April 2004 Recipe

Braised Leg of Lamb with Juniper

Braised Leg of Lamb with Juniper – or Gigot d’Agneau des Garrigues – comes from the south-sloping mountains of Languedoc, to the west of Provence, carpeted with the wild herbs that flourish in the Mediterranean sun. Thyme, bay and juniper are among the most aromatic, here bolstered by a shot of gin (juniper berries provide the lead flavor in gin). To intensify the flavor, I like to spike the lamb with garlic and juniper berries up to 24 hours ahead, and then braise it slowly in the style of the famous French recipe for seven-hour leg of lamb. It becomes deliciously moist and tender, almost falling from the bone.

Serves 6-8

• 1 leg of lamb on the bone (about 5 lb)

• 4 garlic cloves, cut into slivers

• 1 tablespoon juniper berries, crushed

• salt and pepper

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 onions, sliced

• ½ cup gin

• 2 ½ cups chicken stock, more if needed

• bunch of fresh thyme

• 2-3 bay leaves

• 1 lb wild or cultivated mushrooms, or 2 oz. dried wild mushrooms

• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into strips

• chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

1. Trim the skin and all but a thin layer of fat from the lamb. With the point of a knife, make 8-10 incisions in the meaty part of the lamb and insert some of the garlic and a few crushed juniper berries in each. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours so the flavors permeate the meat. Reserve the remaining garlic and juniper berries.

2. Preheat the over to 350°F. Unwrap the lamb and season it with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a roasting pan or casserole, then brown the lamb on all sides over medium heat until well browned, 7-10 minutes. Take it out, add the onions and brown them also, taking 5-7 minutes and stirring often so they don’t scorch. Replace the lamb in the pan, and add the gin, stock, and reserved garlic and juniper berries. Tie the thyme and bay leaves in two or three bundles and add to the casserole. Bring to the boil and cover tightly with a lid or foil.

3. Braise the lamb in the oven, turning it once or twice, until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork. This will take 2-2 ½ hours, or up to an hour longer if you like the meat almost falling off the bone. The meat should always be half-covered in liquid, so add more stock during cooking if needed.

4. Meanwhile, wipe the fresh mushrooms, trimming the stems; wash them only if they are dirty. Slice them, or cut them in medium chunks. If using dried mushrooms, cover them with warm water and leave them to soak.

5. Half an hour before the lamb is done, stir the mushrooms and bell pepper into the cooking juices. If using dried mushrooms, lift them out of the water with a draining spoon, leaving any grit behind; add them to the pan.

6. When done, transfer the lamb to a serving dish. Remove the mushrooms, pepper and onions with a draining spoon and pile around the lamb; cover and keep warm. Strain the cooking juices into a pan and skim any fat from the surface. Bring this gravy to the boil and, if thin, boil until reduced. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon a little gravy over the meat and scatter parsley over the vegetables. Serve the remaining gravy separately.

Shortcut: Don’t bother to marinate the meat in advance with garlic and juniper, but braise it straight away.

Getting Ahead: Braised lamb reheats superbly, taking on extra depth of flavor as it sits, up to three days in the refrigerator. To reheat it, wrap the lamb leg in foil and heat it in a 400°F oven until very hot, 20-30 minutes. Reheat the vegetables and gravy separately on top of the stove.

On the side: One of the half dozen ideas from ‘Potatoes for All’ (page 69), plus Roasted Butternut Squash.

In the Glass: Languedoc makes some excellent, inexpensive red wines, or you could move over the border for Spanish Rioja.

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