This traditional French dish derives its name from the practice of taking potato dishes to the local boulangerie to slow-cook all day in the cooler part of the baker’s ovens. The slow cooking process, with a lamb joint placed on top, results in incredibly tender meat, allowing the flavorful juices to infuse the potatoes, making them extra delicious. We've used lamb shoulder, but a leg works just as well and can be easily carved. Serve alongside a simple bowl of steamed greens and a dab of grainy mustard for a perfect meal.
Many thanks to Rebecca Woollard for this lovely recipe.
- 1 large onion, finely sliced
- 1.5kg waxy potatoes, peeled and finely sliced (you can do this on a thicker setting of a mandoline if you like)
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 80g unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 4 rosemary stems, 3 left whole
- 1 picked into small sprigs
- 400ml good-quality liquid chicken stock
- 1 lamb shoulder, around 2kg
1. Mix the onion, potatoes (save a few for the top) and garlic together in a bowl and season well with salt. Tip into a large roasting dish, Portmeirion for AGA Roaster with Pouring Lip is perfect for this. Tuck in the butter chunks and whole rosemary stems. Layer the reserved potatoes over the top to cover everything, then pour over the chicken stock.
2. Cut small slits all over the top of the lamb, then tuck in the smaller rosemary sprigs. Season the lamb all over, then gently sit it on top of the potatoes. Transfer to the bottom rack of the baking oven, and cook for 5 hours, then move to the simmering oven for a further hour to allow everything to rest while keeping warm.
3. Once the lamb is completely tender and the potatoes are golden brown and crisp on top, remove the lamb and shred it with two forks. If there’s still a lot of stock in the potatoes (it will vary depending on potato variety), gently pour off a bit, but keep some as it forms a delicious sauce.
4. Serve the potatoes with the lamb and some seasonal greens.
