The New England Lamb Bake harkens back to the earlier days of the colony when lamb was much more prevalent. Nowadays, it’s often reserved for special occasions, but who’s to say that the special occasion isn’t whenever you want it? The tender, succulent lamb pairs wonderfully with the herbaceous seasoning blend and the refreshing leeks. On top is a buttery, tender layer of potato slices! That’s classic New England Lamb Bake in a nutshell: a full meat-and-potatoes feature that can warm you to the core any day of the week!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 pounds leg of lamb, boneless and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 large leeks, white parts only, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch or a 3-quart baking dish.
Step 3 –In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.
Step 4 –Add the lamb and the onion to the oil and cook, while stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2-4 minutes.
Step 5 –Stir the flour into the lamb mixture until blended.
Step 6 –Gradually add the broth to the lamb mixture.
Step 7 –Bring the lamb mixture to a boil and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Make sure to loosen any browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
Step 8 –Add the carrots, the leeks, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, the rosemary, the salt, the pepper, and the thyme to the lamb mixture.
Step 9 –Spoon the lamb mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 10 –Cover the lamb mixture with the potato slices.
Step 11 –Brush the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
Step 12 –Bake the casserole for 1 hour.
Step 13 –Brush the potatoes with the remaining butter and bake until the meat is tender and has reached the internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F and the potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes-1 hour.
Step 14 –Cool the lamb bake briefly and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
Step 15 –Serve.
