Roast Leg of Lamb With Flageolet Beans

This is the recipe for Gigot d'Agneau aux Flageolets of Brasserie Balzar in Paris. If you can't find the pretty pale green flageolets, substitute cannellini or great northern beans. The beans need to be soaked overnite so 12 hours soaking time is included in the cooking time.

• Ready In: 16 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• For the Beans

• 1  lb flageolet beans
• 1  bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
• 1  carrot, peeled, sliced
• 1  onion, poked with
• 4  cloves
• 3  quarts cold water
• 2  quarts salt water
• 1  lb fresh green beans, washed, trimmed

• For the Lamb

• 4  lbs leg of lamb
• 2  garlic cloves, cut in slivers
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1  onion, sliced
• 3  carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1  cup dry white wine
• 2  cups water
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

1. For the Beans:
2. Rinse, pick over and soak the flageolet beans in cold water overnight.
3. Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with the bouquet garni, carrot and onion.
4. Cover with the 3 quarts of cold water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours or until the beans are thoroughly cooked.
5. Bring the 2 quarts of salted water to a boil, add the green beans, and cook about 12 minutes or until crisp-cooked.
6. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
7. For the Lamb:
8. Preheat oven to 450°F.
9. Poke the leg of lamb with the tip of a knife in various spots and insert slivers of garlic into the slits.
10. Make a bed of the onion and carrot in the bottom of a roasting pan and place the lamb on the vegetables and the roasting pan in the oven.
11. Reduce heat to 350°F and roast for about one hour and twenty minutes for a rare roast (165°F internal Temperature) up to two hours for a well-done roast (175° to 180°F).
12. Remove lamb to a platter and add the white wine and water to the roasting pan, mixing well to scrape up all carmelized juices from the bottom of the pan.
13. Strain through a fine sieve and season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
14. To Serve:
15. Reheat the flageolets and season with salt and pepper.
16. Reheat the green beans in a skillet with a little butter and season with salt and pepper.
17. Carve the lamb, place the slices on a large platter on a bed of the flageolets (or white beans) surrounded by the green beans and douse the meat with some of the sauce.
18. Serve additional sauce on the side.