Kecks Roast Lamb Recipes

ROASTED LAMB SHANKS WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Make the lamb a day in advance: Make several incisions in the shanks with a paring knife and slide a slice of garlic into each slit. Place the shanks in a large baking dish, drizzle with the lemon juice, turning to coat, and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Mix the parsley, thyme and marjoram in a small bowl, then rub the herbs over the lamb. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, place a Dutch oven or covered ovenproof pot in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes.
• Transfer the shanks to a plate and drizzle with the melted butter; reserve the marinade. Carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven. Working quickly, add the shanks, making sure at least one side of each touches the hot pot. Return the pot to the oven, uncovered, and place the lid on another oven rack to keep it hot. Roast the shanks for 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring the reserved marinade and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot marinade over the shanks, then place a large sheet of heavy-duty foil over the pot and cover with the hot lid. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast 45 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200 degrees and cook 30 more minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the lamb inside, undisturbed, to finish cooking, 20 minutes.
• Remove the lamb from the cooking liquid and place in a shallow baking dish. Refrigerate the meat and the sauce separately overnight.
• When ready to serve, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Drizzle the shallots with olive oil in a small baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Cover the lamb loosely with foil. Bake the lamb and shallots for 25 to 30 minutes, uncovering the lamb and brushing lightly with melted butter after 15 minutes. Meanwhile, discard the fat from the chilled sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Drizzle the finished lamb and shallots with the sauce and garnish with parsley.

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Move oven rack to the center position.
• In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
• Season the rack all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.
• Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

LAMB KABOBS

Steps:

• Cut the lamb in 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 40 cubes. Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, red wine, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Add the lamb cubes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Toss occasionally.
• Heat a charcoal grill with coals. Spread the coals in 1 tight layer on the grill.
• Cut the red onions in quarters and separate each quarter into 3 or 4 sections. Loosely thread 3 or 4 pieces of lamb alternately with sections of onion on skewers. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Next place 4 or 5 cherry tomatoes on skewers, threading them through the stem of the tomato. Rub the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. First, place the lamb skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium rare. Approximately 5 minutes before the lamb is done, place the tomato skewers on the grill, turning once, until seared on the outside but still firm inside.
• For the sauce, bring the chicken stock, olive oil, and lemon juice to a boil in a medium pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until reduced in half. Add the rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Serve the sauce on the side.

CHEF JOHN'S ROASTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Stir 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, garlic, rosemary, kosher salt, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, mint, and cumin together in a bowl.
• Arrange the butterflied leg of lamb onto a work surface with the fatty side facing down. Cut 2 deep slashes in each of the the fleshy ends of the meat. Flip the lamb and cut 10 to 20 shallow slashes across the surface of the fat.
• Spread 3/4 the pomegranate molasses mixture onto the meat-side of the lamb to coat completely. Fold meat together and turn into a large bowl. Spread remaining pomegranate mixture over the fatty side of the meat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack in the bottom of a roasting pan.
• Remove lamb from marinade and discard excess marinade. Gather roast and place onto a work surface with fatty side facing upwards. Tie the center section of the roast with kitchen twine to cinch the roast together. Repeat ties four times along the length of the roast.
• Season roast with salt and transfer to prepared roasting pan. Pour water below the rack to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until hot and slightly pink in the center, about 1 3/4 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). Rest for 15 minutes, transfer to a plate, and brush with remaining pomegranate molasses.

DIANE'S ROAST LAMB

Steps:

• Finely chop 8 garlic cloves. In a large shallow pan, combine wine, 1 cup lemon juice, chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons oregano, and 2 tablespoons rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Add lamb, turning to coat. Cover, and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mortar and pestle, crush 6 garlic cloves and remaining oregano and rosemary. Remove lamb from marinade, and pierce it with a paring knife in 10 to 12 places. Rub garlic mixture over lamb, pushing the mixture into the incisions. Transfer to a large roasting pan, and pour 3 tablespoons olive oil over lamb, rubbing to coat.
• Place potatoes around lamb in roasting pan. Crush remaining 4 garlic cloves, and toss with potatoes. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining cup lemon juice over potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven, and roast for 1 hour. Add artichokes to roasting pan, and roast 45 minutes more, basting occasionally with lemon juice. Remove from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

GREEK ROAST LAMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Pound the garlic, half the oregano, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, then add the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Stab the lamb all over with a sharp knife, then push as much of the herb paste as you can into the holes.
• Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin, then toss in the remaining olive oil and any remaining herb paste. Nestle the lamb amongst the potatoes, roast for 20 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Roast for 1 hr 15 mins for medium-rare, adding another 15 mins if you prefer your lamb medium. Baste the lamb once or twice with the juices and toss the potatoes. When the lamb is done to your liking, remove from the tin and let it rest. Throw the rest of the oregano in with the potatoes, scoop from the tin and keep warm.
• Place the roasting tin over a medium flame, add the canned tomatoes and olives to the pan juices, then simmer for a few mins. Serve the lamb with the potatoes and sauce and a simple salad.