juice into a 2 cup/500 ml measuring cup and add enough wine to fill. Deglaze the onions with the veal stock, stirring up the good bits from the bottom. Then add the wine and tomato juice mixture. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and garlic. Wet a piece of parchment paper and lay it over the meat, cover and bake 1 hour 30 minutes.
• While the lamb cooks, salt the eggplant and set in a colander to drain, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Meanwhile, roast the red peppers. Once the lamb has cooked 1 hour 30 minutes, add the eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, cover and cook for another 1 hour.
• Increase the heat to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C. Remove the lid and the parchment, add the zucchini and cook a further 45 minutes uncovered.
• For serving: Remove from the oven. Remove the herbs. Spoon the lamb onto plates, with the sauce spooned over.

SLOW LAMB WITH BAKED PROVENCAL TOMATOES

Steps:

• For the lamb:
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb with about half the olive oil and season generously with salt, and pepper. In an oven-proof casserole just large enough to hold the lamb, brown the meat on all sides on the stovetop. Deglaze with the white wine. Lay the garlic and herbs on and around the lamb. Drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake in the oven for 4 hours, turning once at half time. Remove from the oven and serve from the casserole with the juices spooned over. This is nice served with baked tomatoes and sauteed potato slices.
• For the tomatoes:
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the tomatoes in half at the waist. Lay them cut-side up in a baking dish, and season with salt, and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the tops of the tomatoes, and then drizzle over a little olive oil. Bake the tomatoes until hot and slumping, about 20 minutes.
• For the plate:
• On a nice platter set the piece of lamb, line with the baked tomatoes, creating a glorious feast for the eyes in presentation.

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.