Leg of lamb and gratin fennel

In just over 10 days, Easter will be here. Last week, xtraWine proposed Spaghetti and agretti with orange butter and pitted Taggiasca olives. Today, for the main course, I present to you the recipe for Roast Leg of Lamb with Baked Fennel.

Index:

• Ingredients
• Preparation of Roast Leg of Lamb
• Preparation of Backed Fennel
• Wine Pairing

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVO): as needed
• Aromatic herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, garlic): as needed
• 2 glasses of white wine
• 2 glasses of water
• 3 fennel bulbs
• 70g breadcrumbs
• 30g Grana Padano PDO
• 2 tablespoons of EVOO
• Aromatic herbs (thyme, sage, oregano, parsley): as needed
• Salt, pepper: as needed

Preparation

Roast Leg of Lamb

1. Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper
2. Place the leg of lamb on it and massage it with oil, salt, and pepper
3. Add the aromatic herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, and 1 clove of garlic
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356 °F)
5. Pour 2 glasses of water and 2 glasses of wine over the leg of lamb
6. Cover the tray with aluminum foil
7. Bake at 160 °C (320 °F) for about 3 hours and 20 minutes

Baked Fennel

1. Clean the fennel bulbs and remove the outer parts
2. Slice them thinly on a cutting board with a knife
3. Rinse the fennel under running water and pat them dry with paper towels
4. Take a bowl
5. Add EVOO, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and aromatic herbs
6. Mix well
7. Preheat the oven to 210 °C (410 °F)
8. Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper
9. Arrange the fennel slices on the tray without overlapping
10. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the fennel. If the coating is not even, add more breadcrumbs
11. Bake the fennel in the oven at 200 °C (392 °F) for about 20 minutes
12. Occasionally check the cooking to prevent the breadcrumbs from burning
13. Once cooked, place the roast leg of lamb and the baked fennel on a serving dish

Wine Pairing

The recommended wine pairing is a Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC. This wine has an intense ruby ​​red color. On the nose, it presents aromas of blackberry, undergrowth, Morello cherry, violet, and the typical spicy note of cloves. On the palate, the wine is structured without being excessive. Lively when young, with aging, it increases its complexity.