This summer, I discovered Les Moutons du Large by taking Marcoux Road, in L’Étang-du-Nord. The farm’s production is modest, but the meat from its lambs is of exceptional quality and you can buy cut products. One evening, we feasted with a shoulder of lamb from the Magdalen Islands accompanied by an eggplant tian. It was divine!
Comforting Recipe
Braised lamb shoulder with garlic and herbs and eggplant tian
What you need
For the braised lamb shoulder
- A lamb shoulder of more or less 1 kilo
- 60 ml olive oil
- 10 g coarse salt
- 2 g black pepper
- 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 to 10 cloves of garlic in a jacket (depending on their size)
For the eggplant tian
- A few eggplants and tomatoes for the tian
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- Alcyon sea salt - This very mild salt with crispy and melting crystals is proudly hand-harvested in the Magdalen Islands by the Arseneau family.
- Black pepper
- Fresh thyme
- Olive oil
Preparation
For the braised lamb shoulder
- Heat oven to 250°F (120°C).
- Oil, salt, pepper the lamb shoulder and garnish with half of the herbs.
- Put half of the garlic cloves and the rest of the herbs in a cast iron (or enameled cast iron) saucepan and place the meat and the rest of the garlic in it.
- Place the lid on the pan or, failing that, cover it tightly with aluminum foil folded over itself (it is important that it is well sealed so that the juices do not escape).
- Bake for 4:30 to 5 hours, depending on the weight of the shoulder.
- Remove the juice and reduce if necessary, crushing the garlic cloves in it.
- Strain the juice through a sieve.
For the eggplant tian
- Arrange alternating slices of eggplant and tomatoes, tightly packed together, in an oiled casserole dish.
- Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with garlic and thyme and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 200 °C (400 °F).
- Gently squeeze the vegetables without breaking the slices to get their juices out (the liquid should be flush with the surface of the gratin).
- Continue cooking in the oven for 30 minutes (the juice will allow the vegetables to candie).
Notes
- For a shoulder of lamb with garlic cream, pour a few spoonfuls of 35% cream into the reduced juice. Bring to a boil. Check the texture of the sauce before coating the meat.
- The tian warms up well if done early in the day. In fact, it will only be better! The tian can be eaten hot, warm or cold as you wish. A few drops of an old balsamic vinegar will add a good acidity.
- In season, you can buy organic, locally grown vegetables at Les Champs marins farm, in Étang-du-Nord, and those from Jardins Havre Vert sold in some businesses and at the Village Market (a public market that takes place every other Wednesday, at the end of the day, from July to October).
The presentation
Break up the meat with a fork. Place pieces on each plate and drizzle with the garlic juice. Serve the lamb with the eggplant tian or other seasonal vegetables. Enjoy your meal!
