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SLOW-BRAISED LAMB IN MERLOT

Low Carb 1-2-3: 225 Simply Great 3-Ingredient Recipes
by Rozanne Gold, Helen Kimmel

Low carb recipe - 8.5 grams - carbs that count (total carbs minus fiber)
Serves 6 (approximately 6 ounces of lamb plus sauce per serving)

This recipe thumbs its nose at today's school of high-speed cooking. Cooking the lamb for 5 hours results in meltingly fender meat, and copious amounts of garlic cloves give up their sting in favor of heady perfume. You make this all in one pot, and all the recipe asks for is time.

• 1  boned leg of lamb (4 pounds)
• 1  bottle Merlot or other sturdy dry red wine
• 40 large cloves garlic
 

Up to 1 day before you plan to serve, with a very sharp knife, cut away and discard most of the lamb's fat. Tightly roll the lamb and, using kitchen string, tie it at 1" intervals.

Select a heavy casserole with a cover large enough to hold the lamb. Put the lamb in the casserole and pour in all but 1/2 cup of the wine. Lightly crush all but 1 clove of the garlic and remove the skins. Place the garlic in the casserole. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and add 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns. Set the casserole on the stove top and bring to a boil, uncovered, skimming off some of the foam that rises to the surface. Cover the casserole and put it in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Turn the lamb over and cook for 3½ hours longer, or until spoon-tender, turning once or twice again during cooking.

Remove the lamb from the casserole. With a large spoon, remove as much fat as possible from the pan juices. Add the remaining 1/2 cup wine and 1 clove garlic, pushed through a garlic press. Over high heat, boil the pan juices until reduced by half. Add a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat. Slice the lamb and add it to the pot. Let the lamb absorb the juices. Warm gently, if necessary, before serving.