Slow Roasted Lamb and Rosemary Glazed Onions

Slow-Roasted Lamb with Herbs

The lamb cooks itself in the oven and is served falling-off-the-bone tender. Cut the lamb into thick chunks instead of carving and serve with the sauce. Ask your butcher to remove the blade bone to make serving easier.

Ingredients:

1 bone-in shoulder of lamb, about 5 lb (2.2 kg), with the blade bone removed

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot chopped

2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped

2 large garlic cloves

One (400 mL) can tomatoes

One 750 mL bottle dry white wine

2 large branches of rosemary

1 tbsp (15 mL) dried Greek oregano

1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme leaves

½ tsp (2 mL) black peppercorns

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Ditrctions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

2. Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy flame-proof casserole or roasting pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and brown on the fat side. (There will be patches that won't brown don't worry.) Turn the lamb and brown as well as possible on the bone side. Transfer the lamb to a platter.

3. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pan. Stir and cook until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, wine, rosemary, oregano, thyme and peppercorns and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Return the lamb with any juices and cover with a piece of damp parchment paper and the lid or foil, then cook for 3 hours.

4. After 3 hours, the lamb will be shrinking from the bone. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).5. Uncover the lamb, and remove the parchment paper. Cook the lamb uncovered, for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the skin is dark golden brown and it is tender.6. Transfer the lamb to platter, cover with foil and keep warm. Strain the sauce into a saucepan. Let sit for 10 minutes then skim off the fat. Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 15 minutes or until thickened and reduced to about 1 cup (250 mL). Check the seasoning. Meanwhile, cut the lamb into thick chunks and serve with the sauce. Serves 6

Rosemary Glazed Onions

This dish makes the perfect accompaniment for the lamb and can be cooked with it.

Ingredients:

6 shallots

18 cipollini onions

3 red onions

¼ cup (50 mL) olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup (50 mL) sugar

2 large rosemary branches

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the cipollini onions; simmer for 2 minutes. and return to a boil. Add the cipollini onions; simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Peel the cipollini onions and shallots, leaving the root intact so the onions stay whole. Place them in a large bowl.

3. Peel the red onions and, leaving the root intact, cut each onion into six wedges. Add them to the onions in the bowl. Pour over the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and toss.

4. Place all the onions in a single layer in a roasting pan. Mix the sugar with ½ cup (125 mL) hot water and pour over the onions. Add the rosemary branches; cover with foil and cook for 1 hour.

5. Increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).

6. Uncover onions and continue to cook them until they are glazed and very soft and the liquid is reduced to a few spoonfuls, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 6