“I’m not a lamb person unless it’s this leg of lamb,” writes author and food stylist Rebekah Peppler in her masterful ode to French cooking, À Table. In this version of a Provençal classic, a whole leg of lamb is braised low and slow with a few aromatics and some dry wine until the meat is so tender you could eat it with a spoon—in fact, this dish is commonly known as gigot à la cuillère (or “spoon lamb”) in France.
A popular mainstay on the table of Peppler’s Parisian home, this succulent lamb is paired with a vibrant green, garlicky persillade, providing a sharp counterpoint to the rich meat. Serve with cheesy new potatoes and a citrusy radish salad for a well-rounded meal. Any leftover lamb can be deliciously repurposed in sandwiches with bitter greens and plenty of mayo.
What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$90 At Amazon
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Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
Tongs
$17 At Amazon
Mesh Sieve
$16 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Yield
6 Servings
Ingredients
Lamb
Persillade and assembly
Preparation
Lamb
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 275°. Season lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high. Cook lamb, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Step 2
Add onion, garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to pot. Pour in rosé and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
Step 3
Return lamb to pot, cover with a lid, and transfer to oven. Roast until meat is very tender and nearly falling off the bone, 5–7 hours.
Persillade and assembly
Step 4
At least 2 hours after the lamb has been cooking, pulse parsley and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Pulse in oil just to combine. Season persillade with salt and pepper; transfer to a small bowl.
Step 5
Carefully remove lamb from cooking liquid and transfer to a platter. (Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and skim fat; save liquid to use in soups, in braises, or for making beans.) Serve lamb with persillade alongside.
Do ahead: Persillade can be made 5 hours ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
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