Braised Leg Of Lamb With Potatoes And Olives Recipes

BRAISED LEG OF LAMB WITH OLIVES AND CELERY ROOT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb all over with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a medium saucepan, over medium high heat, and bring the stock and wine to a boil and let reduce for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat.
• Add onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add carrots, parsnip, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, rosemary, sage and bay leaf; turn off heat and add enough stock to just cover the vegetables.
• Place the lamb, fatty side up, on the vegetables, and place in oven for 25 minutes.
• After 25 minutes, add remaining stock, cover pot, and reduce heat to 325 degrees F; cook 1 1/2 hours (pot should barely simmer, reduce heat, if necessary).
• Turn lamb over and cook an additional 1 1/2 hours, covered.
• Turn lamb over again, uncover pot and stir in olives; cook another half hour, turn lamb, and cook, uncovered a half hour more or until lamb is soft enough to cut with a spoon!
• Meanwhile, after the lamb has cooked about 3 hours, start the puree.
• In a large saucepan, combine celery root, peeled garlic, and bay leaves; pour in 12 cups of water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
• Turn burn to medium high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Drain, discard bay leaves, and transfer to a food processor.
• Add butter and nutmeg; process until smooth.
• Taste and add salt, if needed.
• When ready to serve, mash the minced garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to form a paste; stir into the lamb's pan juices.
• Serve with a bed of celery root puree, top with a piece of lamb, scatter some of the vegetables, and drizzle with pan juices.

GREEN OLIVE, LEMON, AND GARLIC-ROASTED LEG OF LAMB WITH POTATOES AND PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• With a vegetable peeler remove zest from lemon and reserve lemon. Pit olives. In a food processor finely chop zest, olives, garlic, and parsley with 2 tablespoons oil.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. In a large flameproof roasting pan toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Arrange lamb on potatoes and with the tip of a sharp small knife cut small slits all over lamb. Rub olive mixture over lamb, pushing it into slits. Halve reserved lemon and squeeze juice over lamb. Season lamb with salt and pepper and roast with potatoes in middle of oven 20 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 350°F.
• Roast lamb and potatoes, loosening potatoes from pan with a metal spatula and turning them occasionally, 1 hour more, or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 135°F. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand while making gravy. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and keep warm.
• Make gravy:
• In a cup with your fingers blend together flour and butter. Add wine and water to roasting pan and deglaze pan over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in flour mixture, whisking until incorporated, and simmer gravy, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. With a slotted spoon remove any potato pieces from gravy.
• Garnish lamb with lemon halves and olive branches and serve with gravy and potatoes.