Roast Leg Of Baby Lamb
- 1 leg of baby lamb (2 to 2 1/2 pounds; see note), plus 2 or 3 extra lamb bones
- 10 new garlic cloves, peeled, or 5 full-size garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 carrot, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 onion, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 small rib celery, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 small leek, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 branch fresh thyme, or pinch dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 23 cup dry white wine
- 23 cup water
- 3 to 4 pounds fresh fava beans (or substitute fresh lima or cranberry beans)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 spring onion (or 3 scallions), trimmed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh savory leaves (or fresh marjoram or oregano)
- Fresh savory sprigs, for garnish
- Cut small slits in the lamb, inserting garlic cloves into the slits.
- Rub the lamb lightly with olive oil, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
- Bring the lamb to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Season the lamb with salt and pepper, rubbing seasonings into the flesh.
- Pour a thin film of olive oil into a heatproof roasting pan, gratin dish or ovenproof skillet.
- Place on top of the stove over medium heat.
- Brown the lamb, turning carefully once or twice, until golden on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Scatter lamb bones around the leg and place the pan in the oven.
- Roast 20 minutes.
- Scatter the vegetables (except the fava beans) around the lamb and roast 10 minutes longer.
- Pour the wine and water around the lamb and roast another 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Transfer the lamb to a plate, wrap loosely in aluminum foil and let rest for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Strain the pan juices (do not degrease), then season the juices and keep warm.
- While the lamb is roasting, remove the fava beans from their pods, peeling off the thin skin that surrounds each bean.
- Blanch the beans, uncovered, in a large pot of boiling salted water for three minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold water, drain again and set aside.
- Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add the spring onion and cook until softened, two or three minutes.
- Add the fava beans and cook gently, stirring, for five minutes.
- Stir in the reserved lamb juices; heat through for a moment.
- Add the savory leaves and correct seasonings.
- Place the fava beans in the center of a warm serving platter.
- Unwrap the lamb and place it carefully over the beans.
- Carve the lamb into slices at the table and serve with the fava beans and their juices, garnishing each portion with a sprig or two of savory.
baby lamb, garlic, olive oil, salt, carrot, onion, celery, thyme, bay leaf, white wine, water, fava beans, unsalted butter, onion, oregano, sprigs
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8093 (may not work)