This lovely recipe is French, although similar methods are used with meat in Italy, Greece and Spain. Its success rests on slow cooking, and originally would have been cooked in the baker’s oven once the bread was ready, hence the name ‘boulangere’. It works well with either shoulder or leg of lamb, and the meat cooks over the potatoes so the fat drips into them, making them taste rich and so delicious! Perfect for a Sunday lunch to be enjoyed with family and friends.
01.
Ingredients
1 joint of good quality lamb, leg or shoulder
4 potatoes, thickly sliced – peeled or unpeeled are both fine
2 large onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tbs olive oil
100ml water
02.
Method
- Simply line a deep roasting tray with the olive oil before adding layers of sliced onion and potato, interspersed with the garlic and given a liberal grind of salt and pepper. Add the water and place a rack over the tray. Place the lamb on the rack, and give that a good grind of seasoning too. Now place the dish in an oven pre-heated to 170degrees and let it roast away slowly.
- The lamb will need 25min a pound cooking time, plus maybe half an hour for luck – obviously depending on how well done you like your lamb – for this method we prefer the meat to be pretty well done as we find the flavour is richer and more delicious.
- The potatoes will have cooked thoroughly by this time of course, and the water will have reduced to create a delicious, garlicky jus so you don’t even need to make gravy!
- Serve with a selection of vegetables, or in the summertime just with a crunchy salad.
