Europe 1 11:34 a.m., April 1, 2024

In “La Table des bons vivants” by Laurent Mariotte, Sonia Ezgulian, culinary journalist, delivered her recipe for beggar leg of lamb with dried fruits. 

For 8 people

  • 1 leg of lamb weighing 2.2 kg

  • 10 blanched hazelnuts

  • 10 blanched almonds

  • 10 green pistachios

  • 6/7 blond grapes

  • 1 dried fig

  • 3 fresh purple onions

  • 1 head of fresh garlic

  • 3 sprigs of fresh fennel

  • 15 cl of dry white wine

  • 1 stick of cinnamon

  • 1 star anise

  • 1 drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

  • Fine salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1.

Cut the dried fig into small cubes. With the tip of a paring knife, make small incisions at least 1 centimeter deep in the leg, then slip in a hazelnut, an almond, a pistachio, a grape or a cube of fig. Season the lamb with salt.

2.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Drizzle the bottom of a large dish with olive oil, cover with sliced ​​purple onions, fennel sprigs and savory. Also place the cinnamon stick, the star anise and the head of garlic cut in 2 horizontally.

3. 

Bake the leg of lamb at 220°C, brown it for around 10 minutes on each side then reduce the temperature to 180°C and continue cooking for 40 minutes, basting it from time to time with white wine. Remove the leg of lamb from the dish, wrap it in aluminum foil and let it rest while you prepare the juice, scraping up the cooking juices well and let reduce for 5 minutes with the rest of the white wine.