LAMB AND BEANS
FRENCH (BRITTANY)

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1 lb dried Northern/Navy beans
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup butter
2 lb thinly sliced onions
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2, 1 lb cans drained Italian plum tomatoes
7 lb. leg of lamb
fresh chopped parsley
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Wash beans, drain.  In 6 qt. kettle, combine beans and 6 cups cold water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 mins.  Cover, remove from heat, let
stand 1 hour.  Drain beans.  Reserve liquid and add water to make 2 qts.
Return beans and liquid to kettle, bring to boil.  Reduce heat, simmer
gently, covered for 1 hr. (beans are tender, not mushy).  Drain beans in
colander.  Preheat oven to 325.  Crush 1 clove garlic in garlic press.
In hot butter in large skillet, saute onion and crushed garlic 10 min.  In
shallow roasting pan, combine beans, onion, 1/2 tsp. rosemary, 1/2 tsp
thyme, 2 tsp salt, pepper and tomatoes.  Mix well.
Wipe lamb with damp paper towels, trim off most fat.  Make 6 slits in
flesh and insert slivers of remaining garlic.  Sprinkle lamb with remaining
rosemary, thyme, salt.
Place lamb on top of beans, roast uncovered 3 3 1/2 hours (175 0n meat
thermometer for well done, roast 20 mins less for medium-well or pink).
Remove lamb to heated platter, let stand 20 mins.  Cut long, thin, flat
slices from leg, spoon beans around lamb, sprinkle with parsley.