Slow Braised Leg of Lamb
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SLOW BRAISED LEG OF LAMB:
4-5 lb. boneless leg of American lamb
4 tsp kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
10 cloves of garlic, quartered
2 cups white wine
1 cup chicken or beef stock
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
FOR THE LEEK CONFIT
3 large leeks
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
FOR THE SWEET POTATO PUREE
2.5 lb. sweet potatoes
3 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
Pinch ground white pepper
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE SLOW BRAISED LEG OF LAMB
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Make slits all around the leg of lamb using a paring knife, and insert a piece of the prepared garlic into each slit. Generously season lamb with salt (1 tsp per pound) and pepper.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sear lamb on all sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add wine and simmer for 1 minute. Add stock and the fresh rosemary sprigs; bring to a boil. Cover dutch oven with lid, and braise the lamb in oven for 4 hours, rotating the leg of lamb every hour.
Transfer lamb to a platter. Skim fat from the top of the juices in the dutch oven. Simmer remaining juices over medium heat until reduced by half, about 10. Spoon sauce over lamb when serving.
FOR THE LEEK CONFIT
Remove the outer skin of each leek. Chop leeks into 1/2 inch thick rings, discarding the root end and the dark green tops. Gently rinse any rings that look dirty.
Arrange sliced leeks in a shallow baking pan along with garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the leeks & garlic. Season with salt and add in thyme sprigs.
Roast leeks in the same oven as the lamb. After 30 minutes carefully flip each leek ring so that they cook evenly. Slow roast for another 30 minutes until lightly golden and melted.
Add more oil if leeks begin to dry out and brown.
FOR THE SWEET POTATO PUREE
Prepare the sweet potatoes by peeling and chopping into large chunks. Prepare a steamer and steam the sweet potatoes until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Add the steamed sweet potatoes to the bowl of a food processor along with butter, salt, freshly grated nutmeg and white pepper.
Puree for about 1 minute until the puree is light and creamy. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can braise the lamb in a roasting pan. Heat the oil by setting the pan across 2 stovetop burners, then cover with parchment-lined foil before putting the lamb into the oven.
USDA recommends lamb reach an internal temperature of 145F with a three minute rest.