CONFIT LEG OF LAMB
Lamb slowly cooked in a rich sauce made with Madeira wine, orange juice, and aromatic herbs. 
The tender and juicy lamb is slowly cooked in a rich and flavourful sauce made with Madeira wine, orange juice, and aromatic herbs. As the lamb cooks, it absorbs the delicious flavors of the sauce. While the steps are easy it does require a little bit of patience to cook the lamb for 7 hours so that it’s so tender it almost melts apart. If you’re hosting a special celebration this mouth-watering main will leave guests wanting more.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 people
1 kg (2.2 lb) leg of lamb, bone-in
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
2 onions, roughly chopped
4 small carrots, roughly chopped
2 shallots, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, sleeves on
30 ml (2 tbsp) Madeira wine
2 cups chicken or beef stock, or water
Juice of 1 orange
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 branch of rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp arrowroot or corn starch
For the glaze
· Juice of half orange
· 4 tbsp pure maple syrup
MISE EN PLACE
You will need a large Dutch oven or cast-iron pot.
Bring the stock to a light boil and set aside. To make the glaze, mix the orange juice and maple syrup together in a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C) and season the lamb with salt and pepper.
Method
Sear the lamb in the Dutch oven pot on all sides over medium heat until crusty and light brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the carrot, onion, shallot, and garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Deglaze the pot with Madeira wine and reduce for 2 minutes. Add the orange juice and reduce for a further 2 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
Return the lamb to the pot and add the beef or chicken stock, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
Cover the pot with parchment paper and the lid. Transfer to the oven.
Cook for 6-7 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and falls apart easily. Every two hours, baste the meat with the cooking juices to avoid the meat drying out.
To make the glaze, mix the orange juice and maple syrup together in a bowl.
Once cooked, transfer the lamb to a cooking tray and brush the meat with the glaze, then place under the grill at 300°F (150°C) temperature for 10 minutes to lightly caramelize the glaze.
Strain the cooking juices through a sieve into a saucepan and reduce over high heat for a few minutes and thicken the sauce with 1 teaspoon of arrowroot or corn starch.
Serve the lamb with the sauce poured over the top.
TIPs
You can replace the Madeira wine with Port wine.
You can also stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste when you add the vegetables to the pot.