Lately I wasn’t counting the lambs to sleep but dreaming about them roasted. I had friends coming over for dinner I needed to find a Gigot d’agneau (leg of lamb).

I first went to the closest butcher and he had just the thigh (without the shank) and it was 5 1/2 pound. To me that’s too much for a lamb, it’s almost a sheep at this weight!

I ended up going to Whole food, they always surprise me and they did again, a whole leg of lamb, 4 lbs and at $5.99 the pound for local grown. Not bad!

As soon as I got home I salted the meat, you have to be generous, not to the point that you can’t see the meat but sprinkle it a bit more that you would a cooked meat. Then let time work it’s magic.

About 1 hour before I am ready to cook the gigot, I make a slit with paring knife and slide a glove of garlic. If the clove is too big then cut it in half. I usually do about 4 or 5 over the whole Gigot.

You’ll see that the salt as totally dissolve from the surface for the meat so it’s time to rub your gigot with olive oil, salt it a bit more, pepper and I always use Herbes de Provence but if you want to use Fresh thyme and rosemary, it’s even better.

I usually cook my roast about 20 minute at a 400 oven, then 10 minutes per pound at about 300. It gives it a uniform pink color. I cook it to medium rare, here it’s no science, you have to poke your meat with a thermometer, I pull it out when it read 130.

Let it rest for a good 10 minutes before you even consider cutting it. Put an aluminum foil on it to help keep the heat.

The result was perfect but I had hungry guests, before I knew it the gigot was cut and served and I didn’t take a picture.

Please do ask for bone in Leg of lamb, with the bone you can make an amazing redux or demi-glaze perfect to use on ravioli, or lamb chops. Just throw your bone in a pot with roasted vegetable (onion, carrot, celery- roast them in the oven until golden brown or sauté them in the pot), 1 bouquet garni, garlic, salt pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove. Cover with water and let simmer for a couple hours. When you have a nice and dark broth, just strain the broth and let reduce until you have a nice and thick sauce.

With the left over meat make a Ragú!

Bon Appétit!