Lamb Recipes

2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups crumbled goat cheese
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped mint
1 (5 pound) leg of lamb, butterflied
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.Cut six 2-foot lengths of butcher’s twine. In a small skillet, saute apple and shallots in butter 1 minute or until lightly browned. Transfer to a small bowl and mix well with goat cheese, pine nuts and mint; season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange lamb on work surface, inside facing up. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over lamb and pound with a meat mallet to flatten meat slightly, if needed, until leg is a fairly even thickness. Remove plastic wrap and generously season inside and outside of lamb. Mound stuffing mixture lengthwise along one side of lamb; roll up lamb over stuffing, tucking in ends. Space 5 pieces of twine under lamb roll and tie them firmly, starting at outside and working in. Tie roll lengthwise with remaining piece of twine.

In a roasting pan set over 2 burners, heat oil over high heat. Add lamb roll and sear all over, about 6 minutes in all.

Transfer lamb to a rack and set down in the roasting pan.

Roast until brown and tender and an instant read thermometer reads 140 degreees F for medium rare, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting occasionally.

Remove from oven and let sit, covered loosely with foil, 10 minutes.

To serve, discard strings, slice in 12 pieces and serve 2 slices per serving with roasted rosemary potatoes.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

4 large sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
4 large sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 pounds boneless leg of lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Tuck the fresh herbs under the roast’s strings or rub the dried herbs on the meat. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the roast and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Heat oven to 375° F. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper. Place the skillet in the oven and cook 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 125° F (for medium). Remove from oven. Cover loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes to allow the meat to finish cooking. Skim the fat from the pan juices and discard. Spoon the pan juices over the sliced meat.
Yield: 4 servings plus leftovers

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 406(1% from fat); FAT 24g (sat 10g); CHOLESTEROL 154mg; CALCIUM 17mg; CARBOHYDRATE 0g; SODIUM 112mg; PROTEIN 44mg; FIBER 0g; IRON 3mg