Leg or Shoulder of Lamb Braised for Seven Hours

Name: Leg or Shoulder of Lamb Braised for Seven Hours (Gigot ou Épaule d’Agneau à la Sept Heures)
Yield: Makes 6 Main-Course Servings
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1 lamb shoulder (half a primal cut), boned, obvious fat trimmed off (about 9 pounds [4.1 kg] after boning); 2 cups [500 ml] dry white wine 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 medium-size onion, quartered; 1 medium-size carrot, peeled and sliced; 2 teaspoons chopped dried thyme or marjoram or other herb, or a mixture, or 4 teaspoons fresh; 2 large cloves garlic, chopped, crushed to a paste; 2 large cloves garlic, chopped, crushed to a paste; salt; pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium-size bouquet garni, which can contain a sprig of savory or marjoram or a strip of orange zest; 1 medium-size bouquet garni, which can contain a sprig of savory or marjoram or a strip of orange zest; 1 medium-size bouquet garni, which can contain a sprig of savory or marjoram or a strip of orange zest; 1 medium-size bouquet garni, which can contain a sprig of savory or marjoram or a strip of orange zest; 20 large garlic cloves, peeled, simmered for 8 minutes, drained; 5 basil leaves, shredded (cut into chiffonade) and stirred into the braising liquid 1 minute before serving; 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cut into dice, stirred into the sauce 1 minute before serving; 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cut into dice, stirred into the sauce 1 minute before serving; 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cut into dice, stirred into the sauce 1 minute before serving; 8 anchovies, chopped finely, whisked into the braising liquid just before serving; 40 pearl onions (about 1 pint [335 g]), or 12 walnut-size onions; peeled; glazed with a small amount of water, broth, or braising liquid; or just cooked with the lamb the way the garlic is in the recipe; 40 pearl onions (about 1 pint [335 g]), or 12 walnut-size onions; peeled; glazed with a small amount of water, broth, or braising liquid; or just cooked with the lamb the way the garlic is in the recipe; 12 baby artichokes, leaves trimmed off simmered in boiling water, drained; 3 medium-size Carrots, sliced or sectioned; cored; turned; glazed with water, broth, or braising liquid; or cooked with the lamb as the garlic is in the recipe; 1 ½ pounds [675 g] wild mushrooms, sautéed in olive oil, sprinkled with garlic and parsley mixture (persillade), spooned over each serving

Gigot ou Épaule d’Agneau à la Sept Heures

Preparation info

Makes
6
Main-Course Servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Glorious French Food

By James Peterson

Published 2002

About

Supposedly gigot à la sept heures was invented by Alexandre Dumas, but it is a dish so in keeping with the traditions of old-fashioned French cooking that I hesitate to give him all the credit. In any case, this dish is just as it sounds, a leg of lamb cooked like a pot roast and braised for 7 hours, so long that it can be eaten with a spoon—à la cuillière. The first time I braised lamb this way, I cooked it just like the fricandeau, but I left it in the b

Ingredients

Europe
France
Main course
Mediterranean

Ingredients

Method