Herb Crusted Grilled Lamb With Apricot Relish Recipes

GRILLED LAMB SANDWICHES WITH APRICOT AND JALAPENO RELISH

Steps:

• Slice the lamb into 1/4-inch-thick slices and sprinkle with the sumac, salt and pepper. Place in a food storage bag or bowl and add a rosemary sprig and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
• Add the apricots, honey, mint, parsley, garlic, remaining tablespoon balsamic and leaves from the remaining 2 sprigs rosemary to a food processor. Turn on and stream in the oil. Add the jalapenos, a generous pinch of salt and fresh black pepper and pulse together until a relish texture is formed. Add 1/3 cup of the mix to the lamb for marinating. Seal and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to a day ahead. Keep the remaining relish refrigerated until ready to use.
• For the walnut and herb pesto: Add the walnuts, basil, mint, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, walnut oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor. Process until thoroughly combined. Adjust the seasoning and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• Remove the lamb from the marinade and let come to room temperature before cooking.
• Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Add the marinated lamb slices to the grill and cook, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
• You can wait for the lamb to cool, then assemble the sandwiches, or you can make ahead of time, then refrigerate, and build the sandwiches when the lamb is cold.
• Sliced the bread pieces in half horizontally and toast in the oven just until the cut sides are crispy, about 3 minutes.
• Drizzle the lightly toasted bread with olive oil. Evenly spread the pesto and the reserved relish on the cut sides of the bread. Layer the lamb on the bottom piece of each sandwich. Top with some arugula and red onion. Lightly drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the other half of the bread on top of each sandwich. Wrap each sandwich in waxed or parchment paper and pack for a picnic.

MOROCCAN CRUSTED LAMB RACKS WITH GRILLED APRICOTS

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine all ingredients for rub and pulse until blended. Rub over both racks generously. Season with salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil on high. Sear racks on all sides until well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer lamb to roasting pan and continue to cook in oven at 375 degrees for about 17 to 20 more minutes or until medium (internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees).
• Combine molasses with chopped mint in a medium bowl. When racks are cooked, remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes covered with foil before slicing. Slice and dip exposed sides with mint mixture.
• For the yogurt sauce: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir, cover and chill until ready to serve.
• Serve the lamb with grilled apricots and drizzled with yogurt sauce, if desired.

HERB-CRUSTED GRILLED LAMB WITH APRICOT RELISH

Steps:

• Prepare lamb:
• Stir together herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, and oil, then rub all over lamb.
• Make relish:
• Stir together all relish ingredients and season with pepper.
• To cook lamb using a charcoal grill:
• Open vents on bottom of grill. Light charcoal (80 to 100 briquettes) in chimney starter. Leaving about one quarter of grill free of charcoal, bank lit charcoal across rest of grill so that coals are about three times higher on opposite side.
• Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack over area where coals are piled highest for 3 to 4 seconds. Sear lamb on lightly oiled grill rack directly over hottest part of coals, uncovered, turning over once and, if necessary, moving around grill to avoid flare-ups, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes total. Move lamb to coolest part of grill, then cover with inverted roasting pan and grill, turning over once, until thermometer inserted diagonally into center registers 135°F for medium-rare, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
• To cook lamb using a gas grill:
• Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes. Sear lamb on lightly oiled grill rack, covered with lid, turning over once, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes total. Turn off 1 burner (middle burner if there are 3) and put lamb above shut-off burner. Reduce heat on remaining burner(s) to moderate and grill lamb, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted diagonally into center registers 135°F for medium-rare, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
• Serve lamb:
• Thinly slice lamb across the grain and serve with relish.

HERB-CRUSTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Let lamb stand at room temperature for one hour. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Remove all but a thin layer of fat from the lamb. Rub lamb with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on a rack in a heavy roasting pan.
• Meanwhile, rub head of garlic with 1/4 teaspoon oil; wrap loosely in foil. Bake until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool.
• Cut off top of garlic head; squeeze roasted garlic into a bowl. Using a fork, mash garlic to a paste. Add extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well.
• Rotate pan after lamb has roasted 1 1/4 hours. After 30 minutes more, slather lamb with roasted-garlic paste. Roast an additional hour (for a total roasting time of about 2 3/4 hours), or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven, and let rest 20 minutes.
• Transfer lamb to a carving board. Pour off fat from roasting pan; place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with flour, and stir with a wooden spoon. Pour in brandy; scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan. Lower heat to medium; let liquid reduce by half. Add stock, stirring until incorporated. Add rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice lamb; serve with sauce on the side.

LAMB CHOPS WITH APRICOT AND HERB SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of the lamb evenly with the garlic salt and pepper, warm a large non-stick pan (with a lid for use later) over a medium heat until hot, add the lamb and brown on both sides.
• Add the stock and the apricots to a medium pan, over a high heat, and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the apricots are very soft.
• Reserve half of the apricots and set aside.
• Transfer the other half of the apricots and all of the stock to a blender or food processor, add the vinegar, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and nutmeg, and blend to make the sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the lamb, sprinkle the reserved apricots over the lamb and, over a low heat, simmer the lamb for 10-15 minutes or until the lamb is cooked through.
• Serve with steamed green vegetables andyour favourite mashed potato recipe. I'd recommend Bergy's Irish Mashed Potatoes #10974, which are beautifully creamy but also low in calories.