Time To Share An Amazing Holiday Feast!
If you are looking to bite into something different this Easter – time to go “Provencal!”
This is a “Gigot D’Agneau” – and it’s my favorite holiday meal, thanks to the incredible Chef / Author Patricia Wells!
Making “Gigot D’Agneau”, inspired by Cookbook Author and Food Writer Patricia Wells!
Alex and I got the chance to cook with Patricia at her house in Provence – an adventure of a lifetime!
It was all part of a cooking adventure with the Author, who hosts cooking classes at her house in Provence, France. And yes, I got to cook on Julia Child’s actual provencal stove, which she gave to her good friend Patricia!
It inspired me to make her classic roast lamb shank, or gigot d’agneau, which is baked on top of potatoes, onion and tomatoes so that the incredible juices from the lamb soak into the gratin!
A Provencal Easter Feast: “Gigot D’Agneau”
Patricia’s recipe for a roasted Lamb Shank is delicious! You cook the Lamb over a potato, onion and tomato base, which forms a terrific side dish!
First, preheat your oven to 400.
Rub the bottom of your roasting pan with a split piece of garlic. I also lay down a dozen slivers of butter to help the potatoes carmelize…then slice your potatoes and lay them down as the base of your dish…
On top of the potato I spread sliced onion…instead of chopped, I like them spread out as rings, and then I add chopped garlic. The amount is up to you…but a head of garlic and one large onion worked for me…
Next, slice tomatoes over the top of the onion – I used three tomatoes total, and I cut them in a larger chunk as they will melt down a bit during cooking – and then I season the dish with a healthy amount of salt, pepper and fresh thyme…
I used a leg of lamb that was just under six pounds. I got mine bone-in, which I think helps the flavor of the meat…Put the lamb shank on an oven rack, which you put directly over the vegetables…season the lamb with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary…
I roasted the lamb for about an hour and fifteen minutes…the thicker part was medium rare and the smaller side of the shank was medium, so it worked well for everyone!
I removed the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for fifteen minutes – then sliced it up for everyone to enjoy…
And here is what that beautiful potato-onion-tomato looked like underneath….
This dish is delicious – the potatoes are caramelized on the bottom – so what side dishes go with this?
Chef Thomas Keller’s Ratatouille!
To honor Patricia Wells and her home in Provence, we served the lamb with several provencal-inspired dishes: first was a Ratatouille, which I made in the style of Chef Thomas Keller…
I began by making a roasted red bell pepper sauce, which I spread on the bottom of a gratin dish….
Then I cut yellow squash, green zucchini and eggplant with a mandolin and stacked them on top like this:
I actually enjoy laying this dish out, with the vegetables like casino chips! And when it came out of the oven, it looked like this:
If you want to make this and want a “step-by-step” recipe, just click on my story here:
Finally, I made a dish of provencal carrots and garlic with basil….you sear the carrots in a pan with butter for ten minutes, then add sliced garlic and cook slowly – and fold fresh basil in….guests can top the dish if they want with slivered black olives at the table…
Time To Dig In!
Once plated, the different colors will give your Easter table a festive look….
We served a 2004 Grenache that was signed by the winemaker…we got this bottle when we toured the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine region:
Patricia Wells inspired me to cook provencal as part of my “52 In 22” cooking challenge as well:
This “Pan Bagnat” sandwich was created by Nice fisherman as a hearty meal while out at sea – I cooked it as part of my “52 in 22” recipe challenge – see how it turned out by clicking on my story here:
Sometimes, I make a separate potato side dish as well – because it’s a classic Parisian “potato cake!”
This always gets a huge response when served – click here for the recipe – it’s not difficult and trust me it’s a showstopper:
There is nothing more fun than tackling a new recipe and having it turn out well:
I tackled a recipe from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook – a “Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin” – also a great Easter dish!
Here’s a step-by-step recipe as well if you want more details:
I made this dish as part of my “52 In 22” cooking challenge.
As for that “52 Cookbooks 52 Recipes” effort, I am sharing and storing all of these recipes here!
It’s your site for all things food – if you like what you see, please click on my link and follow this blog as well!
Let me know what you think of my Easter menu, and if you cook any of it!
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Categories: 52 In 22!, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Fine Dining, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Food Travel, Recipes, Wacky Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Truly a feast! What time is dinner?
this looks magnificent and I love the dripping into the potatoes move.
Roasting the lamb just above the vegetables is a genius idea. Hope you are having a wonderful day.
Thank you! I got it from Patricia Wells but I know there are many other great Chefs who do it this way…the caramelization of the potatoes and onion are SO delicious! Thanks so much for the comment!
HI John, this is a fantastic recipe and I just happen to have a lamb shank that needs to be cooked.