Herbes de Provence is a spice blend named after the Provence region in southeast France. It usually includes savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano and lavender. It is often used in soups, stews, chicken and meats. It combines the bolder flavor of rosemary and thyme with the milder flavor of marjoram and oregano and the fruitiness of lavender. It has a wonderful scent, too!
This special-occasion dish is easy to prepare but tastes like something you slaved over. Here, lamb is paired with garlic, sweet honey and the wonderful herb combination in herbes de Provence. It feels like a dish that would be served in France: elegant, decadent, rich in flavor, and best served with a wonderful glass of red wine.
1 (3½-pound) trimmed boneless leg of lamb roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons herbes de Provence
17 cloves of garlic, divided
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon red wine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chicken stock
Garnish: fresh thyme, rosemary and red grapes
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place lamb on a work surface and season all over with salt, pepper, honey and herbes de Provence.
3. Slice 5 cloves of garlic very thinly and stuff into the lamb crevices.
4. Transfer lamb to a shallow roasting pan. Add ½ cup of the red wine and ½ cup of water to the roasting pan.
5. Roast the lamb in the upper third of the oven for about 45-55 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145°F.
6. Meanwhile, put remaining 12 garlic cloves on a sheet of heavy-duty foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil. Roast the garlic in the lower third of the oven for 45 minutes, until very tender.
7. Transfer lamb to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.
8. Pour pan juices and any brown bits from bottom of pan into a small saucepan and heat over medium flame. Add stock, roasted garlic and remaining tablespoon red wine.
9. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve lamb warm with sauce and garnish with fresh thyme, rosemary and red grapes.
Serves 8
