Mouthwatering Gourmet Dishes

Friday, April 5, 2013

Lamb in a Crust of Fresh Herbs

View the story "Lamb in a Crust of Fresh Herbs" on StorifyLamb in a Crust of Fresh HerbsStorified by Arya McLean· Fri, Apr 05 2013 18:07:44Gourmandia

Leg of lamb baked with a crust of fresh herbs is a typically Provencal dish and here, Chef Philippe Joffroy shows us how to make it the way he serves it in his prestigious restaurant, Château de Trigance. It is said that there are three foundations to Provencal cooking: olive oil, garlic, and aromatic herbs, and this gourmet cooking recipe makes liberal use of all three. Garlic and onions are crushed together with parsley to make a paste and is used to stuff the leg of lamb, which is seared in butter, baked, covered in bread crumbs, and placed back in the oven to make a golden crust.

Provencal chefs and cooks are also very particular in making use of fresh and local ingredients. Chef Joffroy serves this gourmet cooking on a bed of fresh Provencal vegetables consisting of carrots, zucchinis and cucumbers. The vegetables are cut lengthwise into thin strips about 3 mm or ¼ inch to resemble Tagliatelle noodles, which are traditional type of Italian pasta similar in flatness to fettuccine only wider. This gives this traditional French dish an Italian twist. The tagliatelle vegetables are blanched and sautéed in the sauce used to sear the leg of lamb to give it a savory flavor. Chef Joffroy is careful not to overcook the vegetables to make it “al dente,” leaving just enough crunchiness to give the dish an interesting texture. Fresh thyme, another popular Provencal herb, is used to decorate the dish and give it a fragrant aroma. Serve this with a bottle of Haut-Medoc for a truly gastronomic experience.

Ingredients

1 gigot (leg of lamb)
about 4 1/2 lbs.
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch of flat parsley
1 shallot
3.5 oz. breadcrumb
3 ½ tablespoons butter
3 carrots
3 zucchinis
3 leeks (white only)
3 cucumbers

Preparation Instructions

1. Remove a slice from the leg of lamb. Remove the center from the garlic. Mince or finely chop it, the parsley and the shallots. Mix them all well together to make a persillade then place some of it on the meat of the leg of lamb. Roll the meat up and tie with a kitchen twine.

2. Heat a pan and melt the butter on it. Sear the meat on it then roast on an oven heated to 350°F for 5 minutes.

3. Shred the zucchini, cucumber, carrots, and leeks (preferably using a peeler). Heat some butter on a shallow pan then put in some persillade. Blanche the vegetables on boiling water, remove, and then sauté with the persillade. Mix them together. Season with salt and pepper then remove from heat.

4. Roll the roasted meat on the bread crumbs then place it back into the heated oven for 30 seconds or so.

5. Spread the vegetables on the serving dish. Take the lamb from the oven, place it on top of the vegetables. Garnish with thyme and small tomatoes. You’re ready to serve it. Bon Appétit!