Alain Sailhac's Lamb Fillet With Elephant Garlic
- 1 full saddle of lamb (about 10 pounds with bones), boned
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 bottle dry white wine
- 2 quarts water
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 heads elephant garlic
- 1/2 pint heavy cream
- 1/2 cup water
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 ounces butter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove any fat from the two fillets, wipe them dry with paper towels and set them aside.
- Place the lamb bones in a roasting pan or large cast-iron skillet and roast them in the oven until browned.
- Add the carrots, celery and onion, spreading them over the bottom of the pan so they're able to brown, and roast for five to 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the bones and the vegetables and place them in a large stock pot.
- Add the white wine, water, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, thyme and bay leaves.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until reduced by one-third.
- Remove bones and vegetables, and pour the stock into a smaller pot.
- Continue reducing the sauce until you have only half a cup of liquid.
- (This may take an hour.)
- Set aside.
- Peel the elephant garlic cloves and blanch them in boiling water for two minutes.
- Drain and simmer for 30 minutes in the cream and water.
- Puree in a food processor.
- Return to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper and add the butter.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat.
- When very hot, add the lamb fillets, and brown them on all sides.
- Slide the pan into the oven for five minutes or so for rare lamb, longer if you want it more done.
- Slice the lamb thinly and arrange the slices on heated individual dishes, garnishing each serving with a little sauce under the meat, and a dollop of a garlic puree on the side.
lamb, carrots, stalks celery, onion, white wine, water, clove garlic, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, heavy cream, water, salt, butter
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2617 (may not work)