This classic French lamb dish, which translates as ‘leg of lamb baker-style’, is a break away from the traditional turkey and a great alternative to roasting a bird for Christmas Day. We use organic lamb from the Wilson brothers, fed on wild herbs and heather up in the Ingram Valley.
Leg of Lamb Boulangere
Author: Martin Charlton
Ingredients
- Adjust quantities to the size of your lamb:
- leg of lamb
- garlic cloves
- rosemary
- olive oil
- sea salt
- For the Boulangère potatoes:
- potatoes, medium (roughly two per person), sliced
- onions (half an onion per person), sliced
- stock
- butter
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the gravy:
- lamb bones
- mirepoix of vegetables (roughly chopped onion, celery, carrot and leeks)
- red wine
- water
- bay leaf
- cornflour
Method
- To prepare the lamb, take a sharp knife and make 2-3cm incisions in the flesh.
- Push a peeled clove of garlic and a small piece of rosemary into each of the holes.
- Rub the lamb with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3.
- Layer the potatoes and onion in an ovenproof serving dish.
- Fill the dish nearly to the brim with seasoned stock.
- Top the dish with a few slices of butter.
- Place the lamb on an oven rack with the potatoes directly underneath so that the meat juices will fall onto the potatoes as the lamb roasts.
- Roast for mins per 450g plus 15 mins.
- When the lamb is cooked allow it to rest for at least 10 mins.
- For the gravy: Roast a few lamb bones until brown then add a mirepoix (chopped selection as listed in ingredients) of vegetables and brown gently.
- Place into a pan and add a splash of red wine, cover with water and add a bay leaf.
- Simmer for a couple of hours, topping up with water when needed.
- After a couple of hours, strain the sauce, reduce and thicken with a little cornflour as needed.
