Lamb Breast (Lamb Ribs)

Serves 2.

Time requirement. About 30 minutes to prepare, 2 hours in the oven, and 15 minutes to serve it once it has come out of the oven.

Lamb ribs are unctuous, delicious, winter food which you will undoubtedly enjoy. It is a homely cut. It is inexpensive and not highly thought of. Because it is so unchic, so low brow, I am sure that it will be taking Brooklyn by storm any day. Therefore, find a source and enjoy it before the hipsters make it impossibly expensive to enjoy.

What you will need:

2½ pounds of lamb breast, cut into two pieces.

½ teaspoon kosher salt.

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

1½ teaspoon herbs de Provence.

3 ounces celery, washed, dried and sliced into ½ inch pieces. (That is about two 8-inch celery stalks.)

4 ounces carrot, washed, dried, peeled, and sliced into ½ inch pieces. (That’s about 1½ carrots.)

4 ounces onion, sliced. (That’s about small onion.)

8 garlic cloves split in half vertically (top to bottom).

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Preparation:

Pat dry the lamb breast with paper towels. Coat the lamb with the salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the herbs de Provence. Set aside. If time permits let the seasoned lamb rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

Prepare the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic: place them in an oven proof pan (one you can cover) and is large enough to accommodate the lamb breast to come. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining ½ teaspoon of herbs de Provence. Place the lamb on top the vegetable. Place the cover on the pan. Place the pan in the preheated oven. Cook undistributed for 2 hours.

After 2 hours remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a metal tray and place the lamb under the broiler to brown. This will take about 5-8 minutes, depending on your broiler and how close you set the lamb below the broiler. I suggest 5-6 inches below the broiler is best.

In the meantime, strain the cooking juices and set them aside in the refrigerator. The vegetables will still be crisp and flavorful. Serve them with the lamb, after it comes out from the broiler. The garlic will be very mellow and be a delicious accompaniment to the lamb.

About the strained cooking juices. Place them in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will harden. Discard the fat and use the lamb juices in a soup. You can freeze it for future use.