Roast Leg Of Lamb With Haricots Vert And Boulangere Potatoes

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (7 lb) whole leg of lamb
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup loosely packed roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaf
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon coarse cracked pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 lbs fingerling potatoes or 2 lbs red bliss potatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, halved, quartered, and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• coarse salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 lbs french haricots vert or 1 1/2 lbs young green beans, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups lamb stock or 2 cups chicken stock
• coarse salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Recipe

• 1 tie the lamb or ask the butcher to do so.
• 2 cut 5 of the garlic cloves in half lengthwise, thin thinly slice them.
• 3 make slits in the lamb and insert the garlic slices into the meat.
• 4 coarsely chop the remaining 7 cloves.
• 5 in a small dish, combine the chopped garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and oil.
• 6 mix well; then rub mixture over the lamb; cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• 7 preheat oven to 375°; lightly oil a large roasting pan.
• 8 about 20 minutes before roasting, remove the lamb from the refrigerator; season it with salt.
• 9 put the lamb in the roasting pan; roast for about 1 ½ hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 134°.
• 10 begin checking the temperature after 1 hour and 10 minutes, keeping in mind that lamb will cook quickly once it reaches a temperature of 125°.
• 11 transfer lamb to a serving platter and let it rest, loosely covered, with foil, for 30 minutes.
• 12 remove the pan juices in the roasting pan to make the jus.
• 13 make the potatoes: peel the potatoes and as each one is peeled, drop it into a bowl filled with cold water.
• 14 slice the potatoes ½ inch thick and return them to the water to prevent discoloring.
• 15 in a 12-inch saute pan, heat the oil over med-high heat; cook the onions, stirring, for about 6 minutes, until softened.
• 16 add in the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until softened.
• 17 drain the potatoes and add them in to the pan along with the parsley, thyme, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the potatoes and onions begin to brown lightly.
• 18 add in 1 cup of stock, stir well, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the stock reduces a little.
• 19 add in the remaining ¾ cup stock and cook, tossing the potatoes and onions, for about 18 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife but still hold their shape and the stock has reduced to a thick, flavorful glaze; set aside, covered, to keep warm.
• 20 make the haricots verts: in a big saucepan of boiling water, cook the beans for about 4 minutes, until tender but still firm; drain and toss with the butter and season with salt and pepper; set aside, covered, to keep warm.
• 21 make the jus: pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the lamb roasting pan.
• 22 set the pan on the stove, covering 2 burners.
• 23 add in the shallot and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, taking care not to let it burn.
• 24 add in the wine; bring to a boil.
• 25 deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits sticking to the bottom; transfer the contents of the pan to a saucepan.
• 26 set the saucepan over high heat and boil for about 8 minutes, until the wine nearly evaporates.
• 27 add in the stock and the collected juices from the resting lamb and return to the boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface.
• 28 cook for about 12 minutes, until the sauce thickens; season with salt and pepper.
• 29 strain the sauce, if desired, and swirl in the butter; should have about 1 cup sauce.
• 30 carve the lamb and arrange the slices on a platter; spoon the potatoes and beans into bowls and serve alongside the lamb; pass the sauce in a sauceboat.
• 31 suggested to serve this with a young french red burgundy, an aged bourdeaux, or an italian barolo.